Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency covers the process required to measure current resource use effectively and to carry out improvements, including those that will reduce the negative environment impacts of work practices.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application of the unit 

This unit addresses the knowledge, processes and techniques necessary to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices in animal care and management industry sectors.

In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, all units of competency in the ACM10 Animal Care and Management Training Package have the requirement for animals to be handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for animals so that stress and discomfort is minimised.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify current resource use

1.1. Workplace environmental and resource efficiency issues  are identified.

1.2. Resources used in own work role are identified.

1.3. Current usage of resources is measured and documented using appropriate techniques .

1.4. Workplace environmental hazards  are identified and reported to appropriate personnel.

2. Comply with environmental regulations

2.1. Procedures are followed to ensure compliance  with relevant environmental regulations.

2.2. Breaches or potential breaches of relevant environmental regulations are reported to appropriate personnel.

3. Seek opportunities to improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental hazards

3.1. Organisation plans  to improve environmental practices and resource efficiency are followed.

3.2. Suggestions  are made for improvements to workplace practices and resource efficiency.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• make suggestions for the more efficient use of resources
• participate in workplace meetings and discussions related to environmentally sustainable work practices
• recognise procedures and follow instructions
• report environmental resource hazards and risks
• support changes to work practices that support environmental and resource efficiencies
• literacy skills to read and interpret information relating to resource usage; follow sequenced written instructions; and record information accurately and legibly
• oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor
• numeracy skills to estimate, calculate, measure and record resource usage
• interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities
• problem-solving skills to assess appropriate environmental work practices and prioritise daily tasks.

Required knowledge 

• basic environmental sustainability principles
• environmental and resource hazards and risks associated with the animal care sector in which the individual works
• environmental laws, regulations and standards and why they are relevant to the work context and animal care and management industries
• procedures and processes relevant to the individual's work area that support environment and resource efficiencies
• procedures for reporting environmental and resource hazards and risks, and environment and resource efficiencies and inefficiencies.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

• access, interpret and comply with a range of environment/sustainability legislation and procedural requirements relevant to daily responsibilities
• identify and report on current resource usage measurements and inefficiencies identified and suggest opportunities for improvements
• follow organisation information to participate in and support an improved resource efficiency process and report as required
• identify and report environmental hazards/risks in the workplace and suggest opportunities for improvements.

The skills and knowledge required to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment of this unit is to be largely practical in nature and will most appropriately be assessed against the types of processes required in the industry sector in which candidates are working or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions. Industry sectors can include pet shops, breeding or boarding kennels and catteries; aviaries, companion animal training, grooming establishments; zoos, wildlife parks, mobile animal facilities, animal technology facilities, veterinary practices or similar workplacesor similar workplaces.

There must be access to the relevant information, equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment 

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
• third-party evidence
• workplace documentation
• portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Environmental and resource efficiency  issues may include:

• minimisation of environmental risks and maximisation of opportunities to:

• improve business environmental performance
• promote more efficient production and consumption of natural resources

• this may be achieved by:

• minimising waste by implementing the waste management hierarchy
• efficient energy and water use
• seeking alternate sources of energy
• efficient animal feeding practices.

Appropriate techniques  may include:

• examination of invoices from suppliers to compare per unit cost of product or service
• examination of relevant information and data:

• labelling of contents
• place of origin and manufacture
• efficiency rating tables

• measurement of resource consumption under a range of conditions.

Environmental hazards  may include:

• inappropriate use and disposal of animal treatment products, cleaning agents and chemicals
• inappropriate disposal of animal, feed or organic waste or deceased animals
• poorly maintained machinery and equipment
• poor infection control practices
• poor workplace vector management processes.

Compliance  may include meeting the requirements of:

• federal, state and territory environmental legislation such as:

• Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000
• state and territory environmental protection authorities and agencies

• local government by-laws and regulations, including regional land and water management plans and animal control regulations.

Organisation plans  may include:

• documented policies and procedures including infection control and biosecurity plans
• environmental management system
• work plans, including those relating to minimising waste and increasing the efficiency of water use.

Suggestions  may include ideas that help to:

• increase use of renewable, recyclable, reusable and recoverable resources
• maximise opportunities, such as the use of solar or other alternative forms of energy, where appropriate
• prevent and minimise risks
• reduce emissions of greenhouse gases
• reduce use of non-renewable resources.

Unit sector 

Environmental sustainability

Competency field 

Co-requisite units