Spotter glossary.
Plain-English definitions of the terms that come up in approvals, management plans and site inductions. Requirements differ between states, so always check the conditions that apply to your project.
Fauna terms Fauna Spotters
- Fauna Spotter Catcher (FSC)
- A trained and permitted person who checks habitat before and during clearing, finds wildlife that could be harmed and relocates it to safe habitat. Usually required by environmental approvals for vegetation clearing.
- Koala spotter
- A fauna spotter with specific training and experience in finding koalas, often required where koala habitat is mapped and sequential clearing rules apply.
- Breeding place
- A nest, hollow, burrow or other structure an animal uses to breed or raise young. Disturbing one may need a specific management program or permit.
- Fauna Management Plan
- A plan that sets out how wildlife will be protected before, during and after clearing, including who will be on site and what will be recorded.
Biosecurity terms Biosecurity Spotters
- General biosecurity obligation
- The duty under state biosecurity laws to take reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risk of spreading weeds, pest animals, diseases and contaminants.
- Weed hygiene declaration
- A record that a vehicle or piece of plant has been inspected and found free of soil, seed and plant material before it moves to another site or property.
- Washdown bay
- A designated area where vehicles and plant are cleaned of soil and plant material, with runoff controlled so weeds are not spread.
- Declared weed
- A plant listed under state biosecurity law that landholders and project teams have a legal responsibility to control or prevent from spreading.
Heritage terms Heritage Spotters
- Cultural heritage duty of care
- The obligation to take all reasonable and practicable measures to avoid harming Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage. The exact wording and process differ between states.
- Cultural heritage management plan
- An agreed plan, usually developed with Traditional Owners, that sets out how cultural heritage will be managed during a project.
- Heritage monitoring
- Watching ground disturbance as it happens so that cultural or historical material is identified and protected before it is damaged.
- Unexpected finds procedure
- The steps a crew follows if heritage material or human remains are found during work, including stopping work, protecting the area and notifying the right people.
Safety terms Service Spotters
- Approach distance
- The minimum distance people and plant must keep from overhead electric lines. The distance depends on the line's voltage and the rules in each state.
- Exclusion zone
- A marked area around a hazard, such as a powerline or a crane lift, that people and plant must not enter without controls in place.
- Underground service spotter
- A dedicated person who watches excavation, potholing or vacuum digging near buried services and calls a stop when the ground or the service changes.
- Standby person
- A dedicated person who stays outside a confined space or working at heights task, monitors the workers and starts the rescue plan if something goes wrong.
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