Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the management of the implementation of legislation and defines the standard required to: establish ownership and contact parties where legislation is contravened for control of pests; serve notices for failing to comply with relevant legislation and regulations; provide pest management advice to landholders; follow guidelines to collect evidence for court proceedings.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to officers who administer legislation and involves the provision of both support and advice to landholders to ensure compliance within enterprise guidelines or legislative requirements.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Establish procedures to identify infestations and location

1.1. Monitoring program identifies infestations in contravention of existing legislation.

1.2. Procedures to establish land ownership and responsibilities of all parties are established in line with State legislation.

1.3. Procedures to contact landowners and notify of infestation and control requirements are prepared consistent with enterprise and regulatory guidelines.

1.4. Policies detailing right of entry in communicating with landowners are explained clearly to relevant workers.

1.5. Record keeping documents are in line with agency policies.

2. Administer the implementation of ruling legislation

2.1. Procedures for the serving of notices complying with relevant legislation and regulations and agency policy are prepared and implemented.

2.2. Guidelines on the collection of evidence and reporting of findings are prepared and implemented in accordance with legislation or legal advice where appropriate.

2.3. Pest management advice is provided to landholders consistent with enterprise guidelines and legislative requirements.

2.4. Enterprise policy providing assistance and advice to landholders in the implementation of pest management programs is established.

2.5. Evidence and findings are collated for presentation in court or to legal representatives following enterprise policy.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• establish procedures to identify infestations and location
• administer the implementation of ruling legislation
• use literacy skills to fulfil job roles as required by the organisation. The level of skill may range from reading and understanding documentation to completion of written reports
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record complex workplace measures
• use 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.

Required knowledge 

• relevant commonwealth, state and local legislation and regulations
• pest control treatments relating to pests dealt with under legislation and regulation
• integrated pest management principles
• legislation relating to gathering and presentation of evidence
• conflict resolution
• group skills relating to presentation of advice
• record keeping systems
• time management for self and others
• protection of the environment
• use of pest control agents
• ecological and production systems
• policy and procedure development
• presenting evidence in court.

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 workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• establish ownership and contact parties where legislation is contravened for control of pests
• serve notices for failing to comply with relevant legislation and regulations
• provide pest management advice to landholders
• follow guidelines to collect evidence for court proceedings.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Legislation covered in this standard may include:

• State Noxious Weeds Acts
• Clean Water Acts
• Local Authority regulations
• Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).
• the standard covers pest situations for weeds and vertebrate pests of crops, pastures, rangelands, native vegetation and waterways.

Practices include:

• those relating to pest management and pesticide use.

Responsibilities include:

• the process of administering legislation and the provision of both support and advice to landholders to ensure compliance within enterprise guidelines or legislative requirements.

Unit sector 

Pest management

Co-requisite units 

Competency field