Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
Quality information
DNES Approver
Sarah Brown
Assistant Secretary Environment and Engineering (Acting)
DSRG
This DNES takes effect from the Date of Issue
Document number EP3 Date of Issue Aug 2014
Revision 1.0 Date of Next Revision 1 Feb 2015
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
Content
Purpose................................................................................................................................................................ 1
Scope................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Related Defence National Environmental Standards ........................................................................................... 1
Terms and definitions........................................................................................................................................... 1
Performance requirements................................................................................................................................... 6
Minimum performance levels............................................................................................................................ 6
Minimum process measures............................................................................................................................. 6
Incident, Emergency and non-conformance ................................................................................................... 11
Monitoring, audit and review........................................................................................................................... 11
Reporting........................................................................................................................................................ 11
User feedback ................................................................................................................................................ 12
Schedule A – Guidance for Assessment of Environmental Incident Severity..................................................... 13
Schedule B – Environmental Incident Management Forms ............................................................................... 17
Schedule C – Environmental Incident Management Responsibilities................................................................. 21
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
1
Purpose
1. The purpose of this Defence National Environmental Standard (DNES) is to set a consistent:
Methodology for reporting, investigating and reviewing an environmental incident; and
Definition of roles and responsibilities in environmental incident management.
Scope
2. This is not a plan or guide to managing emergency situations and does not replace or override Base-wide Emergency Management Plans or Emergency Response Procedures.
3. This DNES is a methodology for reporting and reviewing incidents, ensuring corrective actions are effective, and establishing preventive actions to reduce the likelihood of incidents recurring. The process should be applied after an incident has occurred.
4. This DNES applies to environmental incidents, near-misses, observations, non-conformances, and complaints (refer Terms and Definitions).
5. This DNES applies to Defence personnel, contractors and third parties operating on the Defence Estate, including Training Areas and construction sites, or undertaking activities anywhere including off the Estate on behalf of Defence. This DNES does NOT apply to Navy environmental incidents, which should be reported through the Safety and Environmental Reporting Service (SERS; refer DNES item 8).
Related Defence National Environmental Standards
Nil.
Terms and definitions
Term Definition
Action Owners Person having responsibility for carrying out and completing an action.
Appropriate forum A regular meeting where personnel discuss Base environmental issues. The format, timing and
attendees will vary from Base to Base depending on the group(s) with a significant presence
on that Base. Recognising that Regions and Bases can have different and effective
environmental management arrangements, this term is intended to cover a wide range of
scenarios.
Base Emergency Management
Groups
Within a Defence establishment there are three primary groups tasked with EM [Emergency
Management] functions; these include:
a. the Base Management Forum (BMF);
b. the SEMC [Security & Emergency Management Committee], which is a sub-committee
to the BMF; and
c. Resident unit/facility ECO Wardens.
(From Item 1.1.2 in ‘Security and Emergency Management Planning Governance – Draft’
(accessed June 2014)
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Term Definition
Base Management Forum
(BMF)
A BMF will be formed at each Defence Base as the key forum to facilitate base support &
coordination activities as they affect both capability deliverables and support service delivery
requirements, and to review and agree the monthly performance report. The BMF will be co-
chaired by the BSM and SADFO (From the BAM Memorandum of Arrangements).
Base Support Manager (BSM) A Base Support Manager (BSM) at each Defence Base has authority, responsibility and
accountability, through DSG line management, for base support management and services,
including the integrated delivery of agreed support services. The BSM will, in consultation with
the SADFO and HRUs, coordinate and administer whole-of-base support functions such as
security, occupational health and safety and emergency management planning (From the BAM
Memorandum of Arrangements).
Base-wide Emergency
Management Plan (Base EMP)
The Base EMP is a living document and should be regularly tabled for review at the BMF and
SEMC [Security and Emergency Management Committee]. The EMP will contain the following
information:
a) emergency contact directory;
b) stakeholders;
c) MOU agreements with internal and external agencies;
d) Base Command Post location – primary and alternative;
e) Media communication during an emergency;
f) Evacuation plans and maps;
g) Primary and alternative assembly area maps; and
h) ERPs.”
(From Item 3.1.1 in ‘Security and Emergency Management Planning Governance – Draft’,
accessed June 2014)
Competent Person Person appropriately trained and experienced to assess whether the reported incident is an
environmental incident and to assess the severity, type and impacts, and the suitability of the
corrective and preventative actions. Depending on the nature of the environmental incident, a
REO, RESO or SEM could be a Competent Person. In the future, training may be available to
other personnel to allow them to take on the Competent Person role.
Complaint Negative feedback relating to the environmental performance of Defence or Defence’s
contractors or third parties.
Corrective action Action to rectify and/or minimise environmental impact(s) resulting from an environmental
incident. Corrective actions tend to be reactive and more immediate, whereas preventive
actions tend to be proactive, take time to establish and need to be sustained.
