MSS024012A Undertake simple environmental project activities

Release: 1

MSS024012A Undertake simple environmental project activities

Modification History

Not applicable.

Unit Descriptor

This unit of competency covers the ability to carry out straightforward aspects of environmental projects, such as researching basic site information and performing routine sampling, monitoring and data management. Personnel may work individually, or as part of a team. They are expected to confirm the project brief/plan with their supervisor, carry out the assigned project activities and maintain progress through to the project’s completion. The unit does not cover procurement of project resources and contract management.

Application of the Unit

This unit of competency is applicable to environmental technicians working in all industry sectors.

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	Review project documentation and requirements	1.1	Clarify details of project brief and plan with supervisor
1.2	Identify regulations, standards, codes and enterprise procedures that apply to project activities
1.3	Analyse the project plan to confirm outputs, timeframe, risks and controls, roles and responsibilities and stakeholder involvement
1.4	Confirm performance indicators, milestones, deliverables and available resources for assigned project activities
2	Plan and organise assigned activities	2.1	Locate and review background information for site/project
2.2	Prioritise project activities as directed
2.3	Break down project activities into small achievable components and efficient sequences
2.4	Identify and assemble required resources
2.5	Liaise with relevant personnel to organise site access and permits, as necessary
2.6	Review work plan in response to new information, changed circumstances or instructions from appropriate personnel
2.7	Update work plan and communicate changes to appropriate personnel, as necessary
3	Complete assigned activities	3.1	Cooperate with stakeholders and/or team members to achieve agreed outcomes, timelines and outcomes
3.2	Apply technical knowledge and skills to safely conduct assigned tasks in accordance with project requirements
3.3	Collect, verify and store project data in accordance with enterprise procedures
3.4	Seek assistance from relevant personnel when difficulties are beyond scope of technical competence or responsibility
4	Monitor and maintain project progress	4.1	Monitor and record completion of activities and progress towards milestones
4.2	Recognise problems and opportunities for improved work performance
4.3	Use agreed strategies to tackle challenges and solve problems
4.4	Identify and access appropriate sources of help, as necessary
4.5	Provide progress reports in accordance with project requirements
5	Finalise project activities	5.1	Provide project deliverables on time and at the required quality standard
5.2	Evaluate the project process and identify any issues and opportunities for continuous improvement
5.3	Prepare project reports containing the required information and using the agreed style, voice and format
5.4	Complete and store all project documentation
5.5	Brief supervisor about project process and outcomes

Required Skills and Knowledge

Required skills
Required skills include: planning and organising resources for assigned project tasks following legislative requirements, standard methods and enterprise procedures collecting, collating and recording simple environmental information processing and presenting simple quantitative environmental data using and maintaining equipment to undertake assigned project activities preparing brief oral/written reports and project presentations seeking advice when issues/problems are beyond scope of competence/responsibility working safely for the protection of self and others
Required knowledge
Required knowledge includes: enterprise project planning, management and reporting requirements environmental terms, concepts and principles relevant to assigned project activities enterprise and regulator sampling, monitoring and testing procedures that apply to assigned project activities enterprise procedures for identifying/assessing and controlling hazards/risks associated with project activities relevant health and safety requirements and enterprise safe work procedures

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: following relevant enterprise procedures using available project management procedures and tools to plan assigned tasks and monitor/report progress providing quality deliverables on time seeking advice/assistance when difficulties are beyond scope of responsibility or technical competence identifying opportunities for improvement during project activities working safely.
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: MSS024000A series environmental monitoring, sampling, and testing units MSL974007A Undertake environmental field-based monitoring MSL974009A Undertake field-based, remote sensing. The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team. Resources may include: site/project history relevant enterprise environmental project management procedures, tools and checklists physical resources required for work activities, such as maps, laptop computer, digital camera, and monitoring and sampling equipment.
Method of assessment	The following assessment methods are suggested: review of work breakdown structure, work plan and reports prepared by candidate presentation of project process and deliverables to an appropriate audience feedback from peers and supervisors about the candidate’s ability to follow enterprise procedures and complete project activities/deliverables on time and within budget oral or written questioning to check underpinning knowledge of environmental and project management requirements for assigned tasks. 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: federal legislation, such as: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Australian Heritage Council Act 2003 Native Title Act 1993 state/territory government legislation and regulations and local government by-laws, policies, and plans dealing with: land use, acquisition, planning and protection environmental protection cultural/heritage protection vegetation management nature conservation and wildlife/plant protection water and water management soil conservation pollution and contaminated sites fisheries, forestry and mining operations Australian and international standards, such as: AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set enterprise or regulator procedures for sampling, monitoring and in-field testing enterprise procedures and tools for project management material safety data sheets (MSDS) safe work procedures
Environment	The environment comprises the surroundings in which an enterprise and/or industry operates, and may include: air, water and land natural and built resources flora and fauna humans and how they interrelate
Simple environmental project activities	Simple environmental projects may include collecting and presenting data related to: air quality water quality ecology studies soil surveys hydrological surveys land management coastal management wetland management stormwater management waste management Simple project activities could involve real or simulated work activities and may include: sourcing and collating available information about environmental sites or simple issues sampling in-field testing conducting simple flora and/or fauna surveys checking data files presenting data in useable formats
Project brief	Project brief may include an outline of: aims/expectations/rationale project activities assigned tasks and deliverables
Project plan	Project plan may include: scope objectives work breakdown structure available resources (e.g. equipment and team) specific roles and responsibilities budget and cost estimates milestones quality requirements and assurance procedures risk analysis and control measures safety requirements and related work procedures stakeholders and consultation procedures project management procedures, including reporting
Background information	Background information may include: site or project history client history records of consultations with stakeholders emergency plans and safety procedures site access protocols and permits maps (road and topographical) existing databases (e.g. vegetation, topography, soils and regional ecosystem maps)
Sites	Sites will vary with the scope of the enterprise’s activities, and may include: public places industrial settings (e.g. manufacturing, mining, forestry and construction) roadways indoors farms domestic locations waterways and catchment areas natural heritage or conservation areas
Project data and documentation	Project data and documentation may include: sampling, monitoring or in-field test data and results records of vehicles/equipment use records of time spent and approved expenditure emails and correspondence records of consultations progress reports final reports/briefings
Agreed problem-solving strategies	Agreed problem-solving strategies may include: researching and applying more efficient methods of completing project tasks seeking technical advice sharing expertise and assisting team members reducing costs seeking further resources negotiating an extension of deadlines or redefining deliverables changing roles and responsibilities within the project team
Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements	OHS and environmental management requirements: all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

Unit Sector(s)

Environmental

Custom Content Section

Not applicable.