Unit of competency

Modification History

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSS015012A Conduct an emissions audit.

Application

This unit of competency covers conducting an audit of emissions related to product or process in an organisation, or part or all of the value chain.

This unit applies to auditing emissions inside organisations and their value chains (e.g. supplier of goods or services or customer). The unit has been developed with manufacturing operations as a focus. However, because of the range of organisations in a typical manufacturing value chain it may also be applied to other types of organisations.

The audit may be conducted to assist in regulatory compliance or as part of a strategy to improve the sustainability of manufacturing operations.

The emphasis in the unit is on informing decision making in regards to emissions using material balancing techniques. While the unit does not preclude actual measurement of emissions it does not cover the measurement/testing or other technical skills to undertake physical measurement of emissions or environmental impact of the emissions. However, there is a requirement to present and organise data. The complexity of this requirement will vary according to the type and scale of the organisation’s processes.

A manager or technical specialist who has a major responsibility for sustainability as part of a broader work role would typically undertake this, or sustainability may be their primary work responsibility. The manager or technical specialist may undertake this alone or as part of a team.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Competency Field

Sustainable operations

Unit Sector

Not applicable

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 MSS015012A Conduct an emissions audit.

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 MSS015012A Conduct an emissions audit.

Performance Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include the ability, for one or more products/processes or part/all of the value chain, to:

• define appropriate boundaries for the sustainability emissions audit
• conduct material balance analyses for a site or value chain
• identify high emissions units/areas
• undertake benefit/cost ratio analyses
• ensure improvement strategies proposed reflect stakeholder needs and regulatory environment.

Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates sufficient knowledge to interact with relevant personnel and be able to conduct an audit of emissions including knowledge of:

• nature of emissions
• material balancing techniques for process and process steps (sometimes known as mass balancing)
• methods of measuring actual process amount/flows
• emission reduction strategies and methods along with costs, effectiveness and alternative disposal strategies caused
• cost-benefit analysis
• relevant legislation, regulations and protocols.

Assessment Conditions

• The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence shall be based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.
• The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:

• a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria
• multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.

• A third party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.
• Assessment should use a real project where an audit of emissions is conducted for an operational workplace.
• 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).
• 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.
• Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
• Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
• 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 relevant environmental monitoring, management or technology 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