Defence Base A Defence Base is defined as a physical locality or geographical area containing bases,
establishments, sites and facilities at and from which Defence-related activities, operations,
training or force preparations are managed, conducted, commanded or controlled. It may have
a number of bases, naval establishments, sites and facilities attached that are also supported
by DSRG from a ‘parent’ base (From the BAM Memorandum of Arrangements).
Defence Environmental
Management System (EMS)
The Defence EMS is a framework that supports the Defence Environmental Policy. The
Defence EMS was established to facilitate the delivery of environmental services in an
integrated and systematic manner to support ADF capability.
Defence Estate Land or facilities owned or leased by Defence.
Defence National Environmental
Standard (DNES)
A set of quality or performance conditions specifying Defence’s minimum acceptable level of
environmental management for an environmental factor, activity or process.
Defence Support and Reform
Group (DSRG)
DSRG is a group within Defence. The role of DSRG is to support the ADF and the other
Defence Groups in meeting their capability and corporate objectives.
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Term Definition
Directorate of Environmental
Protection and Assessments
(DEPA)
DEPA is responsible for the coordination of risk-based environmental impact assessments for
Defence activities. DEPA also develops environmental assessment policies and is the gateway
for external environmental approvals for Defence activities. DEPA is a directorate within
Environment and Engineering (EE) Branch, Infrastructure Division, DSRG.
Emergency Response
Procedures (ERPs)
In this DNES, Emergency Response Procedures (ERPs) are taken to mean both the Base-
level procedures developed to meet security and emergency management requirements, and
procedures developed to respond to smaller scale incidents occurring within defined unit (or
contractor) boundaries.
Items 1.24 and 3.1.22 in ‘Security and Emergency Management Planning Governance – Draft’
(accessed June 2014) define ERPs as:
Local ERPs are to be developed and maintained to address security or safety incidents
requiring the activation of an emergency response outside defined unit boundaries on a
Defence establishment. Each local ERP defines localised arrangements for lodger units and
common facility personnel in responding to a prescribed emergency …
ERPs for HAZMAT emergencies (including gas or fuel leaks) should be developed relative to
the function within the workplace and immediate surrounds. The following general topics
should be addressed in ERPs: [detailed list]
Environment Natural surroundings in which Defence personnel and its contractors operate, including air,
water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, people and their interrelation. For the purposes of
this DNES and to ensure Defence meets its legislative obligations, ‘environment’ also includes
indigenous, historic and natural heritage.
Environmental Factor A measurable environmental item that needs to be actively managed due to Defence’s interest
or obligation. Environmental factors include biodiversity, BONS (Biosecurity and Overabundant
Native Species), contaminated / polluted, heritage, resource management and waste. Within
these Factors, there are Factor types. For example, the Factor types for biodiversity are: Listed
animal, Listed community, Listed plant/fungus/algae, and Environmental offset.
Environmental Incident Form Electronic Adobe forms where information on an incident and resultant investigations and
actions are recorded. The Incident Form comprises three parts:
‐ Part A: Notification - First stop form completed by Incident Reporter to capture initial
information about an incident;
‐ Part B: Review - Review and verification of initial information; and
‐ Part C: Investigation - Form used to guide and document the findings of an investigation
into an incident and prescribe subsequent actions.
The reporting form can be provided by Regional Environmental Officers, or accessed via
DEQMS, Defence Webforms (AE444) or the defence.gov.au internet site.
Environmental Incident
Management
A methodology for reviewing incidents, ensuring corrective actions are effective, and
establishing preventive actions to reduce the likelihood of incidents recurring.
The tools developed to support environmental incident management allow:
Reporting of an environmental incident (via the Environmental Incident Forms),
Identifying the contributing factors
Planning, managing and documenting the response in a systematic way; and
Implementing corrective & preventative actions to systematically reduce the impact of the
incident and the probability of the incident recurring.
Head of Resident Unit (HRU) HRUs will be responsible through their chains of command/line management for the delivery of
capability, operational support, force generation and other Service/DMO/Group-specific
deliverables. HRUs will ensure that their Unit standing / routine instructions contain a direction
to members under their command to comply with all Base Instructions as issued by the BSM
and SADFO (From the BAM Memorandum of Arrangements).
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Term Definition
Incident An activity or omission that impacts the environment.
Incident Manager Person tasked with undertaking the incident investigation, and developing and implementing
corrective and preventative actions (using Part C of the forms). This may be any person with a
relationship with the incident or the impacted environment, including the party responsible for
the incident or an environmental personnel.
Incident Register A centralised, electronic management platform for the collation, storage and tracking of
Incident information. Refer Item 10 below.
Incident Reporter Person initially reporting an environmental incident to Base staff, environmental staff or other
management out of reporting lines.
Incident Severity Measure of the environmental impact caused by an incident. Refer Schedule A for detailed
definitions of the measures.
Instruction Enforceable operational controls that specify how a standard activity should be undertaken.
This may include specific requirements to minimise WHS and environmental risks or response
in an emergency. Phrase is intended to include controls such as (but not limited to): Defence
Instructions, Range Standing Orders (RSOs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),
Standing Orders (SOs), and Base Instructions.
