Unit of competency details

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.

1

Commence work operations.

1.1

Waste management work site specification  or organisational plan  is reviewed to identify work allocation requirements according to organisational requirements .

1.2

Potential hazards and risks  and anticipated occupational health and safety (OHS) procedures are identified and reported to appropriate person.

1.3

Client needs and expectations  are confirmed.

1.4

Appropriate personnel  are informed of work requirements and safe operating procedures .

1.5

Work operations are conducted according to organisational requirements and legislation and codes .

1.6

Supervisory processes  and checks and measures are implemented to ensure work is completed within time available .

2

Monitor work activity to meet specifications.

2.1

Work activity is monitored systematically to ensure legislation, industry standards, OHS regulations and procedures, and organisational requirements are met.

2.2

Follow-up on difficult or known problem areas pertaining to plant , equipment , material  and work processes is executed.

2.3

Work is reallocated as required to ensure client and organisational requirements are met safely and effectively.

3

Monitor daily operations.

3.1

Site operations are monitored to ensure individuals have the competency level  and are equipped with emergency and personal protective equipment  (PPE) according to organisational requirements, industry standards and OHS regulations.

3.2

Site operations are monitored to ensure site safety plan  is followed and emergency response actions or procedures  are in place to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of waste management.

3.3

In instances of wet weather, a wet weather receival area is organised and prepared according to organisational requirements and legislation and codes.

3.4

Work requirements are communicated  to personnel in a manner suitable to the situation to ensure instructions are understood, verified and confirmed.

4

Direct site development.

4.1

Landfill development plan is reviewed to determine site development requirements.

4.2

Landfill and surrounding site is developed according to development plan, organisational requirements and legislation and codes.

5

Conduct housekeeping.

5.1

Processes are put in place for cleaning and shut-down procedures on completion of operation according to organisational organisations. 

5.2

Record  of waste management activity is completed according to organisational requirements.

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

Required skills 

• analytical skills to:

• determine appropriate waste management service
• observe review operations
• segregate valuable resources in waste

• interpersonal skills to:

• provide guidance
• work in a team environment in a range of waste management activities

• literacy skills to:

• report on waste management activity
• complete documentation
• read and interpret:

• technical plans
• drawings
• documents
• work requirements and material safety data sheets (MSDS)

• self-management skills to:

• conduct work practices safely and efficiently
• apply accuracy and attention to detail
• identify hazards and risks
• organise work methodically
• use applicable information technology
• use emergency and PPE
• work in confined spaces

• oral communication skills to:

• ask questions
• listen actively
• undertake consultation
• follow instructions
• negotiate
• provide information

• planning and initiative skills to supervise teams, including:

• providing guidance
• demonstrating functions associated with equipment processes
• planning and problem solving in tasks
• determining and allocating work requirements

• problem-solving skills to:

• follow up on difficult or known problem areas or work processes
• determine safe and effective solutions to client and organisational requirements and allocate work accordingly

Required knowledge 

• environmental management relating to:

• techniques to minimise erosion
• waste types, streams and characteristics
• waste covering requirements and considerations
• industry standards

• identification of:

• unanticipated waste
• waste processing techniques
• waste contaminants
• waste non-conformances
• waste disposal and recovery routes
• waste processing plant types
• basic biology and chemistry relating to recoverable resources
• standard maintenance requirements

• OHS requirements relating to:

• dangerous goods and hazardous substances
• OHS hierarchy of control
• potential hazards and risks to waste management operation
• emergency response procedures
• HAZAN and HAZOPS requirements

• plant, equipment and materials to facilitate:

• operation of tools, plant and equipment
• cleaning and maintenance of plant and equipment
• plant shut-down, lock-out and isolation procedures

• principles of supervision, including:

• leading by example
• providing or organising training
• establishing work plans
• monitoring work activity and team outputs
• establishing effective communication channels

• resource recovery options relating to:

• valuable resources within materials
• potential resources to be recovered

• regulations and standards affecting:

• establishing plant
• equipment and materials used in the waste management industry
• providing or organising training

• range of waste management services, including:

• organisational and client requirements, including confidentiality requirements
• reporting requirements
• business methods and operations
• industry standards
• daily operations at a waste site
• proprietary issues
• waste management options
• waste management hierarchy
• landfill site development plan
• duty of care

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

This unit of competency could be assessed by observation of practical demonstration or in discussion, relaying how to conduct and monitor waste management operations.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the required skills and knowledge specified in this unit.

In particular the person should demonstrate the ability to:

• coordinate activity and monitor a team or work operation, including allocating work and activities to personnel
• organise equipment and personnel requirements
• ensure safety and efficiency of operations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge may be conducted in an off-site context. It is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards’ requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

• work plans and approved specifications
• forms and procedures manuals.

Method of assessment

Waste management operations must be conducted and monitored in line with industry expectations in the particular client environment. If the environment is narrowly defined or is not representative of industry needs, it may be necessary to refer to portfolio case studies to assess competency in conducting and monitoring waste management operations.

Assessment methods must:

• satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Property Services Training Package
• include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application
• reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles
• confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Guidance information for assessment

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units of competency relevant to the job function, for example:

• CPPCMN4002B Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
• CPPWMT4030A Determine waste management services
• CPPWMT4052A Organise waste management operations
• CPPWMT4053A Conduct and monitor waste management operations
• CPPWMT5004A Develop waste management strategies.

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.

Work site specification  may include:

• covering batters
• landfill site placement and compaction requirements
• production estimates and schedules
• sampling and testing
• support function requirements
• waste receival schedule
• waste transportation requirements.

