Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to facilitate the achievement of the enterprise's environmental goals. It includes developing workforce understanding of and commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability and the monitoring and minimisation of environmental impact and waste.

Application of the unit 

Management of environmental impact is a high priority for the meat processing industry. All members of the industry have responsibility for environmental management and sustainability. This unit is particularly useful for first line managers including supervisors and team leaders in all sectors of the meat industry.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

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.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Clarify enterprise policies and responsibilities for minimising environmental impact 

1.1. Relevant company documents , policies and legal obligations are located and requirements for enterprise operations are clarified.

1.2. Responsibilities for minimising environmental impact are explained to individuals and teams.

1.3. Individual and team commitment to enterprise environmental management strategy is developed.

2. Implement environment management procedures

2.1. Work practices are planned with colleagues to ensure compliance with workplace and legislative environmental management requirements.

2.2. Work practices are implemented in accordance with requirements specified in legislation and standards for environment protection.

2.3. Coaching and mentoring supports colleagues in managing their responsibilities for environmental protection.

3. Monitor, adjust and report performance

3.1. Environmental impacts including pollutants, emissions and waste are measured according to enterprise procedures and regulatory requirements.

3.2. Actual and potential problems are identified, rectified and reported promptly and decisively to ensure environmental safety.

3.3. Environmental hazards are managed so that risks are minimised.

3.4. Waste recycling, reduction and disposal is carried out within legislative and enterprise requirements.

3.5. Recommendations to improve environmental and waste procedures and controls are submitted to designated persons and groups.

3.6. Individuals and teams are informed of the results of environmental improvements in the workplace.

3.7. Systems, records and reporting procedures are maintained according to legislative requirements.

4. Investigate and report environmental non-conformance

4.1. Non-conformance is investigated and dealt with according to legislative requirements.

4.2. Coaching and mentoring supports colleagues to acquire and apply competencies to meet legislative requirements and the associated standards.

4.3. Workplace environmental and waste minimisation practices are implemented, reviewed and improved to ensure that non-conformance is not repeated.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

Ability to:

• adjust and improve own work practice as a result of self-evaluation, feedback from others or in response to changed work practices or technology
• consult with stakeholders , individuals and teams in the development and review of environmental procedures
• maintain currency of knowledge through independent research or professional development
• develop, in conjunction with managers, environmental targets for the section/department
• demonstrate consultation, negotiation and mentoring skills in interactions with employees, managers, peers and technical experts
• determine and take corrective actions to eliminate or minimise environmental risks
• ensure that procedures are followed by all employees in the area of responsibility
• explain environmental management requirements, procedures and responsibilities clearly to individuals and teams, in appropriate styles, formats and language
• identify and apply relevant communication  and mathematical skills 
• identify environmental hazards and conduct risk analyses
• interpret monitoring information and take corrective action
• apply relevant Occupational Health and Safety  (OH &S ), regulatory  and workplace requirements 
• investigate, analyse and report environmental incidents, using enterprise procedures
• measure and monitor pollutants, emission and waste levels for the area of responsibility
• prepare reports containing technical and mathematical information for employees, managers and peers
• recognise limits of own expertise and indicate when additional expertise is required
• utilise informal and formal consultative strategies to build individual and team commitment to goals and procedures

Required knowledge 

Knowledge of:

• company goals , targets and performance measures 
• enterprise environmental management policies and legal obligations and responsibilities

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 

The meat industry has specific and clear requirements for evidence. A minimum of three forms of evidence is required to demonstrate competency in the meat industry. This is specifically designed to provide evidence that covers the demonstration in the workplace of all aspects of competency over time.

These requirements are in addition to the requirements for valid, current, authentic and sufficient evidence.

Three forms of evidence means three different kinds of evidence - not three pieces of the same kind. In practice it will mean that most of the unit is covered twice. This increases the legitimacy of the evidence.

All assessment must be conducted against Australian meat industry standards and regulations.

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

Assessment conditions require demonstration of sustained performance over time, at an appropriate level of responsibility and authority under typical operating and production conditions for the enterprise.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Resources may include:

• real work environment
• relevant documentation such as:

• workplace policies and procedures
• regulatory requirements

• relevant equipment and materials.

Method of assessment 

Recommended methods of assessment include:

• assignments
• workplace project
• workplace referee or third-party report or performance over time.

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander, gender, or language backgrounds other than English. Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role.

Guidance information for assessment 

A current list of resources for this unit of competency is available from MINTRAC www .mintrac .com .au  or telephone 1800 817 462.

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.

Typically environmental impacts  will include the production of pollutants, emissions and waste such as:

• animal products (e.g. blood, fat and manure)
• consumption of non-renewable resources
• contaminated and polluted water
• greenhouse gases, either directly or indirectly
• noise
• packaging
• vapours, odours.

Company documents  may include:

• environmental licences
• environmental performance monitoring data, including sampling data
• status reports, plans and projections, technical manuals, industry journals, audit reports, incident reports, complaints registers and investigations
• work site environmental incident/accident reporting and investigation procedure.

Stakeholders  may include:

• company owners, directors, shareholders, financiers
• environmental experts
• management and employees
• suppliers, customers, consumers
• unions and employer associations.

Communication  may:

• be spoken, written, non-verbal and include the use of signs, signals, symbols and pictures
• be with colleagues, team members, superiors, customers, clients, external parties from a range of cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds
• involve listening and understanding
• involve interpreting the needs of internal or external customers
• involve preparations of explanations and reports in language styles suitable for the audience and include everyday workplace language, technical and mathematical language
• require the use of negotiation, persuasion and assertiveness skills
• involve the use of technology.

Mathematical skills  may include:

• calculation of metric volumes, weights, mass, temperature, ratios, percentages, heat transfer and load shifting, and relate to sound or noise, liquid and solid materials and waste.

OH &S  requirements may include:

• enterprise OH&S policies, procedures and programs
• hygiene and sanitation requirements
• OH&S legal requirements
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which may include:

• coats and aprons
• ear plugs or muffs
• eye and facial protection
• head-wear
• lifting assistance
• mesh aprons
• protective boot covers
• protective hand and arm covering
• protective head and hair covering
• uniforms
• waterproof clothing
• work, safety or waterproof footwear

• requirements set out in standards and codes of practice.

Regulatory  requirements may include:

• animal welfare
• AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009, Risk Management - Principles and Guidelines.
• AS/NZS ISO 14040:1998 Environmental Management Systems - Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and Framework
• AS/NZS ISO 19011:2003 Guidelines for Quality and/or Environmental Management Systems Auditing
• AS3806-2006 Compliance Programs
• commercial law including fair trading, trade practices
• consumer law
• corporate law, including registration, licensing, financial reporting
• environmental and waste management
• equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment
• Export Control Act
• industrial awards, agreements
• international agreements
• AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems - Requirements With Guidance for Use
• national, state, territory and local requirements
• state, territory and local regulations regarding meat processing
• taxation.

Workplace requirements  may include:

• enterprise ethical standards, values and obligations
• enterprise-specific procedures, policies and plans
• OH&S requirements
• Quality Assurance (QA) requirements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• the ability to perform the task to production requirements
• work instructions,

Targets , goals and performance measures  may be:

• short, medium and long term and relate to operations, environmental impacts and incidents, waste, cost or conformance.

Unit sector 

Co-requisite units 

Competency field