Near-miss An activity or omission that did not impact the environment but could have.
Non-conformance An action or omission that did not meet Defence’s environmental operational controls including
Defence Instructions, Defence National Environmental Standards, Environmental Clearance
Certificate conditions, Range Standing Orders (RSOs), Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs), Standing Orders (SOs), Base Instructions, etc; OR an action or omission that did not
meet external conditions placed on Defence.
Observation An unusual, unexpected or noteworthy occurrence of potential environmental significance. This
may include high risk activities without adequate controls, or assets without pollution control
devices that create a risk to the environment, or previously unknown environmental values at
risk of being impacted upon, OR
An idea that would improve the environmental performance of a Defence activity or asset.
Personnel Members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), members of the Australian Public Service
(APS) employed by Defence, contractors/subcontractors and/or consultants performing work or
providing services for Defence, and third parties or other visitors to the Defence Estate.
Preventative Action An action that prevents or minimises the risk of a similar incident occurring in the future.
Preventive actions tend to be proactive, take time to establish and need to be sustained,
whereas corrective actions tend to be reactive and more immediate.
Project / Contract Manager
(P/CM)
Person responsible for administering contracted works. May be a Defence or contracted
person; includes Project Management Contract Authorities (PMCAs).
Range Control Officer (RCO) Responsible for the management of access and security at training areas, and for the safe and
effective coordination of all activities on a Training Area.
Range Standing Order (RSO) Operational controls that specify how a standard activity should be undertaken on a Training
Area. Traditionally, environmental instructions are included as Chapter 13 in Range Standing
Orders.
Regional Environment Officer
(REO)
Responsible for providing general environmental support and advice to the management and
operation of bases. May be delegated some responsibilities of a SEM.
Senior ADF Officer (SADFO) A senior military officer at each Defence Base will be appointed as the Senior ADF Officer
(SADFO). The SADFO will, in addition to his/her primary operational or capability support role,
be responsible for coordinating and leading designated whole of ADF matters such as Defence
Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC), community engagement and reputation
management. The SADFO will assume command of the base in case of a major security alert,
emergency or other circumstance. The SADFO will provide broad leadership of base military
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
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Term Definition
personnel on a collegiate ‘whole-of-Defence’ approach consistent with the CDF’s expectations
of all senior ADF officers (From the BAM Memorandum of Arrangements).
Senior Environment Manager
(SEM)
Senior professional advisor for environmental matters in a DSRG Region, advising Defence
personnel including senior Commanders and managers. Leads the environmental team and
manages the regional implementation of national and strategic programs.
Sponsor ADF or APS personnel, or contractor, responsible for a contractor or visitor on a Base.
Training Area (TA) Any area of land, sea, or air that may be designated for military manoeuvres or simulated
wartime operations involving planning, preparation and execution, carried out for the purpose
of training and evaluation.
A Defence Training Area is one that is owned or leased by the Commonwealth specifically for
the purpose of conducting Defence training, and is designated as such. A Defence Training
Area may contain a variety of ranges within its boundaries.
A Non-Defence Training Area is a facility used by Defence for training activities, that is NOT
owned or leased by the Commonwealth for the purpose of Defence training, i.e. private land,
Council facility, National Park.
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Performance requirements
Minimum performance levels
6. All environmental incidents must be reported in accordance with the process described in this DNES.
Minimum process measures
7. An overview of the Environmental Incident Management process is shown in Figure 1. Specific details including timeframes are detailed in Table 1.
Figure 1 Requirements for environmental incident management (refer Table 1 for more detail)
Initiate emergency response procedures, if required.
Estimate incident severity
Moderate or Major Incident
Minor Incident
Investigate incident. Identify preventative and corrective actions.
Fill out and submit Incident Form Part B: Review
Notify SEM/REO, RCO, BSM, P/CM
Incident Reporter
Competent Person
Incident Manager
SEM to endorse actions when appropriate.Implement actions.
Action owner(s)
Key
Step
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Environmental Incident occurs or is noticed
Update register (EE Branch)
Initial response
Step
As soon as practicable inform by phone:
- SEM/REO- RCO- P/CM
- BSM (for Major)
Acronyms
SEM – Senior Environmental Manager
REO – Regional Environmental Officer
RCO – Range Control Officer
BSM – Base Support Manager
P/CM – Project or Contract Manager
EE Branch – Defence Environmental & Engineering Branch
Notify SEM/REO, RCO, BSM, P/CM
Fill out and submit Incident Form Part A: Notification
Update register (EE Branch)
Update register (EE Branch)
Notify SEM/REO, RCO, BSM, P/CM
SEM
BSM
Submit Part C Investigation & Action to close incident
Supervisor
- Action responsibility:
- Management responsibility:
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Table 1 Requirements for environmental incident management
Step Required action
Action Responsibility – person responsible for undertaking ‘Required Action’
Management Responsibility – person responsible for ensuring ‘Required Action’ is completed
Communication Timeframe
1 Incident Reporter to assess situation and, if
required, follow emergency response
procedures in accordance with Base-wide
Emergency Management Plan (Base EMP)
and/or Emergency Response Procedures
(ERPs), or other relevant Instructions.
