RIIENV601A Establish and maintain the environmental management system

Release: 1

RIIENV601A Establish and maintain the environmental management system

Modification History

Not applicable.

Unit Descriptor

This unit covers the establishment and maintenance of the environmental management systems in resources and infrastructure industries. It includes establishing and maintaining: the framework and participative arrangements for the environmental management system; procedures for identifying environmental hazards, for assessing environmental risk, and for treating environmental risk; organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous environmental events; environmental training programs; a system for environmental records; and evaluation of the organisation's environmental system and related policies, procedures and programs.

Application of the Unit

This unit is appropriate for those working in management or technical specialist role, within:

Civil construction

Coal mining

Drilling

Extractive industries

Metalliferous mining

Licensing/Regulatory Information

Refer to Unit Descriptor.

Pre-Requisites

Not applicable.

Employability Skills Information

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 and maintain the framework for the environmental management system	1.1. Access, interpret and apply compliance documentation relevant to establishing and maintaining environmental management systems 1.2. Develop, document and have approved policies and system procedures that clearly express the organisation's commitment to environmental management and how relevant environmental legislation will be implemented, consistent with overall organisational policies 1.3. Define, allocate and include in job descriptions and duty statements for all relevant positions, responsibilities and duties that will allow implementation and integration of the environmental management systems 1.4. Identify, source and/or provide the resources for the operation of the environmental system in a timely and consistent manner 1.5. Provide and explain information on environmental management system and procedures for the area of responsibility in a form readily accessible to employees
2. Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the environmental management system	2.1. Establish and ensure the maintenance of appropriate consultative processes, in consultation with employees and their representatives 2.2. Ensure issues raised through participation and consultation are dealt with and resolved promptly and effectively in accordance with procedures for issue resolution 2.3. Ensure information about the outcomes of participation and consultation is provided in a manner accessible to employees
3. Establish and maintain procedures for identifying environmental hazards	3.1. Ensure existing and potential environmental hazards are identified and confirmed through site inspection and trends identified from the environmental record system 3.2. Develop and maintain system procedures for the ongoing identifying of existing and potential environmental hazards and ensure the implementation of these procedures in site procedures and systems of work 3.3. Monitor activities to ensure that environmental hazard identification procedure is adopted effectively throughout the organisation 3.4. Ensure procedures are in place and applied for environmental hazard identification at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that new hazards are not created
4. Establish and maintain procedures for assessing environmental risk	4.1. Ensure appropriate assessment of risks presented by identified environmental hazards is carried out 4.2. Develop a system procedure for ongoing assessment of risks and ensure its integration within site procedures and systems of and work 4.3. Monitor activities to ensure that risk assessment procedure is adopted effectively throughout the organisation 4.4. Ensure procedures are in place for risk assessment to be addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change within the organisation to ensure that risks are not created
5. Establish and maintain procedures for treating environmental risks	5.1. Develop and ensure implementation of measures to treat assessed risks 5.2. Ensure the implementation of interim solutions until a permanent control measure is developed when measures which treat a risk at its source are not immediately practicable 5.3. Develop system procedures for ongoing control of risks and ensure their integration within site procedures and general systems of work 5.4. Monitor activities to ensure that the risk treatment procedure is adopted effectively throughout the organisation 5.5. Ensure risk treatment is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change within the organisation to ensure that adequate risk control measures are included 5.6. Identify inadequacies in existing risk treatment measures and seek and provide resources to enable implementation of new measures according to appropriate procedures
6. Establish and maintain organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous environmental events	6.1. Identify the range of most likely potential hazardous environmental events 6.2. Develop systems procedures in consultation with appropriate emergency services that would treat the risks associated with the potential hazardous events that meet legislative requirements, as a minimum 6.3. Provide appropriate information and training to all employees to enable implementation of the correct procedures in all relevant circumstances
7. Establish and maintain an environmental training program	7.1. Develop and ensure implementation of an environmental training program to identify and fulfil employees' environmental training needs
8. Establish and maintain a system for environmental records	8.1. Establish and monitor the system for keeping environmental records to allow identification of patterns of environmental non-compliance within the organisation
9. Evaluate the organisation's environmental system and related policies, procedures and programs	9.1. Assess the effectiveness of the organisation's environmental management system and related policies, procedures and programs in accordance with the organisation's goals and objectives and statutory requirements 9.2. Develop and ensure implementation of improvements to the environmental management system to ensure more effective achievement of the organisation's aims with respect to the environmental management 9.3. Assess compliance with compliance documentation and code of practice to ensure that legal environmental standards are maintained, as a minimum

