Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Codes of practice
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used
Standards, codes, Procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
Australian and international standards, such as:
AS ISO 1000-1998 The international system of units (SI) and its application
AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set
AS/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set
calibration and maintenance schedules
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
environmental legislation and regulations
equipment manuals
equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures
industry codes of practice
material, production and product specifications
National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) documents regarding construction materials testing
occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice
production and laboratory schedules
quality manuals
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Tools and equipment
Tools and equipment used may include:
sampling equipment including moulds and coring equipment
hand tools, including shovels, crowbars, scoops, spanners, wrenches and tape measure
consumables, including sample bags and labels
documentation, including maps, plans, contract documents and worksheets
field test equipment, including nuclear moisture/density gauge, dynamic cone penetrometers and slumping equipment
still/video camera
two-way radio and mobile telephone
levelling equipment and global positioning system (GPS) receiver
Site hazards
Site hazards may include:
solar radiation, dust and noise
manual handling of heavy materials and equipment
falling objects, slips, trips and fall hazards
vehicular and pedestrian traffic
Safety procedures
Safety procedures may include:
use of material safety data sheets (MSDS)
use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, hearing protection, sunscreen, gloves, masks, goggles, coveralls, safety boots and high visibility clothing
handling, and storage of hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer's instructions, enterprise procedures and regulations
regular cleaning of equipment and vehicles
machinery guards
signage, barriers, flashing lights and traffic control
Typical problems
Typical problems include:
uncooperative site personnel
non-conformances leading to confrontation with other personnel
delays in obtaining test results
damage to services, materials and site conditions
displaced, missing and inaccurate survey markers
misidentification of samples and sampling locations
equipment breakdown and breakage
environmental problems and issues, including site access, inclement weather, traffic, wildlife, vegetation and construction activities
Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements
OHS and environmental management requirements:
all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time
all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied
where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
direct sampling and testing in accordance with inspection and testing plans
compare test results with specifications and draw valid conclusions on compliance
communicate problems to appropriate personnel and resolve problems constructively.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
It is strongly recommended that assessment is conducted through observation over time. The timeframe must allow for adequate assessment of operation under all normal and a range of abnormal conditions. Where this is not practical, additional assessment techniques must be used.
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSL915001A Provide information to customers
MSL915002A Schedule laboratory work for a small team
MSL925001AAnalyse data and report results.
Resources may include:
access to construction sites, tools, equipment and materials
enterprise procedures, sampling plans, test methods and equipment manuals.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
inspection of workplace documents completed by the candidate
review of work outputs over a period of time to ensure accuracy, consistency and timeliness
feedback from peers and supervisors
use of suitable simulation and/or a range of case studies/scenarios.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.
The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice
Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Construction materials (1)
A geotechnical consultancy company has been contracted to provide level-one supervision for a commercial development in accordance with AS3798 - Guidelines on earthworks for commercial and residential developments. This will involve the construction of roadways, building pads and parking areas for heavy vehicles. A senior technician has been placed in charge of the project with an experienced tester to assist with routine testing and supervision. The principal contractor has provided copies of specifications, drawings and local authority requirements for this type of project. The project will involve clearing and stripping, setting-out (by contract surveyors), cut-to-fill, drainage, sewer lines and other services and construction of roadways and building pads.The supervision will be carried out in accordance with local authority requirements. Testing will involve measuring insitu densities of fill (including trench backfill) and road base materials. California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests will be used as an aid in determining pavement thicknesses. Additional tests will be used to monitor the quality of pavement materials supplied from a local quarry. This will involve both on-site and off-site testing and require liaison with off-site personnel to ensure that the testing is timely and as specified. Based on test results and direct observations, the technician is able to direct and advise the contractor's operators so that the materials are correctly placed and compacted. Test locations are marked on drawings and sketches and photographs used to record details of the project. Detailed daily records are used to prepare monthly reports for the contractor, accompanied by test certificates. Office staff use this information to invoice the client. The technician monitors the project to avoid exceeding the project budget. When the project is finished, the technician prepares a completion report, including all test results, site observations and a scale drawing showing all filled areas and reviews the information as a guide to planning and costing future projects.
Construction materials (2)
A concrete supply company has been contracted to provide supervision and technical support for a high-rise commercial development. This will involve pumping concrete for placement up to forty floors. A senior technician has been placed in charge of the project with an experienced tester to assist with routine testing and supervision. The principal contractor has provided copies of specifications and drawings. The project will involve supervising the placement of concrete. Testing for consistency will be required for each truckload. Compressive strength cylinders and a flexure beam will be required for every fifth trucklload and a shrinkage bar for each day's production.This will involve both on-site and off-site testing and require liaison with off-site personnel to ensure that the testing is timely and as specified. Based on test results and direct observations, the technician is able to direct the batch plant how to adjust the mix to improve its pumpability and advise the contractor's operators so that the materials are correctly placed and compacted.
Construction materials (3)
Anasphalt supply company has been contracted to provide supervision and technical support for a runway upgrade at a major regional airport. This will involve laying asphalt so that airport operations are not impeded. A senior technician has been placed in charge of the project with an experienced tester to assist with routine testing and supervision. The principal contractor has provided copies of specifications and drawings and a Gantt chart showing the critical stages of the project. Testing for asphalt temperature will be required for each truckload. Nuclear density tests and core samples will be required for each lot.This will involve both on-site and off-site testing and require liaison with off-site personnel to ensure that the testing is timely and as specified. Based on test results and direct observations, the technician is able to advise the contractor's operators so that the materials are correctly placed and compacted.