NZQA expiring unit standard
23549 version 2
Page 1 of 7
Title
Establish and maintain the environmental management system at an
extractive site
Level
7
Purpose
Credits
20
This unit standard covers the establishment and management
of the environmental management system in a mining
organisation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to establish and
maintain: the framework for the Environmental Management
System for an extractive site; participative arrangements for the
management of the environmental system; procedures for
assessing environmental hazards; procedures for assessing
environmental risk; procedures for treating environmental risks;
organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous
environmental events; an environmental training programme;
and a system for environmental records. They are also able to
evaluate the organisation's Environmental Management
System and related policies, procedures and programmes.
Classification
Extractive Industries > Extractive Industries Management
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Australian unit of competency MNCG1101A Establish and maintain the
environmental management system has been used as the basis for this unit
standard.
2
Performance of the elements of this unit standard must comply with company
procedures as well as the following enactments, codes and guidelines: Health and
Safety in Employment (HSE) Act 1992, and Health and Safety in Employment
Regulations 1995, Health and Safety in Employment (Mining Administration)
Regulations 1996, Health and Safety in Employment (Mining – Underground)
Regulations 1999, and approved codes of practice issued pursuant to the HSE Act;
Guide to Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, published by Department of
Labour; Resource Management Act 1991; Crown Minerals Act 1991; Hazardous
Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996, and Hazardous Substances
(Classes 1 to 5 Controls) Regulations 2001, Hazardous Substances (Identification)
Regulations 2001, Hazardous Substances (Packaging), Hazardous Substances
(Disposal) Regulations 2001, Hazardous Substances (Emergency Management)
Regulations 2001, Hazardous Substances (Tracking) Regulations 2001.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA expiring unit standard
23549 version 2
Page 2 of 7
3
The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) will be responsible for
assessing and approving hazardous substances, and where appropriate, setting
controls on the way the substance is used. Any questions relating to the provisions
for hazardous substances should be directed to EXITO Telephone 03 964 4710.
4
All statutory and authority requirements must be up to date and include the latest
amendments.
5
This unit standard is intended for, but is not limited to, workplace assessment.
6
Definitions
Company procedures mean the documented methods for performing work activities
and include health and safety, operational, environmental, and quality management
requirements. They may refer to legislation, regulations, guidelines, standard
operating procedures, manuals, codes of practice, or policy statements.
Environmental Management System is the part of the company procedures which
includes organisational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices,
procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving,
reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy, and so managing the
environmental risks associated with the business of the organisation.
Environmental policy is the statement by the organisation of its intentions and
principles in relation to its overall environmental performance which provides a
framework for action and for the setting of its environmental objectives and targets.
System procedures are the procedures that support and expand on the policy and
set out the requirements for implementing the system on individual sites. They
provide direction and guidance to those responsible for implementation of the system
and in the preparation of site-specific work procedures, instruction and practices to
put the system into effect. They may include identification of hazards, risk
identification, risk assessment, risk treatment, interim solutions, dealing with
unplanned incidents and events, consultation, communication, monitoring, review,
record keeping, reporting, and training.
Risk is the chance of something happening that will have an impact upon objectives.
It is measured in terms of consequences and likelihood.
Risk assessment is the overall process of risk analysis and/ or risk evaluation.
Risk analysis and/or risk evaluation is a systematic use of available information to
determine how often specified events may occur and the magnitude of their
consequences.
Risk control is that part of risk management which involves the implementation of
policies, standards, procedures and physical changes to eliminate or minimise
adverse risks.
Hazard is a source of potential harm or a situation with a potential to cause loss.
Hazards in the workplace may relate to equipment, methods/plans, competencies
and/or the work environment.
Hazard identification is the process of recognising that a hazard exists and defining
its characteristics.
Monitored means to have checked, supervised, observed critically, or recorded the
progress of an activity, action or system on a regular basis in order to identify
change. Monitoring may include review of written reports, performance appraisal,
and auditing procedures.
Establish is the overall process of development, design and implementation.
Maintain means to manage the ongoing functioning of a system or its components,
such as equipment or staff.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA expiring unit standard
23549 version 2
Page 3 of 7
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Establish and maintain the framework for the Environmental Management System for an
extractive site.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Policies and system procedures that clearly express the organisation's
commitment to environmental management, and how relevant environmental
legislation will be implemented consistent with overall organisational policies,
are developed, documented, and approved in accordance with company
procedures.
1.2
Responsibilities and duties that will allow implementation and integration of the
environmental management systems are defined, allocated and included in job
descriptions and duty statements for all relevant positions.
Range
1.3
The resources for the operation of the environmental system are identified,
sourced and/or provided in a timely and consistent manner.