Required Skills and Knowledge

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.
Required skills
Specific skills are required to achieve the performance criteria in this unit, particularly for the application in the various circumstances in which this unit may be applied. This includes the ability to carry out the following as required to establish and maintain the environmental management system: apply legislative, organisation and site requirements and procedures access and analyse archival and historical information on worksite environmental matters access, interpret and apply technical environmental information apply and manage research techniques and activities apply systems audit procedures communicate effectively in the workplace develop and introduce practices to improve environmental performance in the workplace develop and maintain risk management procedures and policies develop and maintain statutory/legal and organisational policies and procedures explain complex information to superiors/subordinates apply records and documents maintenance requirements apply procedures to monitor and decide on changes to process provide coaching and mentoring support take a leading role in initiating action and making decisions use effective consultative mechanisms to negotiate processes and procedures appropriate to workplace environmental performance
Required knowledge
Specific knowledge is required to achieve the Performance Criteria of this unit, particularly its application in a variety of circumstances in which the unit may be used. This includes knowledge of the following, as required to establish and maintain the environmental management system: environmental legislation, policies and code of practice environmental auditing statutory/legal control duty of care training design and management emergency procedures strategic planning human resource management statutory and site rules, policies, procedures and regulations risk management processes and techniques action planning methods continuous improvement processes company policies

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 competency in this unit must be relevant to worksite operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following: knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions for the establishment and maintenance of the environmental management system implementation of procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient establishment and maintenance of environmental management systems the identification of the relevant information and scope of the work required to meet the required outcomes the identification of viable options and the selection of those that best meet the required outcomes working with others to undertake and complete the establishment and maintenance of environmental management systems timely completion of the establishment and maintenance of environmental management system
Context of and specific resources for assessment	This unit must be assessed in the context of the work environment. Where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment may occur in a simulated environment provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of workplace performance, including task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills. The assessment environment should not disadvantage the participant. For example, language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required on the job. Customisation of assessment and delivery environment to sensitively accommodate cultural diversity. Aboriginal people and other people from a non English speaking background may have second language issues. Assessment of this competency requires typical resources normally used in a civil works environment. Selection and use of resources for particular worksites may differ due to site circumstances. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities. Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.
Method of assessment	This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency. The assessment strategy for this unit must verify required knowledge and skill and practical application using more than one of the following assessment methods: written and/or oral assessment of the candidate's required knowledge observed, documented and/or first hand testimonial evidence of the candidate's: implementation of appropriate procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient achievement of the required outcomes identification of the relevant information and scope of the work required identification of viable options and the selection of policies and procedures that best meet the required outcomes consistently achieving the required outcomes first hand testimonial and documentary evidence of the candidate's: working with others to undertake and complete the establishment and maintenance of environmental management systems timely gaining of approval of the environmental management systems policies and procedures provision of clear, timely required support and advice on the implementation and maintenance of environmental management systems
Guidance information for assessment	Consult the SkillsDMC User Guide for further information on assessment including access and equity issues.

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.
Relevant compliance documentation may include:	legislative, organisation and site requirements and procedures manufacturer's guidelines and specifications Australian standards code of practice Employment and workplace relations legislation Equal Employment Opportunity and Disability Discrimination legislation
Environmental policy is:	the statement by the organisation of its intentions and principles in relation to its overall environmental performance which provides a framework for action and for the setting of its environmental objectives and targets
System's procedures are:	the procedures that support and expand on the policy and set out the requirements for implementing the system on individual sites they provide direction and guidance to those responsible for implementation of the system and in the preparation of site specific work procedures, instruction and practices to put the system into effect
System's procedures may include:	identification of hazards risk identification risk assessment risk treatment interim solutions dealing with unplanned incidents and events consultation communication monitoring review record keeping reporting training
Relevant positions may include:	managers supervisors environmental officer/manager laboratory personnel all worksite personnel
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are the part of the overall management system which includes	organisational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy, and so managing the environmental risks associated with the business of the organisation
Resources may include:	people finance buildings/facilities technology information
Consultation may include:	environmental committees consultation with health and safety representatives issue resolution procedures participative/consultative procedures conducted by supervisory staff within the area of managerial responsibility
Existing and potential hazards can be identified from:	site inspections checklists hazard identification processes hazardous event reports significant incident reports
Hazard is:	a source of potential harm or a situation with the potential to cause loss
Monitoring may include:	review of written reports performance appraisal auditing procedures
Hazard identification is:	the process of recognising that a hazard exists and defining its characteristics
Risk is:	the chance of something happening that will have an impact upon objectives It is measured in terms of consequence and likelihood
Risk assessment is:	the overall process of risk analysis and risk evaluation
Risk treatment is:	the selection and implementation of appropriate options for dealing with risk
Risk control is:	that part of risk management which involves the implementation of policies, standards, procedures and physical changes to eliminate or minimise adverse risks

Unit Sector(s)

Environment

Competency field

Refer to Unit Sector(s).

Co-requisite units

Not applicable.