If incident is not an emergency, move to Step 2.
Incident Reporter Supervisor As per Base-wide Emergency Management
Plan (Base EMP), Emergency Response
Procedures (ERPs) and/or relevant Instructions
As per Base-wide
Emergency Management
Plan (Base EMP),
Emergency Response
Procedures (ERPs)
and/or relevant
Instructions
2 Incident Reporter to rate the incident severity
and estimate whether a minor, moderate or
major incident has occurred. Note: a best guess
is sufficient at this stage. If in doubt, contact
Regional environmental staff.
Refer Schedule A of this DNES for incident
severity guidance. Base EMP, ERPs or other
Instructions may also contain relevant guidance
on incident severity.
Near-misses should be rated as though the
incident had actually happened, and should use
the incident severity guidance.
Observations, non-conformances and
complaints do not need to be given a severity
rating.
Incident Reporter Supervisor ‐ If a moderate or major incident has occurred,
as soon as practicable, the Incident Reporter
must notify:
o SEM/REO
o RCO (if on Training Area)
o Project or Contract Manager (if project-related).
‐ If a major incident has occurred, the Incident
Reporter must additionally contact the BSM
as soon as practicable.
‐ Environmental contacts list available on the
‘Contact us’ page of DEQMS (link).
‐ BSM contact details available on regional
intranet sites via DSRG page (link).
As soon as practicable
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Step Required action
Action Responsibility – person responsible for undertaking ‘Required Action’
Management Responsibility – person responsible for ensuring ‘Required Action’ is completed
Communication Timeframe
3 Incident Reporter to complete Incident Form –
Part A: Notification and submit.
The form is available on DEQMS, the Defence
internet site, the Defence intranet via Webforms
(AE444), or from Regional environmental staff.
The Part A form should be filled out for all
incidents, near-misses, observations, non-
conformances and complaints.
Incident Reporter Supervisor ‐ When submit is pushed, report is attached to
new email and addresses for SEM/REO,
RCO and EE Branch should populate
automatically.
‐ Email addresses for BSM, P/CM (as
appropriate) and other listed Stakeholders
should be manually added by the Incident
Reporter.
‐ Send email.
‐ EE Branch to update register.
‐ If incident requires external notification,
check Regional processes.
‐ SEM must brief appropriate forum on all
environmental incident reports
‐ Major environmental incidents should be
reviewed at BMF
For a major incident, Part
A form must be submitted
within 24 hours. For other
incidents, within 48 hours.
For a major near-miss,
Part A form should be
submitted within 24
hours. For other near-
misses, within 3 working
days.
For non-conformances
and observations, Part A
form should be submitted
within 3 working days.
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Step Required action
Action Responsibility – person responsible for undertaking ‘Required Action’
Management Responsibility – person responsible for ensuring ‘Required Action’ is completed
Communication Timeframe
4 Competent Person to complete Incident Form
– Part B: Review, including recommendation.
‐ If major incident is related to EPBC Act
matter, DEPA must be notified – use
environmentandheritage@ defence.gov.au
email address.
‐ If incident requires external notification, check
Regional processes.
The SEM should brief the BSM on their choice
of Incident Manager.
‐ If the recommendation is that no further
action is required, the incident moves to Step
7.
‐ If the recommendation is that an investigation
is required, the incident moves to Step 5.
Competent Person SEM ‐ When submit is pushed, report is attached to
new email and addresses for SEM/REO,
RCO and EE Branch should populate
automatically.
‐ Email addresses for BSM, P/CM (as
appropriate) and other listed Stakeholders
should be manually added by the Competent
Person.
‐ Send email.
‐ EE Branch to update register.
‐ Competent Person must contact Incident
Reporter with update
‐ SEM must brief appropriate forum on all
environmental incident reports
‐ Major environmental incidents should be
reviewed at BMF
‐ SEM in conjunction with BSM must brief the
Director Estate & Facilities Services (DEFS)
and Regional Director if the incident severity
reaches the ‘major’ threshold in 2 or more
categories
For a moderate or major
incident, or a complaint,
Part B form must be
submitted within 2
working days.
For a minor incident,
within 5 working days.
For a major near-miss,
Part B form should be
submitted within 2
working days.
For other near-misses,
within 5 working days.
For a non-conformance or
observation, Part B form
should be submitted
within 5 working days.
5 Incident Manager to undertake incident
investigation and identify contributing factors
using Incident Form – Part C: Investigation &
Action.
Incident Manager to identify preventative and
corrective actions.
The preventative and corrective actions
identified should correspond to the contributing
factors.
Incident Manager SEM
(BSM – audit)
Within 2 weeks of Part B
form being completed,
OR as approved by BSM.