Range
1.4
relevant positions may include – managers, supervisors,
environmental officer/manager, laboratory personnel, all mine site
personnel.
resources may include – people, finance, buildings/facilities,
technology, information.
Information on environmental management system and procedures is provided
and explained for the area of responsibility in a form readily accessible to
employees.
Outcome 2
Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the management of the
environmental system.
Range
consultation may include – environmental committees, health and safety
representatives, issue resolution procedures, participative/consultative
procedures conducted by supervisory staff within the area of managerial
responsibility.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Appropriate consultative processes are established and maintained, in
consultation with employees and their representatives, in accordance with
relevant legislation and consistent with company procedures.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA expiring unit standard
23549 version 2
Page 4 of 7
2.2
Issues raised through participation and consultation are dealt with and resolved
promptly and effectively in accordance with company procedures.
2.3
Information about the outcomes of participation and consultation is provided in a
manner accessible to employees.
Outcome 3
Establish and maintain procedures for identifying environmental hazards.
Range
existing and potential environmental hazards can be identified from – site
inspections, checklists, hazard identification processes, hazardous event
reports, significant incident reports.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Existing and potential environmental hazards are identified and confirmed, in
accordance with environmental legislation, codes of practice and trends
identified from the environmental record system.
3.2
System procedures for ongoing identification of existing and potential
environmental hazards are developed and maintained and implemented in
accordance with company procedures and systems of work.
3.3
Activities are monitored to ensure that the environmental hazard identification
procedure is adopted effectively throughout the organisation.
3.4
System procedures are put in place and applied for environmental hazard
identification at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the
workplace to ensure that new hazards are not created.
Outcome 4
Establish and maintain procedures for assessing environmental risk.
Evidence requirements
4.1
Appropriate assessment of risks presented by identified environmental hazards
is carried out in accordance with environmental legislation and codes of
practice.
4.2
A system procedure for ongoing assessment of risks is developed and
integrated within company procedures and systems of work.
4.3
Activities are monitored to ensure that risk assessment procedures are adopted
effectively throughout the organisation.
4.4
Procedures are in place for risk assessment to be addressed at the planning,
design and evaluation stages of any change within the organisation to ensure
that risks are not created.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA expiring unit standard
23549 version 2
Page 5 of 7
Outcome 5
Establish and maintain procedures for treating environmental risks.
Evidence requirements
5.1
Measures to treat assessed risks in accordance with relevant environmental
legislation, codes of practice and trends identified from the environmental
records system are developed and implemented.
5.2
Interim solutions are implemented until a permanent control measure is
developed when measures to treat a risk at its source are not immediately
practicable.
5.3
System procedures for ongoing control of risks are developed and integrated
within company procedures and general systems of work.
5.4
Activities are monitored to ensure that the risk treatment procedure is adopted
effectively throughout the organisation.
5.5
Risk treatment is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of
any change within the organisation to ensure that adequate risk control
measures are included.
5.6
Inadequacies in existing risk treatment measures are identified, and resources
to enable implementation of new measures are sought and provided according
to company procedures.
Range
resources may include – people, finance, buildings/facilities,
technology, information.
Outcome 6
Establish and maintain organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous
environmental events.
Evidence requirements
6.1
The range of most likely potential hazardous environmental events is identified.
6.2
System procedures are developed in consultation with appropriate emergency
services that would treat the risks associated with the potential hazardous
events and meet legislative requirements.
6.3
Appropriate information and training is provided to all employees to enable
implementation of the correct hazard minimisation or elimination procedures in
all relevant circumstances.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA expiring unit standard
23549 version 2
Page 6 of 7
Outcome 7
Establish and maintain an environmental training programme.
Evidence requirements
7.1
An environmental training programme to identify and fulfil employees'
environmental training needs is established and maintained.
Outcome 8
Establish and maintain a system for environmental records.
Evidence requirements
8.1
The system for keeping environmental records to allow identification of patterns
of environmental non-compliance within the organisation is established and
maintained.
Outcome 9
Evaluate the organisation's Environmental Management System and related policies,
procedures and programmes.
Evidence requirements
9.1
The effectiveness of the organisation's Environmental Management System and
related policies, procedures and programmes is assessed in accordance with
company procedures and legislative requirements.
9.2
Improvements to the Environmental Management System are developed and
implemented to ensure more effective achievement of the organisation's aims
with respect to environmental management.
9.3
Compliance with environmental legislation and codes of practice is assessed to
ensure that legal environmental standards are maintained.
Replacement information
This unit standard was replaced by unit standard 28741.
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by
31 December 2017.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
23 February 2007
31 December 2017
Review
2
19 March 2015
31 December 2017
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA expiring unit standard
23549 version 2
Page 7 of 7
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0114
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Incorporated) (MITO)
info@mito.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016