Organisational plan  may include:

• implementation strategies, including:

• MSDS
• measurement and recording
• OHS procedures
• PPE
• legislation and codes
• site contract requirements
• work procedures

• objectives pertaining to:

• changes to processes and procedures
• environmental issues
• education and training
• past and future reviews and audits
• recycling requirements
• reduction of waste

• review strategies, including:

• internal and external audits
• monitoring statistics
• monitoring personnel performance following training
• undertaking quality control checks
• reviewing effectiveness of new procedures and processes
• formalising review strategies via re-planning
• sampling
• counting waste

• targets, such as:

• carbon emissions reduction
• lean management
• recycling rates
• waste minimisation.

Organisational requirements  may include information found in:

• briefing papers
• job sheets
• letters
• memos
• operations manuals
• policy and procedures documents
• quality assurance documents
• site development plans
• tender and contract documents
• training materials
• verbal or written instructions
• work procedures.

Potential hazards and risks  are those identified by the organisation that may lead to:

• damage to plant, vehicle or property
• harm to the environment
• illness or injury to employees, contractors or the public
• injuries resulting from manual handling and repetitive work.

Hazards and risks  may include:

• broken glass
• broken metal
• compaction equipment
• contamination
• dust
• fire
• gases and fumes
• hazardous waste (e.g. sharps)
• narrow driveways
• other vehicles and equipment
• overhanging signs
• projectiles
• spark-producing equipment
• unguarded conveyor belts
• weather.

Client needs and expectations  may be expressed in:

• briefing papers
• contract documents
• letters
• memos
• quality assurance documents
• tender documents
• verbal or written instructions
• work specifications.

Appropriate personnel  may include:

• foreperson
• maintenance technician
• plant operator
• supervisor
• waste transporter
• weighbridge officer.

Safe operating procedures  may include:

• awareness of contamination sources
• awareness of fire hazards
• confined spaces procedures
• compliance with handling, transport and storage requirements of dangerous goods and hazardous substances
• emergency procedures, including emergency shut-down procedures
• first aid
• following MSDS
• recognising hazards
• observing right of way in incline and decline
• observing speed limits
• operating equipment, plant and machinery according to manufacturer specifications
• safe handling of waste
• wearing seatbelts
• working safely around other personnel
• working safely around tools, plant and equipment.

Safe operating procedures  must result in:

• containment of waste
• clean and undamaged emergency and PPE.

Legislation and codes  may include:

• codes, including:

• Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail
• industry

• commonwealth, state and territory legislation, including:

• anti-discrimination
• environmental protection
• equal employment opportunity
• freedom of information
• industrial
• OHS
• trade practices

• road laws.

Supervisory processes  may include:

• delegating
• implementing
• monitoring
• overseeing
• planning
• reviewing
• targeting practices to meet deadlines.

Time available  may include considering:

• client instructions
• contingencies
• past experiences
• skills and experience of operatives
• location of project
• methods to be employed
• resources and equipment to be used.

Plant  may include:

• autoclave
• balers
• boilers
• bunded areas
• centrifuge
• chippers
• combustion
• compactors
• composters
• computer hardware and software
• conveyors
• crushers
• hammer mills
• incinerator
• materials recovery facility
• microwave
• pipes
• processing plants, including size-reduction processing plant
• safety structures and controls
• separators
• shredders
• sorters
• storage tanks
• transfer station
• treatment plants, including:

• biological treatment plant
• chemical treatment plant
• liquid waste treatment plant
• microwave treatment plant
• physical treatment plant

• treatment tanks
• tub grinders.

Equipment  may include:

• barriers and warning signs
• compactors
• computer and associated hardware and software
• conveyors
• dozers
• earthmoving equipment
• forklifts
• generators
• hoses
• lawnmowers
• lifting equipment
• loadshifting equipment
• pumps
• safety barriers and signage
• sampling equipment
• scales
• scrapers
• skips
• sorting tables
• storage containers
• tractors
• trucks:

• articulated
• rigid

• vacuums
• waste containers
• weighbridge.

Materials  may include:

• cell cover materials
• cleaning fluids
• cleaning rags
• fertiliser
• fuel
• fuses
• globes
• gravel for wet weather tipping areas
• lawn seed
• lubricants
• oil
• pesticides
• plant protection covers
• plants
• road repairing materials:

• compacted materials
• dirt
• gravel
• sand

• water.

Competency level  may be determined from:

• demonstration of work skill
• discussion
• observation
• procedural guides to determine skill gaps
• training records.

Emergency and personal protective equipment  must include:

• footwear
• communications equipment
• eye protection, such as goggles and protective glasses
• eyewash kit
• fire extinguishers
• first aid kit
• footwear
• gloves
• overalls and protective clothing.

Emergency and personal protective equipment  could also include:

• breathing apparatus
• emergency procedure guides
• face shields or masks
• hard hats
• hearing protection
• MSDS
• spill kit.

Personal protective equipment  must be:

• cleaned and fitted according to organisational requirements, manufacturer specifications and OHS requirements
• worn when required according to organisational requirements
• stored according to organisational requirements.

Site safety plan  may include:

• dangerous and prohibited areas
• evacuation areas
• firefighting equipment
• first aid
• emergency and PPE
• shelter.

Emergency response action or procedures  may include:

• cleaning up
• containing emergency
• isolating or shutting down equipment or plant
• evacuation
• first aid
• identifying emergency
• making site safe
• notifying authorities
• using PPE.

Communication of work requirements  may be by:

• mobile phones
• other telecommunication
• two-way radios
• verbal or written instructions
• written job sheets.

Record  may include:

• checks completed
• defects identified
• faults serviced
• housekeeping undertaken
• materials used
• parts replaced
• repairs and adjustments made.