The Contaminated Site Assessment and Management (CPSS-CSAM) standards identify the competencies that can reasonably be expected of a CPSS-CSAM and are in addition to the minimum requirements for Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) accreditation, which can be found at www.soilscienceaustralia.org.au/cpss
The term “Contaminated Site” means …land or water where any chemical substance or waste has been added as a direct or indirect result of human activity at above background level and represents, or potentially represents, an adverse health or environmental impact (extracted from the 2013 NEPM amendment).
It is recognised that some practitioners may have comprehensive and high-level experience in Competency 2.2 Investigation and as such are more likely to direct others to undertake investigations, rather than do the work themselves.
Section 1 – Core Knowledge #
| Competency | Standard – required to meet all core standards |
| CSAM Core 1 | Demonstrates an understanding of Government policy and regulatory requirements as they relate to contaminated sites; for example, Federal [National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure]; State legislation and regulations. |
| CSAM Core 2 | Understands sample selection for analysis to allow extrapolation and interpolation of field observations and measurements, as well as being able to clarify the purpose of an investigation, develop a geophysical conceptual site mode (CSM), develop data quality objectives (DQOs) and identify significant data gaps. |
| CSAM Core 3 | Supervises and/or manages the planning, implementation, reporting, and evaluation of soil science aspects of contamination projects using recognised scientific principles. |
| CSAM Core 4 | Interprets behaviour of different contaminants in soil gas, soil and groundwater through an understanding of, and interactions with, specialists in the fields of risk assessment, toxicology, receptor pathway analysis, groundwater flow and modelling and integrates contributions from experts in these fields into the analysis of a site. |
| CSAM Core 5 | Understands current remediation design and techniques commercially available in Australia and the applicability of these techniques to project factors such as timeframe, site size, contaminant/s and concentration. |
| CSAM Core 6 | Understands the process of a site-specific assessment; both the initial assessment of human health risks and ecological risks through comparing levels of contaminants on the site with appropriate investigation or screening levels or, if necessary, by undertaking a site-specific risk assessment. |
Section 2 – Practice #
2.1 Planning #
| Competency | Standard – required to meet at least 5 of the 6 standards |
| CSAM Plan 1 | Consults effectively with clients and regulators on requirements, obtains pre-existing site information and develops an investigation proposal including purpose, context, delivery schedule, cost, and appropriate occupational health and safety considerations. |
| CSAM Plan 2 | Advises on the level of data needed to address the questions being posed during the assessment of a site for contamination and scopes the problem to ensure that sufficient background data is available prior to accurately designing each stage of an investigation. |
| CSAM Plan 3 | Devises site conceptual models as set out in the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure, Schedule B2: Guideline on Site Characterisation (NEPM 2013 amendment). http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013L00768 |
| CSAM Plan 4 | Interprets pre-existing landscape/soil/groundwater data and land suitability information to prepare a CSM that addresses the inferred extent of contamination and how contaminants migrate. |
| CSAM Plan 5 | Demonstrates the necessary quality assurance and control required for sampling analysis planning including activities necessary to ensure precision, accuracy (data point QA/QC) and representativeness (data set QA/QC). |
| CSAM Plan 6 | Understand limitations of various sampling methodologies in the context of soil science as related to the distribution and concentration of contaminants of soil throughout the soil profile. |
2.2 Investigation #
| Competency | Standard – required to meet at least 6 of the 8 standards |
| CSAM Invest 1 | Determines where grid-based and judgement-based samples (e.g. from pits, boreholes) and validation samples should be located accounting for landscape features, pre-existing information (e.g. environmental site history, CSM) and relevant guidelines and regulations. |
| CSAM Invest 2 | Recognises rock types and understand their relationships to soil formation and soil type and the impact on contamination migration. |
| CSAM Invest 3 | Characterises sites appropriately including description of topography, vegetation and infrastructure as well as soil and fill materials. Describes soil using nomenclature in the Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook, 3rd edition (known as the “Yellow Book”) and/or with the Unified Soil Classification scheme. |
| CSAM Invest 4 | Accurately identifies the delineation between fill, disturbed natural and in-situ natural soil. |
| CSAM Invest 5 | Samples sites in accordance with the Sampling and Analytical Quality Plan, including consideration of quality assurance and quality control requirements, relevant OH&S guidelines and technical guidelines. |
| CSAM Invest 6 | Installs piezometers that meet the requirements of the Data Quality Objectives and collects vapour samples or groundwater samples from confined or unconfined aquifers. |
| CSAM Invest 7 | Uses field equipment correctly and safely to measure and screen for soil, gas and water parameters, e.g. field screening using photo-ionisation detectors (PIDs), gas analysers (FID, GA2000, etc.) for volatile and semi-volatile components, and water quality meters. |
| CSAM Invest 8 | Understands appropriate sample handling and preservation techniques for different analytes and sampling media, including an understanding of laboratory holding times. |
2.3 Interpretation #
| Competency | Standard – required to meet at least 5 of the 6 standards |
| CSAM Interp 1 | Demonstrates a basic knowledge of laboratory techniques (chemical, physical and administrative) for error, quality control and assurance. |
| CSAM Interp 2 | Understands the nature and limitations of the analysis technique selected, including cation exchange capacity, ASS, total recoverable hydrocarbons and soil fertility analytes. |
| CSAM Interp 3 | Interprets the vertical and horizontal extent of contamination using observation and measurement, statistical analysis, modelling, or other valid methods. |
| CSAM Interp 4 | Understands and applies recognised scientific principles to interpret field observations and laboratory analysis and selects appropriate investigation and/or screening levels for the purpose of assessing potential ecological and human health risk. |
| CSAM Interp 5 | Presents field observations, photographs (soil profiles and site), bore or test pit logs and plans in a readily understood manner in reports. |
| CSAM Interp 6 | Identifies data gaps remaining and recommends appropriate actions in accordance with NEPM Schedule. |