Modification History
Not applicable.
Unit Descriptor
Unit descriptor |
This unit of competency covers the ability to use a systematic planning process to develop plans and quality assurance procedures covering multiple environmental field monitoring or survey activities for a wide range of environmental systems. The unit covers both defining the purpose of the environmental field activities and establishing their overall requirements. These requirements will involve the collection of appropriate data, the monitoring/survey methodologies to be used and the design and documentation of a final overall implementation plan that includes budget, training and resource requirements. This unit of competency does not cover the development of monitoring or survey protocols. |
Application of the Unit
Application of the unit |
This unit of competency is applicable to laboratory supervisors and managers working in the environmental industry sector. All operations must comply with relevant standards, appropriate procedures and/or enterprise requirements. Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These can be found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'. |
Licensing/Regulatory Information
Not applicable.
Pre-Requisites
Prerequisite units |
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MSL975011A |
Design and supervise complex environmental field surveys |
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MSL974007A |
Undertake environmental field -based monitoring |
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Employability Skills Information
Employability skills |
This unit contains employability skills. |
Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content
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. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT |
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Establish the overall requirements of the field activities |
1.1. Identify key stakeholders along with their potential interests, sensitivities, roles and responsibilities 1.2. Clarify the purpose and general objectives of the field activities with stakeholders and the level/detail of information required 1.3. Identify and accurately interpret all statutory requirements that apply to the field activities 1.4. Identify and interpret all existing enterprise requirements associated with field monitoring and/or survey activities 1.5. Analyse drivers and constraints that may influence field activities 1.6. Refine and document the detailed objectives of the field activities with senior management and key stakeholders |
2. Scope all requirements to collect appropriate data under field conditions |
2.1. Identify the type, quantity and quality of data needed to meet the defined objectives 2.2. Identify sites or areas and resources required for all planned field activities 2.3. Define data quality procedures that must be incorporated in all field activities 2.4. Identify risks, environmental and safety issues associated with field activities 2.5. Inspect all sites or areas and assess them against defined requirements and any standards that apply to the field activities 2.6. Refine and document all requirements necessary to collect appropriate field data |
3. Select and adapt field protocols covering the field activities |
3.1. Identify field protocols that may be suitable for the defined field activities 3.2. Review and select the most appropriate field protocol for the defined field activities 3.3. Develop and document detailed methodologies, risk management plans and general time schedules covering all the planned field activities |
4. Design and document a detailed implementation plan |
4.1. Define all staff tasks, roles and responsibilities and the overall staff work program 4.2. Identify and list all resources needed to undertake all planned field activities and associated pre- and post-field activities 4.3. Design and document an overall implementation plan covering all enterprise field activities 4.4. Meet with all staff involved and clearly outline the objectives, field methodologies and data quality procedures covered in the implementation plan |
5. Prepare a financial budget and staff training and work programs |
5.1. Develop a detailed budget, including contingencies covering all planned field activities 5.2. Develop detailed staff work programs for individual field activities in the context of the implementation plan 5.3. Identify competencies required to undertake all field activities and, if appropriate, develop appropriate training programs for all staff involved in field activities |
Required Skills and Knowledge
REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE |
This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit. |
Required skills |
Required skills include:
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Required knowledge |
Required knowledge includes:
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Evidence Guide
EVIDENCE GUIDE |
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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. |
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Overview of assessment |
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Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit |
Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
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Context of and specific resources for assessment |
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment. This unit of competency may be assessed with:
Resources may include:
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Method of assessment |
The following assessment methods are suggested:
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. Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required. 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. |
This competency in practice |
Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. Environmental A large national industrial company has prepared an environmental management plan (EMP) covering all its national locations. Given that 'monitoring' is a major component of any EMP, the environmental manager has been instructed to prepare an annual plan covering all environmental field activities so that the company has an integrated, standardised and non-overlapping monitoring plan covering all of its locations. The environmental manager establishes a planning team to develop plans and quality assurance procedures covering all environmental field monitoring or survey activities required during the year. The committee produces a strategic implementation plan which is forwarded to the Board for review and approval. Construction materials testing A laboratory supervisor for a large mining company was asked to prepare a proposal outlining the resources necessary to produce an annual state of the environment (SOE) report covering the mine site and surrounding land. Given that the report and associated field data would become a public document, the supervisor was also asked to prepare quality assurance procedures covering all environmental field activities undertaken by the company as part of the proposal. They began by identifying and documenting all existing and future field activities and analysing the drivers and constraints that could influence this work in the future. The supervisor then clarified which activities would impact on the SOE report and prepared an implementation plan covering the time schedule, resources, budget and management of risks, safety and emergencies along with a detailed description of the data quality requirements and field protocols involved. They circulated the draft proposal to relevant staff for comment. The company management then refined the draft for consideration by the Board. |
Range Statement
RANGE STATEMENT |
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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. |
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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 |
Standards , codes , procedures and /or enterprise requirements |
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
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Environmental field activities |
Environmental field activities may include:
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Clients and stakeholders |
Clients and stakeholders may include:
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The purpose or objectives of environmental field activities |
The purpose or objectives of environmental field activities will define/target information needs and may include:
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Drivers and constraints |
Drivers and constraints may include:
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Staff field tasks and roles |
Staff field tasks and roles may include:
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Field resources |
Field resources may include:
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Occupational health and safety (OHS ) and environmental management requirements |
OHS and environmental management requirements:
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Unit Sector(s)
Unit sector |
Testing |
Competency field
Competency field |
Co-requisite units
Co-requisite units |
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