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Step Required action
Action Responsibility – person responsible for undertaking ‘Required Action’
Management Responsibility – person responsible for ensuring ‘Required Action’ is completed
Communication Timeframe
6 Incident Manager to brief SEM on investigation
and to seek endorsement of proposed
preventative and corrective actions. SEM may
reject, add to or change proposed actions
before endorsing them. Incident Manager and
SEM should discuss any issues arising with
BSM.
Incident Manager to implement actions through
appropriate mechanisms, such as tasking
personnel, adding action to risk managed
works, business case, etc. SEM and BSM to
provide support to Incident Manager as required
to resolve any issues arising.
Once all actions completed, Incident Manager to
forward incident management form to SEM for
close out.
Incident Manager
Action Owners
SEM
(BSM – audit)
‐ Incident Manager must brief SEM on
investigation, actions and issues
‐ SEM should brief BSM and DEFS on incident
investigation, actions and issues as required
‐ BSM should brief Regional Director as
required
‐ SEM must review all environmental incidents
at appropriate forum
‐ Major environmental incidents should be
reviewed at BMF
As defined by Incident
Manager in Action due
date (Section 5 of
Incident Form – Part C)
7 Hold de-brief meeting. Review the form, and
use as a basis for discussing the incident, what
was done well, and areas for improvement.
Close out incident.
SEM & BSM BSM ‐ SEM and/or BSM to hold de-brief with
Incident Reporter (if appropriate), Incident
Manager, P/CM and stakeholders as
appropriate.
‐ SEM and BSM to electronically sign
environmental incident form
‐ Final signatory to submit environmental
incident form
‐ When submit is pushed, report is attached to
new email and addresses for SEM/REO,
RCO and EE Branch should populate
automatically.
‐ Email address for BSM should be manually
added.
‐ Send email.
‐ EE Branch to update register.
At next meeting of
appropriate forum.
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8. Ship-based Navy environmental incidents including whale strikes, foreign fishing, sewage and fuel spills and other marine pollution, specified greenhouse gas emissions and marine pest fouling, must be reported through Navy’s Safety & Environment Reporting System (SERS) http://navy.defence.gov.au/SERS/.
9. The Environmental Incident Forms (refer Schedule B) can be accessed in many ways:
DEQMS intranet site
Defence Webforms on the http://intranet.defence.gov.au homepage (Form identification number AE444)
Defence webpage: www.defence.gov.au/environment
Via email from Environmental or Base staff.
10. Two versions of the Environmental Incident Register are maintained. A simplified version is available to anyone with DRN access via the DEQMS intranet site. A complete version of the Register is available on an as-needs basis to relevant personnel such as Base staff involved in environmental management and environmental policy owners. Personnel who require access to the complete Register should contact the Register manager via [email protected]. The Register draws data from the environmental incident forms and is managed by EE Branch.
11. An incident can occur whilst following an Standard Operating Procedure, RSO, Construction EMP, or similar, and must be reported.
12. Where an environmental impact occurs that is approved through an ECC, SOP, RSO, Construction EMP or similar, an incident report is not required. Where an environmental impact occurs that is greater than approved, even whilst following the approved procedure, an incident must be reported.
13. For incidents with Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) implications, personnel must also complete a WHS incident report. The following intranet webpage details the Defence WHS incident reporting rules and processes http://intranet.defence.gov.au/people/sites/WHS/.
14. Preventative and corrective actions should go through the normal approvals and funding processes.
Incident, Emergency and non-conformance
15. Refer to Base Emergency Management Plans (Base EMPs) for property-specific emergency management requirements and to Emergency Response Procedures (ERPs) and Base Instructions for response procedures.
Monitoring, audit and review
16. Environmental incident data is available for review and analysis via the Environmental Incidents Register to assist in improving Base or Training Area environmental performance.
17. The EE Branch policy owner may request the assistance of DSO Environmental personnel to review this DNES and related forms and documents for workability for users, usefulness for Base, environmental, policy and other relevant stakeholders, and compliance with legislation and other Defence policy.
18. SEMs and BSMs should regularly review outstanding corrective and preventative actions, close incidents and communicate results, and more general environmental performance, with stakeholders.
Reporting
19. The environmental incident registers can be viewed and used to inform reporting requirements.
20. EE Branch should prepare environmental incident data for Defence Annual Report in accordance with Australian Government Statutory Reporting requirements.
21. EE Branch should review and analyse trends in Environmental incident data, with a particular focus on Environmental Factors, to assist in policy review and development.
22. SEMs should review and analyse trends in Environmental incident data, with a particular focus on the Regional and Base scale on a regular basis, and communicate results to the relevant BSM, and other stakeholders, at the appropriate forum.
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User feedback
23. Personnel are encouraged to provide feedback on this DNES. Feedback will be used to inform future versions of this document, which will be reviewed at regular intervals in accordance with the Defence EMS continual improvement process.
24. Provide any feedback on this DNES via email to [email protected]. Please include the DNES title in the subject line of email/feedback.
