Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assist in site inspections, collect samples and conduct field tests and/or measurements to identify contamination in air, soil and water.
This unit applies to environmental technicians, environmental officers or other roles who are required to inspect site for potential contamination, sample and test air, water and soil, monitor risks and apply safety procedures, select equipment and materials and record and interpret data.
This unit applies in a range of industry sectors, including but not limited to environmental services (e.g. sampling and monitoring of air quality, water and soil); environmental compliance, auditing and inspection; management of pollution and contaminated sites; and site remediation or rehabilitation.
No licensing or certification requirements exist at the time of publication. Relevant legislation, industry standards and codes of practice within Australia must be applied.

What You'll Learn

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

There must be evidence the candidate has completed the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit, and demonstrated the ability to:
• identify and document key features and potential contamination hazards of at least one site
• collect, preserve and label a set of representative samples for at least one site in accordance with sampling plan
• prepare (sub)samples and conduct at least one test and analysis, using specified test methods, for each of the following:
• air
• water
• soil
• apply cleaning and decontamination procedures for each test
• interpret trends in data and/or results and report atypical results on at least 3 occasions.

Knowledge Evidence

There must be evidence the candidate has knowledge of:
• scientific terminology covering the sampling and testing of air, water and soil at potentially contaminated sites as relevant to job role
• overview of legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice related to contaminated sites, and threshold levels or environmental quality concentration limits for contaminants
• common site hazard and risks, risk assessment techniques and use of risk cards
• properties and health risks associated with groups of contaminants including at least 2 examples from each of the following groups:
• particulates
• chemicals
• materials and substances
• gases/vapours
• sampling plans for contaminated sites, including concepts of preliminary sampling, non-targeted/grid sampling, and targeted/judgemental sampling
• types of sampling strategies for gas, water and soil
• functions and operating principles of, and sampling equipment related to, test equipment and/or instruments including at least 2 from each of the following:
• air testing
• water testing
• soil testing
• screening of gas/vapours, soil and water samples using:
• colour and texture
• bioluminescence/toxicity test kits
• colorimetric methods and dye shake tests
• pH, electrical conductivity, redox potential, temperature, dissolved oxygen and ammonia concentration
• photo ionisation detectors (PID)
• flame ionisation detectors (FID)
• gas detectors
• portable infrared analysers for methane and carbon monoxide (CO)
• portable X-ray fluorescence spectrum analyses
• field gas chromatography
• measurement of radiation
• common procedure/equipment problems leading to atypical data/results
• traceability and/or chain of custody of samples and management of large volumes of data
• calculation of measurement uncertainty as relevant to tests being performed
• use of replicates, field and trip (transport) blanks, rinsate blanks and background samples
• data processing, recording and reporting procedures
• hazards, health, safety and environmental requirements relevant to site activities undertaken; use of safe work methods, safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Assessment Conditions

Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions and contingencies. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
• use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
• sampling plan
• test methods and/or procedures
• instrument calibration procedures, where relevant
• modelling of industry operating conditions.
Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

Foundation Skills

• {'skill': 'Foundation Skills', 'description': 'This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance but not explicit in the performance criteria.\n• Reading skills to interpret site information, test methods and manufacturer instructions\n• Writing skills to record data, environmental conditions and observations\n• Oral communication skills to confirm requirements with supervisor\n• Numeracy skills to interpret sampling plan,\xa0take and interpret measurements and perform calculations.\nOther foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.'}

Prerequisite Units

• MSS024032

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