Modification History
Not applicable.
Unit Descriptor
This unit of competency covers the ability to coordinate environmental management activities at a site, or within a project, to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, permits and/or licences. Personnel are required to interpret and explain environmental management policies, plans and procedures to other personnel and apply them to a wide range of activities. This includes recognising potential/actual environmental impacts of current and planned work/recreational activities, implementing and monitoring appropriate preventative and corrective actions to minimise harm to the environment, coordinating response to incidents, liaising with the site personnel and stakeholders, and providing site/project reports. Personnel work under the supervision of an environmental scientist or engineer, site manager or enterprise environmental manager.
Application of the Unit
This unit of competency is applicable to environmental site coordinators, environmental managers and senior environmental officers working in a range of industry sectors, such as:
- environmental monitoring, sampling and field testing (e.g. air, water, soil and noise)
- geotechnical services
- natural resource management
- occupational hygiene monitoring (e.g. air, noise and radiation)
- water supply and treatment, storm and wastewater management
- solid and hazardous waste management
- site remediation or rehabilitation
- resource efficiency (e.g. energy, water and waste auditing).
Note that the term ‘manager’ is used to refer to management of a function, project and/or program and does not necessarily imply line management.
Licensing/Regulatory Information
Not applicable.
Pre-Requisites
Not applicable.
Employability Skills Information
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1 |
Confirm environmental management responsibilities |
1.1 |
Interpret legislative, regulatory and licensing requirements and approvals that apply to site/project |
1.2 |
Clarify own scope of responsibility/authority for achieving specific environmental outcomes for site/project and the roles of other key personnel |
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1.3 |
Identify resources available to implement environmental management policies and plans for site/project |
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2 |
Develop and maintain positive relations with site personnel and stakeholders |
2.1 |
Identify significant stakeholders, their relationship to the enterprise and position or perceived attitudes about the site/project |
2.2 |
Participate in meetings and networks to obtain/maintain knowledge about stakeholders, their representatives and their issues |
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2.3 |
Use appropriate strategies to foster the trust and confidence of site personnel and stakeholder representatives |
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2.4 |
Communicate enterprise positions/requirements in a way that acknowledges concerns of personnel/stakeholders and promotes understanding |
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2.5 |
Respond to requests for information or participation in stakeholder activities in accordance with enterprise procedures |
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2.6 |
Provide timely, authorised information using language, styles and formats that are readily understood |
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2.7 |
Identify difficult situations and negotiate solutions by using a collaborative approach and harnessing cooperation (within scope of responsibility) |
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2.8 |
Obtain regular feedback and use it to maintain and enhance positive relations |
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3 |
Provide environmental management information and training |
3.1 |
Use environmental management plans and recent incident reports to identify/review information and training needs of site personnel |
3.2 |
Access, or develop, information and training programs to meet the identified needs |
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3.3 |
Provide accessible information and training programs to ensure that all site personnel understand their environmental obligations/responsibilities |
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3.4 |
Confirm site personnel’s understanding of environmental management actions specified for specific work areas and activities |
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3.5 |
Monitor the effectiveness of information and training and adjust content, format and delivery strategies as appropriate |
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4 |
Assess environmental impacts and risks |
4.1 |
Review scheduled activities well in advance to identify implications for environmental management |
4.2 |
Identify potential/actual events, risks and activities that may cause/have caused harm to the environment |
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4.3 |
Conduct inspections and in-situ measurements to quantify risks and impacts |
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4.4 |
Report assessment of risks and impacts in accordance with enterprise/legislative requirements |
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5 |
Ensure environmental monitoring and management plans are implemented |
5.1 |
Conduct specified environmental monitoring and site inspections to check performance against environmental management requirements |
5.2 |
Ensure that enterprise environmental monitoring instruments are fully functioning and maintained appropriately |
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5.3 |
Conduct additional monitoring/inspections after atypical events, legitimate complaints or government requests to assess whether environmental management plan is operating effectively |
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5.4 |
Examine results of in-situ measurements, laboratory analyses, inspections and audits to identify significant trends, non-conformance and/or incidents |
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6 |
Respond to environmental non-conformances and incidents |
6.1 |
Recognise unusual situations, unexpected risks/hazards and potential/actual environmental incidents |
6.2 |
Implement enterprise procedures for responding to environmental non-conformance and incidents to ensure prompt control and remediation |
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6.3 |
Investigate the causes of non conformances and incidents within scope of responsibility and in accordance with enterprise/legislative requirements |
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6.4 |
Analyse findings to identify opportunities to re-design activities, work practices, environmental controls, information/training programs and/or management procedures |
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6.5 |
Implement authorised corrective/preventative actions to prevent recurrence of non-conformance/incident and to reduce risks |
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6.6 |
Record all recommendations, actions and outcomes in accordance with the enterprise/legislative requirements |
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7 |
Keep management informed about environmental performance |
7.1 |
Provide regular reports about environmental performance, instances of potential/actual non-conformance and incidents and the actions taken in each case |
7.2 |
Report opportunities and recommendations for improvements in accordance with enterprise procedures |
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7.3 |
Seek manager’s advice when challenges are beyond own scope of responsibility/technical competence or when input from environmental specialists may be required |
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8 |
Maintain environmental records |
8.1 |
Ensure all required records are legible, accurate and satisfy enterprise/legislative requirements |
8.2 |
Store environmental records to enable easy access and review by authorised personnel according to enterprise procedures |
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8.3 |
Regularly review and assess environmental records to identify significant trends and impacts |
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8.4 |
Identify any problems with the maintenance and security of records and resolve them promptly |
Required Skills and Knowledge
Required skills |
Required skills include:
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Required knowledge |
Required knowledge includes:
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Evidence Guide
Overview of assessment |
Competency must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard. |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit |
Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently apply the skills covered in this unit of competency in new and different situations and contexts. Critical aspects of assessment and evidence include:
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Context of and specific resources for assessment |
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment. Assessment should emphasise a workplace context and procedures found in the candidate’s workplace. This unit of competency may be assessed with:
The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team. Resources may include:
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Method of assessment |
The following assessment methods are suggested:
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly. Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability. The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work-like environment. |
Guidance information for assessment |
Range Statement
Codes of practice |
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used |
Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements |
Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
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Environmental information and training |
Environmental information and/or training may include:
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Provision of environmental information and training |
Provision of environmental information and training may include:
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Site personnel and stakeholders |
Site personnel and stakeholders may include:
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Reports |
Reports may include:
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Site/project records |
Site/project records may include:
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Environmental issues and incidents |
Environmental issues and incidents may include:
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Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements |
OHS and environmental management requirements:
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Unit Sector(s)
Environmental
Custom Content Section
Not applicable.