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
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Schedule A – Guidance for Assessment of Environmental Incident Severity
The Incident Reporter should use the following guidance to make an initial assessment of the severity of an environmental incident (refer Table 2). ‘The environment’ is defined as ‘Natural surroundings in which Defence personnel and its contractors operate, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, people and their interrelation. For the purposes of this DNES and to ensure Defence meets its legislative obligations, ‘environment’ also includes indigenous, historic and natural heritage’.
Note that more than one definition may be applicable (i.e. significant and irreversible, unapproved impact on the environment’ AND ‘damage to Defence’s reputation with a single or small group of organisations or individuals’, and that the highest assessment of severity applies.
Table 2 Guidance for the initial assessment of environmental incident severity
Major Moderate Minor
Significant AND irreversible impact on the environment.
OR
Environmental impact requires emergency commitment of
significant time and/or money to remediate, OR would
take more than 10 years to recover naturally.
OR
National / international damage to Defence’s reputation.
Negative press coverage at a national or international
scale.
Significant but reversible, OR irreversible and localised, impact on the
environment.
OR
Environmental impact requires a programmed commitment of
moderate time and/or money to remediate, OR would take 2-10 years
to recover naturally.
OR
Local / regional damage to Defence’s reputation. Negative press
coverage at a local or regional scale.
Reversible and localised impact on the environment.
OR
Environmental impact requires a programmed commitment
of some time and/or money to remediate, OR would take
less than 2 years to recover naturally.
OR
Damage to Defence’s reputation with a single or small group
of organisations or individuals.
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The ‘Competent Person’ should use the following guidance to categorise the severity of an environmental incident in the Part B form (refer Table 3). The column ‘incident category’ includes both receptors and activities because both are relevant in determining the severity of an incident.
An environmental incident may fall into more than one incident category. The severity should be assessed for all relevant incident categories and the highest rating used to categorise the incident. For example, an environmental incident may occur which is categorised as minor under the ‘General’ incident category. However if the incident is related to an issue of interest to local or regional media and the ‘Reputation’ rating is moderate, the incident’s overall rating would be moderate.
Table 3 Guidance for the assessment of environmental incident severity
Incident Category Major Moderate Minor
* General
Unapproved, enduring and extensive impact
to the environment on or off the Defence
Estate (EPBC Act).
OR
Significant negative impact on management
objectives and targets, which requires an
emergency commitment of substantial
resources (time and/or money) to remediate,
OR would take more than 10 years to recover
naturally.
OR
Extensive but short-lived, OR, enduring but
localised impact to the environment off the
Defence Estate, resulting from an
environmental incident that occurred on the
Defence Estate.
Unapproved, extensive but short-lived, OR,
enduring but localised impact to the
environment on or off the Defence Estate
(EPBC Act).
OR
Negative impact on management objectives
and targets, which requires a programmed
commitment of substantial resources (time
and/or money) to remediate, OR would take 2-
10 years to recover naturally.
OR
Short-lived and localised impact to the
environment off the Defence Estate, resulting
from an environmental incident that occurred
on the Defence Estate.
Short-lived and localised, unapproved impact
to the environment on or off the Defence
Estate (EPBC Act).
OR
Negative impact on management objectives
and targets, which requires a programmed
commitment of resources (time and/or money)
to remediate, OR would take less than 2 years
to recover naturally.
OR
Potential for impact to the environment off the
Defence Estate, resulting from an
environmental incident that occurred on the
Defence Estate.
* Incident resulting from a non-conformance Moderate or major incident resulting from non-
conformance with EPBC Act Referral
Conditions (i.e. if a moderate incident occurs
and it is also a non-conformance with
conditions imposed by an EPBC Act Referral,
the incident is upgraded to major severity)
Minor incident resulting from non-conformance
with EPBC Act Referral Conditions (i.e. if a
minor incident occurs and it is also a non-
conformance with Conditions imposed by an
EPBC Act Referral, the incident is upgraded to
moderate severity)
n/a
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
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Incident Category Major Moderate Minor
* Incident occurring within approval or
conditions (ECC, RSO, SOPs), i.e. impact to
the environment above impact expected under
the relevant approval or conditions.
OR
* Incident occurring where SOP has not
adequately considered environmental impacts
Irreversible and extensive impact to the
environment on or off the Defence Estate
(EPBC Act) above that approved.
OR
Significant negative impact on management
objectives and targets, above that approved,
which requires an emergency commitment of
substantial resources (time and/or money) to
remediate, OR would take more than 10 years
to recover naturally.
Extensive but reversible, OR, irreversible but
localised impact to the environment on or off
the Defence Estate (EPBC Act) above that
approved.
OR
Negative impact on management objectives
and targets, above that approved, which
requires a programmed commitment of
substantial resources (time and/or money) to
remediate, OR would take 2- 10 years to
recover naturally.
Reversible and localised damage to the
environment on or off the Defence Estate
(EPBC Act).
OR
Negative impact on management objectives
and targets, above that approved, which
requires a programmed commitment of
resources (time and/or money) to remediate,
OR would take less than 2 years to recover
naturally.
