Unit of competency

Modification History

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSS025001A Assist with assessing site environmental indicators

Application

This unit of competency covers the ability to assist environmental scientists and engineers with determining the environmental condition of a site or locality. Personnel are required to locate and assess relevant data sets and reports; interpret the magnitudes and trends in measured environmental parameters; and determine and report on the potential significance for site/locality activities. They require sufficient knowledge of environmental science to interpret measurements involving the atmosphere, biodiversity, land and water. The unit does not cover the collection of field data.

This unit of competency is applicable to environmental technicians working in a range of industry sectors, such as environmental monitoring, and sampling (e.g. air quality, water, soil and noise); environmental compliance, auditing and inspection; groundwater and clean water (e.g. catchments, supply, environmental flows); water treatment, storm and wastewater management; solid and hazardous waste management; site remediation; management of contaminated sites; geotechnical services and civil engineering; natural resource management.

While no specific licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication, environmental monitoring and management activities are governed by relevant legislation, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements. Local requirements should be checked.

Pre-requisite Unit

Competency Field

Environmental monitoring

Unit Sector

Environmental

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range of Conditions

Unit Mapping Information

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSS025001A Assist with assessing site environmental indicators

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5b04f318-804f-4dc0-9463-c3fb9a3fe998

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSS025001A Assist with assessing site environmental indicators

Performance Evidence

Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:

• locating and analysing relevant environmental data/reports/indicators and/or limits and using appropriate scientific concepts/principles to provide a systematic, reliable appraisal of the environmental condition for at least one (1) site or locality
• demonstrating an understanding of the legislative and planning framework that applies to environmental site appraisal
• researching, reviewing and concisely documenting site environmental history using appropriate scientific terminology
• identifying and compiling/collating available data that is potentially relevant to assessment of site environmental pollution and/or degradation
• identifying relevant environmental indicators for the site and/or locality
• using computer software (e.g. databases, spreadsheets and specialist programs) to process and present data
• analysing available data in comparison with core environmental indicators, established standards, regulatory limits, and statutory environmental quality concentration limits or similar and determining the significance of results for site/project
• seeking advice when issues/problems are beyond scope of competence/responsibility
• presenting the findings and details of environmental assessment process to stakeholders
• reporting the environmental condition of a site and/or locality in the required format and expected timeframe.

Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:

• scientific terminology relevant to job role, use of environmental indicators, assessment of environmental pollution and environmental degradation
• fundamental concepts and principles in chemistry, physics, geology and biology to support a scientific, systematic approach to the evaluation of environmental degradation
• fundamentals of environmental chemistry, including:

• natural and modified hydrologic cycle
• aquatic chemistry in natural and polluted waters
• water pollutants, such as heavy metals, inorganics, organics, nutrients and pesticides

• atmosphere and its composition, structure and circulation
• atmospheric stability and instability, such as lapse rates and inversions
• atmospheric pollutants, such as particulates, inorganic air pollutants and organic air pollutants
• awareness of climate change science
• soil chemistry
• hazardous wastes and toxicological chemistry
• concepts of biodiversity stresses, including:

• land clearing and loss of habitat
• threatened and vulnerable species and ecological communities
• introduced species

• specific legislation, strategies, policies and codes of practice related to environmental pollution and biodiversity

relevant hazards, health, safety and environment requirements.

Assessment Conditions

• Judgement of competence must be based on holistic assessment of the evidence. Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time, rather than a single assessment event.
• This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace, or a simulated workplace environment. A simulated workplace environment must reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including the environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
• Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
• Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
• Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept in each case).
• Holistic assessment methods include:

• review of report/presentation of the assessment of the environmental condition of a site or locality conducted by the candidate
• feedback from supervisors that the candidate consistently follows workplace procedures when conducting site assessments and produces work outputs within agreed timeframes
• oral and/or written questions to check the candidate’s knowledge of the environmental legislative and planning framework, processes used for assessing the environmental condition of sites and relevant environmental science concepts and principles.

• Access is required to all equipment, materials, workplace documentation, procedures, and specifications associated with this unit including, but not limited to:

• State of the Environment Reports, national environment protection measures, ANZECC Core Environmental Indicators documentation
• environmental databases (electronic, web-based and hardcopy)
• national and state/territory environmental management strategies, guidelines and regulations
• documentation, including site information, environmental management plans, codes of practice and workplace procedures.

• Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.
• The assessor must demonstrate both technical competency and currency.
• Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

• relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR
• relevant workplace experience

• Currency can be demonstrated through:

• performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR
• having consulted with an organisation providing environmental monitoring, management or technology related services about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5b04f318-804f-4dc0-9463-c3fb9a3fe998