Water industry operator certification scheme

WIOA – Water Industry Operator Certification Schemes

WIOA is the National Certifying Body in Australia

Water
National

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The National Certification Framework for operators within Drinking Water Treatment Systems requires operators of potable water treatment facilities to have the requisite skills to undertake their important work.

Water
Victoria

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The Victorian Framework for Water Treatment Operator Competencies – Best Practice Guidelines define the minimum training, qualification and competency standards that operators must attain and maintain in order to operate drinking water treatment facilities in Victoria. The Guidelines require operators to be “Certified” and WIOA operates the only Department of Health endorsed Certification Scheme.

Wastewater & Recycled Water National

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The WIOA Wastewater & Recycled Water Industry Industry Operator Certification Scheme recognises that an individual water treatment operator has a specific set of knowledge, skills, competence and experience.

The Operator Certification Framework was piloted in Queensland with the intention of implementing the scheme across Australia. The initial Framework has been developed with qldwater as part of the Queensland Water Skills Partnership.

Benefits of Certification

Certified individuals – are skilled and committed water industry operations practitioner. Their status as a Certified Water Treatment Operator demonstrates their commitment to excellence by participating in a process to assess and update their knowledge. They can be confident that they are doing the job to meet best practice and this can bring advancement and recognition. All certified personnel will be listed on WIOA’s national database.

Certified Water Treatment Operators will also benefit:

Employers – knowing that staff members who are Certified have the skills for the occupation and are committed to excellence in their role.

Career pathway – job seekers and young people will recognise and benefit from the enhanced career pathways in the water industry resulting from the industry based certification system which specifies training, knowledge, skills and experience.

Private Industry Employers – by insisting on using certified personnel they are practising sound risk management.

The water industry – operationally can become more professional as a result of gaining, recognising and documenting the skills necessary for each occupation. As more and more operators become certified, the level of professionalism in the water industry will continue to improve.

The environment – will be better off as well-informed operational practices can prevent inappropriate off site discharges, conserve water and avoid damage to aquifers and waterways.

Consumers – will know that when their systems are operated by a Certified specialist, those people will have the skills and experience necessary to operate or manage a system efficiently, effectively and with minimal impact on public health.

WIOA Code of Conduct

Form A04 as PDF

WIOA Code of Conduct

Form A04 as Word

Certified Operators commit to a professional Code of Conduct by signing and returning the Code of Conduct that is included with the applications.

WIOA Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct outlines the standards of behaviour and commitment to excellence that is expected of Certified operational practitioners employed in the water industry.

This Code of Conduct represents a relevant and useful set of guidelines to ensure the profession of a Certified water industry operational practitioner continues to play a vital and ethical role in the operation of the water business.

Responsibilities of Certified Operators

Certified operational practitioner should assist in implementing this Code by helping to foster the professionalism of all operational staff within an atmosphere conducive to the promotion of integrity, appropriate behaviour and mutual respect in the workplace.

Compliance with Regulations and Protect Public Health

Understand and comply with relevant Legislation, Organisational policy, procedures and this Code. If there is any conflict between this Code and Legislation, the provision of the Legislation will prevail.
Provide services of the highest quality at all times to ensure the protection of public health and the environment.
Serve the public interest and act in a manner which promotes confidence in the integrity of all water industry operational staff.

Development of Skills and Pursuit of Best Practice

Engage in continuing learning to improve operational competence and extend knowledge and skills.
Actively pursue and wherever possible, implement systems which will lead to the attainment of industry best practice.

Knowledge Sharing and Mentoring

Seek to exchange and share all operational knowledge and skills attained as part of the Certification process and wherever possible, act as a mentor for other non-certified operators. Adequate training, supervision and instruction of staff are key factors in controlling and managing risks.
A Certified operational practitioner has an obligation to take steps to protect their own health and safety and that of their work colleagues, contractors or visitors to a site. They must ensure that staff observe risk management, health, safety, security and personal protective equipment procedures and requirements. Staff must identify and report hazards promptly and supervisors must ensure risks are eliminated or controlled.
Co-operate in every reasonable and proper way with other water industry operational staff.

Act in an Ethical Manner at all Times

A Certified operational practitioner should not take advantage of their position to influence other staff in the performance of their duties in order to gain undue or improper advantage for themselves or any person or organisation.
Uphold high standards of personal integrity and avoid any discriminatory practices.
Certified operators need to recognise the professional and ethical dimensions of their work and give proper attention to the values which should guide their decisions and actions.