* Biodiversity Loss of or damage to a moderate or large
group, or moderate or large area (>100m2),
listed as a Matter of National Environmental
Significance under the EPBC Act (i.e.
wetlands, threatened species & ecological
communities, migratory species,
Commonwealth marine areas and Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park)
Loss of or damage to a small group or small
area (10-100m2) listed as a Matter of National
Environmental Significance under the EPBC
Act
OR
Loss of or damage to a moderate or large
group, or moderate or large area (>100m2),
listed under a state listing
Loss of or damage to an individual or very
small area (<10m2) listed as a Matter of
National Environmental Significance under the
EPBC Act
OR
Loss of or damage to a small group or small
area listed under a state listing
OR
Loss of or damage to a moderate or large
group, or moderate or large area (>100m2),
listed under a local listing
* Uncontrolled release – fuels & lubricants Spill of any size impacts on nationally or
internationally significant environmental
receptor(s) including soil, air and/or water
OR
Spill is >50L and impacts on environmental
receptor(s) including soil, air and/or water
Spill is 5-50L and impacts on environmental
receptor including soil, air and/or water
Spill is <5L and impacts on environmental
receptor including soil, air and/or water
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
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Incident Category Major Moderate Minor
* Waste Waste of any size impacts on nationally or
internationally significant environmental
receptor(s) including soil, air and/or water
OR
Waste is >50m3 and impacts on
environmental receptor(s) including soil, air
and/or water
Waste is 5-50m3 and impacts on
environmental receptor including soil, air
and/or water
OR
Inappropriate disposal of significant volume of
waste (where significant is relative to the type
of waste)
Waste is <5m3 and impacts on environmental
receptor including soil, air and/or water
OR
Inappropriate disposal of waste
* Heritage Unapproved, irreversible loss of natural or
cultural heritage values from a site with the
potential for listing or listed on the World
Heritage, National Heritage or Commonwealth
Heritage Lists.
Unapproved, extensive but reversible loss of
natural or cultural heritage values at a site with
the potential for listing or listed on the World
Heritage, National Heritage or Commonwealth
Heritage Lists.
OR
Unapproved, irreversible but localised loss of
natural or cultural heritage values at a site with
the potential for listing or listed on the World
Heritage, National Heritage or Commonwealth
Heritage Lists.
Unapproved, reversible and localised loss of
natural or cultural heritage values at a site with
the potential for listing or listed on the World
Heritage, National Heritage or Commonwealth
Heritage Lists.
OR
Unapproved, reversible OR localised loss of
any natural or cultural heritage values
* Resource usage – water, energy, materials N/A Excessive, wasteful or inefficient consumption
of large quantities of a limited resource
including materials, water and energy.
Excessive, wasteful or inefficient consumption
of a limited resource including materials, water
and energy.
* Reputation Damage to Defence’s reputation or loss of
public confidence at a national or international
scale.
OR
Negative press coverage at a national or
international scale.
OR
Subject of a parliamentary question or
ministerial.
Damage to Defence’s reputation or loss of
public confidence at a local or regional scale.
OR
Negative press coverage at a local or regional
scale.
Damage to Defence’s reputation or loss of
public confidence with a single or small group
of organisations or individuals.
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
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Schedule B – Environmental Incident Management Forms
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
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Schedule C – Environmental Incident Management Responsibilities Table 4 Responsibilities and accountabilities for environmental incident management
Individual Responsibilities Accountable to
ADF members and
APS employees
‐ Take all reasonable steps to protect the environment
‐ Report environmental incidents to supervisor immediately
‐ Formally notify Defence that an environmental incident has occurred via the
Environmental Incident Reporting Form – Part A: Notification using the
methodology in this DNES
‐ Contact Regional environmental staff if any incident may have environmental
consequences
Superiors within applicable
hierarchy
Contractors and
visitors
‐ Take all reasonable steps to protect the environment
‐ Report environmental incidents to supervisor or sponsor immediately
‐ Formally notify Defence that an environmental incident has occurred via the
Environmental Incident Reporting Form – Part A: Notification using the
methodology in this DNES
‐ Contact Regional environmental staff as per this DNES if an incident may
have environmental impacts
Sponsor
Supervisors,
Managers and
Commanding
Officers
‐ Take all reasonable steps to protect the environment, including consideration
of the environment when developing and implementing procedures
‐ Communicate to personnel that Defence has an environmental incidents
reporting requirement
‐ Ensure personnel / units under their command appropriately respond to any
environmental incident
‐ Ensure that personnel are aware of, and conform to, environmental control
measures
‐ Ensure technical advice is sought where relevant
‐ Contact Regional environmental staff as per this DNES if any incident may
have environmental consequences
‐ If a staff member reports that an incident has occurred, ensure that a formal
notification takes place via the Environmental Incident Reporting Form –
Part A: Notification using the methodology in this DNES, and that
appropriate resources are provided to the reporting staff member
‐ Review and investigate the environmental incident as required
‐ Implement corrective and preventative actions relating to environmental
incidents as required by Defence
Superiors within applicable
hierarchy
Base Support
Manager (BSM)
‐ Ensure Environmental Incident Reporting Form – Part A: Notification is
available for all Base users to facilitate the reporting of incidents
‐ Contact Regional environmental staff as per this DNES if any incident may
have environmental consequences
‐ Discuss all reported environmental incidents with SEM at appropriate forum
‐ In conjunction with SEM, brief Director Estate & Facilities Services and
Regional Manager if incident severity rating reaches ‘major’ in 2 or more
categories.
