Elements and Performance Criteria

Codes of practice
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used
Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements
Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
federal legislation, such as:
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Australian Heritage Council Act 2003
Native Title Act 1993
state/territory government legislation and regulations and local government by-laws, policies, and plans dealing with:
land use, acquisition, planning and protection
environmental protection
cultural/heritage protection
vegetation management
nature conservation and wildlife/plant protection
water and water management
soil conservation
pollution and contaminated sites
fisheries, forestry and mining operations
Australian and international standards, such as:
AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set
enterprise or regulator procedures for sampling, monitoring and in-field testing
enterprise procedures and tools for project management
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
safe work procedures
Environment
The environment comprises the surroundings in which an enterprise and/or industry operates, and may include:
air, water and land
natural and built resources
flora and fauna
humans and how they interrelate
Simple environmental project activities
Simple environmental projects may include collecting and presenting data related to:
air quality
water quality
ecology studies
soil surveys
hydrological surveys
land management
coastal management
wetland management
stormwater management
waste management
Simple project activities could involve real or simulated work activities and may include:
sourcing and collating available information about environmental sites or simple issues
sampling
in-field testing
conducting simple flora and/or fauna surveys
checking data files
presenting data in useable formats
Project brief
Project brief may include an outline of:
aims/expectations/rationale
project activities
assigned tasks and deliverables
Project plan
Project plan may include:
scope
objectives
work breakdown structure
available resources (e.g. equipment and team)
specific roles and responsibilities
budget and cost estimates
milestones
quality requirements and assurance procedures
risk analysis and control measures
safety requirements and related work procedures
stakeholders and consultation procedures
project management procedures, including reporting
Background information
Background information may include:
site or project history
client history
records of consultations with stakeholders
emergency plans and safety procedures
site access protocols and permits
maps (road and topographical)
existing databases (e.g. vegetation, topography, soils and regional ecosystem maps)
Sites
Sites will vary with the scope of the enterprise’s activities, and may include:
public places
industrial settings (e.g. manufacturing, mining, forestry and construction)
roadways
indoors
farms
domestic locations
waterways and catchment areas
natural heritage or conservation areas
Project data and documentation
Project data and documentation may include:
sampling, monitoring or in-field test data and results
records of vehicles/equipment use
records of time spent and approved expenditure
emails and correspondence
records of consultations
progress reports
final reports/briefings
Agreed problem-solving strategies
Agreed problem-solving strategies may include:
researching and applying more efficient methods of completing project tasks
seeking technical advice
sharing expertise and assisting team members
reducing costs
seeking further resources
negotiating an extension of deadlines or redefining deliverables
changing roles and responsibilities within the project team
Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements
OHS and environmental management requirements:
all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time
all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied
where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

Overview of assessment
Competency must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently apply the skills covered in this unit of competency in new and different situations and contexts. Critical aspects of assessment and evidence include:
following relevant enterprise procedures
using available project management procedures and tools to plan assigned tasks and monitor/report progress
providing quality deliverables on time
seeking advice/assistance when difficulties are beyond scope of responsibility or technical competence
identifying opportunities for improvement during project activities
working safely.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment.
Assessment should emphasise a workplace context and procedures found in the candidate’s workplace.
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSS024000A series environmental monitoring, sampling, and testing units
MSL974007A Undertake environmental field-based monitoring
MSL974009A Undertake field-based, remote sensing.
The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team.
Resources may include:
site/project history
relevant enterprise environmental project management procedures, tools and checklists
physical resources required for work activities, such as maps, laptop computer, digital camera, and monitoring and sampling equipment.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of work breakdown structure, work plan and reports prepared by candidate
presentation of project process and deliverables to an appropriate audience
feedback from peers and supervisors about the candidate’s ability to follow enterprise procedures and complete project activities/deliverables on time and within budget
oral or written questioning to check underpinning knowledge of environmental and project management requirements for assigned tasks.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work-like environment.
Guidance information for assessment