When faced with a difficult question ask yourself:

Who needs to be consulted in making this decision?
Is the decision or conduct lawful?
Is the decision or conduct in line with the Legislative and organisational principles, including this Code of Conduct?
What will be the outcome for the staff involved, work colleagues, the water business and its stakeholders?
Do these outcomes raise a conflict of interest or lead to private gain at public expense?
Can the decision or conduct be justified in terms of the interests of the water business or its customers?
Would the action or decision withstand public scrutiny?

Breaches of the Code

A Certified operational practitioner should be aware that unlawful or unprofessional conduct, even in a private capacity, which damages the reputation of other Certified operational practitioners in the water industry may require disciplinary action.

Serious breaches of this code by a Certified operational practitioner will be deemed misconduct and may lead to disciplinary action.

Any breach of applicable laws, regulations, prevailing business ethics or other aspects of this Code may result in disciplinary action. Such disciplinary action may include (depending on the severity of the breach) reprimand, formal warning, loss of Certification points or termination of Certified status.

Review of the Code

To maintain the currency and value of this Code it will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Certified operational practitioners are invited to submit any suggested amendments to WIOA for consideration.

Glossary

Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) The AQF is the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training. AQF Qualifications certify the knowledge and skills that a person has achieved through study, training, work and life experience. Units of competency in the National Water Industry Training Package identify to a particular AQF level based on the complexity, specialisation and breadth of the unit.

Certification A national program of recognition afforded to workers who have met industry defined minimum entry standards. This Certification Framework is underpinned by a need to ensure the provision of safe drinking water through minimum standards of certification for water treatment operators.

Certified Operator A Certified Operator has operational responsibility for water treatment processes or facilities. Duties performed will range from basic sampling, testing and reporting, through to chemical dosing, control and optimisation of treatment processes. The Certified Operator may have responsibility for more than one treatment systems at any one time, so long as it is reasonable to expect that drinking water quality and safety will be assured at all plants and the Certified Operator’s current competencies cover all treatment processes under the responsibility of that person.

Consumer A recipient of drinking water who is:
• An individual, community, city, town or state (public)
• A guest, customer or employee (private)

Drinking Water Supplier An organisation/enterprise (public or private) or, individual that provides drinking water for human consumption. The Drinking Water Supplier includes, but is not limited to:
• major urban utility,
• corporation
• local government authority,
• public or private entity,
• small, regional or remote,
• wholesaler, retailer or contractor
Any organisation contracted to manage a Drinking Water System (or part thereof) is considered to be a Drinking Water Supplier.

Drinking Water Treatment System Are a component of the Drinking Water Supply System as defined at Element 3.2 of the ADWG. Drinking Water Treatment Systems provide water intended for human consumption that;
• Does not pass through any treatment barriers; or
• Is treated by a single barrier or multiple barrier drinking water treatment facility.
Where a water treatment facility exists, the Drinking Water Treatment System is inclusive of downstream chemical dosing and disinfection.
It does not include direct or indirect drinking water recycling/re-use schemes.

Independent Contractors For the purposes of this framework, an independent contractor may provide expertise and services to other Drinking Water Suppliers; Independent Contractors are not considered to be Drinking Water Suppliers. They are individuals (Certified Operators) who work within a Drinking Water System and must meet
the minimum conditions stated in this Certification Framework.

Operator in Training An Operator who is gaining experience under the guidance of a Certified Operator performing routine tasks and undertaking relevant competency development which culminates in attainment of relevant competencies (from NWP07).

Certification Framework The Operator in Training is not certified under this framework, but the Drinking Water Supplier is to ensure that opportunities are afforded to the person to develop all necessary competencies to achieve certified status.

Registered Training Organisation Training providers that are registered by a national or state regulator to deliver Nationally
Recognised Training in the Australian Vocational Education and Training Sector.

Qualification Issued under the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) as a result of completing a formal training and/or assessment pathway. Qualifications are defined in Industry Training Packages or accredited through the national,
state or territory accrediting body for Vocational Education and Training (VET).

Treatment Process Any process within a Water Treatment System that changes the physical, chemical or biological properties of water derived from any source in order to make it safe for human consumption or to make it comply with a regulatory order relating to human consumption.
Treatment processes include, but are not limited to:
• Primary and Secondary Disinfection
• Coagulation and Flocculation
• Reverse Osmosis
• Adsorption
• Sedimentation and Clarification
• Dissolved Air Flotation
• Granular Filtration
• Membrane Filtration
• Ion Exchange Fluoridation
• Softening/Hardening
• Chemical Dosing

Unit of Competency A single component of a qualification or a stand-alone unit that has been accredited through the same process as a Qualification.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Post-compulsory education and training, excluding degree and higher level programs delivered by higher education institutions (Registered Training Organisations), which provides people with occupational or work-related knowledge and skills. VET also includes programs which provide the basis for subsequent vocational programs or higher education programs.