‐ Brief the BMF of relevant and/or major environmental incidents
‐ Review outstanding corrective and preventative actions and close incidents
with SEM and communicate results with stakeholders
‐ If required, facilitate resolution of any issues relating to environmental
incidents
RD
Senior ADF Officer
(SADFO)
‐ If required, facilitate resolution of any issues relating to environmental
incidents
Superiors within applicable
command hierarchy
Range Control
Officer (RCO)
‐ Ensure Environmental Incident Reporting Form – Part A: Notification is
available to all Training Area users to facilitate the reporting of incidents. The
form is accessible via TASMIS
‐ Contact Regional environmental staff as per this DNES if any incident may
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
22
Individual Responsibilities Accountable to
have environmental consequences
‐ Facilitate access to Training Areas for investigations and remediation actions
Senior Environment
Manager (SEM)
‐ Provide technical advice and support when an environmental incident occurs
or as requested by the BSM
‐ Ensure that a ‘Competent Person’ is allocated to review each Environmental
Incident Form – Part A
‐ Ensure the Environmental Incident Form – Part B is completed
‐ Liaise with the relevant manager (BSM, REO or other) and DEPA for incidents
which have, or have the potential to, require reporting to external authorities
‐ Provide technical advice to the Incident Manager when an incident is being
investigated. The SEM may need to liaise with EE Branch if required.
‐ Review corrective and preventative actions proposed by Incident Manager
and endorse and support the enactment of these actions when satisfied they
are appropriate
‐ Brief BSM, and other stakeholders where possible, on all incident reports at
appropriate forum / fora
‐ Review outstanding corrective and preventative actions and close incidents
with BSM on a quarterly basis, and communicate results with stakeholders
‐ In conjunction with BSM, brief Director Estate & Facilities Services and
Regional Manager if incident severity rating reaches ‘major’ in 2 or more
categories.
‐ Review and analyse trends in Environmental incident data on an annual basis,
with a particular focus on the Regional and Base scale. Communicate results
to BSM, and other stakeholders, at appropriate forum / fora
‐ Audit conformance with this DNES annually within the Region and provide
feedback to EE Branch
‐ Delegate responsibilities to REO, or other Competent Person, where
appropriate
EFS Manager, RD
Regional
Environmental
Officer (REO)
‐ Assist SEM with any of SEM’s responsibilities as requested SEM
Regional Director
(RD)
‐ Use seniority / leadership / relationship manager role to facilitate resolution of
any issues relating to environmental incidents
‐ Brief relevant senior leadership team meeting of relevant and/or major
environmental incidents
Head, Defence Support
Organisation (HDSO)
National Program
Managers within the
EE Branch
‐ Provide technical advice to Regional staff relating to Program area
‐ Provide advice and support to SEMs and BSMs regarding potential external
reporting requirements
‐ Analyse Environmental Incident data relating to Program area quarterly,
identify trends and/or issues, and liaise with Regional staff regarding possible
solutions
‐ Develop preventative actions which can be applied across the whole Estate
(e.g. development of policy or instruction to address a type of incident that
occurs several times)
Assistant Secretary –
Environmental &
Engineering Branch
(ASEE)
Base Services
Contractors
‐ Take all reasonable steps to protect the environment, including consideration
of the environment when developing and implementing procedures
‐ Adhere to all environmental conditions placed on activities
‐ Communicate to personnel including sub-contractors that Defence has an
environmental incidents reporting requirement and the importance of
environmental incident reporting
‐ Contact Regional environmental staff as per this DNES if any incident may
have environmental consequences
‐ Ensure that staff under their direction appropriately respond to any
environmental incident
‐ If a person reports that an incident has occurred, ensure that a formal
BSM
Defence National Environmental Standard Environmental Incident Reporting & Management
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Individual Responsibilities Accountable to
notification takes place via the Environmental Incident Reporting Form –
Part A: Notification using the methodology in this DNES, and that
appropriate resources are provided to the reporting person. The form can be
emailed to the contractor, by any DRN user, if the contractor does not have
DRN access
‐ Implement corrective and preventative actions relating to environmental
incidents as required by Defence
Assistant Secretary
EE Branch (ASEE)
‐ Develop, maintain, promulgate and garner support for the Defence EMS,
including the Environmental Incident Management process, policy and
reporting
‐ Review analysis of environmental incident data undertaken by EE Branch
personnel and report to senior leadership as appropriate
Head Infrastructure (HI)
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