Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge to use a systematic planning process to develop plans and quality assurance procedures covering multiple environmental field monitoring or survey activities for a wide range of environmental systems. The unit covers both defining the purpose of the environmental field activities and establishing their overall requirements. These requirements will involve the collection of appropriate data, the monitoring/survey methodologies to be used, and the design and documentation of a final overall implementation plan that includes budget, training and resource requirements. This unit of competency does not cover the development of monitoring or survey protocols.
This unit applies to laboratory supervisors and managers working in the environmental industry sector. All operations must comply with relevant standards, appropriate procedures and/or workplace requirements.
While no specific licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication, laboratory operations are governed by relevant legislation, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements. Local requirements should be checked.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Establish the overall requirements of the field activities | 1.1 | Identify key stakeholders along with their potential interests, sensitivities, roles and responsibilities |
1.2 | Clarify the purpose and general objectives of the field activities with stakeholders and the level/detail of information required | ||
1.3 | Identify and accurately interpret all statutory requirements that apply to the field activities | ||
1.4 | Identify and interpret all existing workplace requirements associated with field monitoring and/or survey activities | ||
1.5 | Analyse drivers and constraints that may influence field activities | ||
1.6 | Refine and document the detailed objectives of the field activities with senior management and key stakeholders | ||
2 | Scope all requirements to collect appropriate data under field conditions | 2.1 | Identify the type, quantity and quality of data needed to meet the defined objectives |
2.2 | Identify sites or areas and resources required for all planned field activities | ||
2.3 | Define data quality procedures that must be incorporated in all field activities | ||
2.4 | Identify risks, environmental and safety issues associated with field activities | ||
2.5 | Inspect all sites or areas and assess them against defined requirements and any standards that apply to the field activities | ||
2.6 | Refine and document all requirements necessary to collect appropriate field data | ||
3 | Select and adapt field protocols covering the field activities | 3.1 | Identify field protocols that may be suitable for the defined field activities |
3.2 | Review and select the most appropriate field protocol for the defined field activities | ||
3.3 | Develop and document detailed methodologies, risk management plans and general time schedules covering all the planned field activities | ||
4 | Design and document a detailed implementation plan | 4.1 | Define all staff tasks, roles and responsibilities and the overall staff work program |
4.2 | Identify and list all resources needed to undertake all planned field activities and associated pre- and post-field activities | ||
4.3 | Design and document an overall implementation plan covering all workplace field activities | ||
4.4 | Outline the objectives, field methodologies and data quality procedures covered in the implementation plan to all stakeholders | ||
5 | Prepare a financial budget and staff training and work programs | 5.1 | Develop a detailed budget, including contingencies covering all planned field activities |
5.2 | Develop detailed staff work programs for individual field activities in the context of the implementation plan | ||
5.3 | Identify competencies required to undertake all field activities and develop appropriate training programs for staff involved in field activities | ||
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Oral communication skills to:
negotiate effectively with stakeholders about multiple issues to reach satisfactory agreements
clearly convey the details of plans to staff, clients, stakeholders and other relevant parties.
Other foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.
Competency Field
Testing