Elements and Performance Criteria
- Confirm sampling and testing requirements
- Prepare for water sampling
- Identify site and sampling hazards and review workplace safety procedures.
- Liaise with relevant personnel to arrange site access and all necessary clearances and/or permits.
- Select sampling equipment and conditions to achieve representative samples and preserve sample integrity during collection, storage and transit.
- Ensure all reagents, solutions, standards and blanks (as appropriate) are obtained and/or prepared ready for field use.
- Select field test equipment/instruments and check operation and calibration, as required, in accordance with procedures and manufacturer instructions.
- Assemble and check all sampling equipment, field test equipment, materials, containers and safety equipment.
- Arrange suitable transport to, from and/or around site as required.
- Conduct sampling of water
- Locate sampling sites and, if required, services at the site.
- Conduct representative sampling in accordance with sampling plan and defined procedures for field and/or laboratory testing, as required.
- Ensure all controls, blanks and replicate samples are properly integrated into the sampling process.
- Record all information and label samples in accordance with traceability requirements.
- Record environmental conditions and any atypical observations made during sampling that may impact on sample representativeness or integrity.
- Transport all samples back to base according to workplace procedures and relevant codes.
- Distribute samples/sub-samples to required destinations for testing, maintaining sample integrity, traceability and chain of custody requirements, as necessary.
- Conduct field testing of water
- Obtain sample or sub-sample for designated field test, or locate testing location for in-situ testing.
- Check equipment/instruments set-up and reagents and calibrate, as necessary, to ensure safe operation and valid results.
- Run quality control (QC) samples to check method validity.
- Operate equipment/instruments in accordance with test method requirements.
- Perform tests/procedures/observations on all samples, and standards, if appropriate, in accordance with specified methods.
- Record all field observations and results and ensure that they are accurately transferred to workplace information database.
- Maintain a safe work environment
- Use defined safe work practices and personal protective equipment to ensure personal safety and that of others.
- Minimise the generation of waste.
- Rehabilitate sampling site to render it safe and minimise environmental impacts.
- Clean all equipment, containers, work area and vehicles according to workplace procedures.
- Check serviceability of all equipment before storage.
- Ensure the safe collection of all hazardous wastes for appropriate disposal.