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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare to backfill and make good a grave.
   • Determine work requirements for burial work.
   • Locate appropriate lined or unlined gravesite.
   • Assemble work team and required tools, equipment and machinery according to work requirements.
   • Prepare and use personal protective equipment.
   • Liaise with manager, or funeral director as required, for indication to proceed with work.
   • Place protective restraints to allow access by authorised personnel while work is in progress.
   • Identify safety hazards and implement corrective action.
   • Remove mats, floral tributes, lowering devices and planks.
2. Backfill a grave following a burial or grave re-opening.
   • Backfill burial hole, consolidating soil as backfilling progresses.
   • Remove shoring devices where applicable as each level is reached.
   • Complete grave fill according to work requirements.
3. Make good a grave following a burial or grave re-opening.
   • Replace turf on lawn or graves.
   • Arrange placement of monumentation as required.
   • Clean and make good gravesite and replace tributes.
   • Clean and make good adjacent gravesites and surrounds.
   • Remove, clean and store tools, equipment and machinery.
4. Prepare to backfill and make good a grave.
   • Determine work requirements for burial work.
   • Locate appropriate lined or unlined gravesite.
   • Assemble work team and required tools, equipment and machinery according to work requirements.
   • Prepare and use personal protective equipment.
   • Liaise with manager, or funeral director as required, for indication to proceed with work.
   • Place protective restraints to allow access by authorised personnel while work is in progress.
   • Identify safety hazards and implement corrective action.
   • Remove mats, floral tributes, lowering devices and planks.
5. Backfill a grave following a burial or grave re-opening.
   • Backfill burial hole, consolidating soil as backfilling progresses.
   • Remove shoring devices where applicable as each level is reached.
   • Complete grave fill according to work requirements.
6. Make good a grave following a burial or grave re-opening.
   • Replace turf on lawn or graves.
   • Arrange placement of monumentation as required.
   • Clean and make good gravesite and replace tributes.
   • Clean and make good adjacent gravesites and surrounds.
   • Remove, clean and store tools, equipment and machinery.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

select, prepare, use, maintain and clean the required tools and equipment according to supervisor instructions, workplace policies and procedures, and manufacturer guidelines

apply hazard identifications, risk assessments and controls to ensure safety of self and others

apply safe use of shoring devices during backfill operations and ensure that the site is marked and well presented on conclusion of the work.

Evidence of performance of backfilling and making good graves on two or more occasions is required to demonstrate consistency of performance and ability to respond to different situations.

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Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge of:

considerations when determining burial work requirements, including:

social, cultural and religious requirements:

burial procedures

time between death and burial

time between burial and closure of graves

placing of tributes and special personal effects

work team

tools, equipment and machinery

personal protective equipment

protective restraints

tools and equipment used for backfilling to ensure good graves, and their associated uses

machinery in relation to backfilling to ensure good graves, including:

backhoe

front-end loader

skid steer loader

excavator

tractor

truck

backfilling techniques to ensure good graves

safe operating procedures for relevant tools, equipment and machinery

protective restraints, including:

sheeting

barricades

temporary fencing

reinforced covers

safety hazards associated with backfilling to ensure good graves

concepts and techniques for shoring, including devices used:

spreaders

boards

hydraulic braces

stabilisers

workplace policies and procedures in relation to gravedigging

federal, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations relating to work health and safety/occupational health and safety, working in confined spaces and gravedigging

environmental impacts in relation to gravedigging and minimal impact practices to reduce these, especially those that relate to resource, water and energy use

environmentally sound disposal methods for all types of waste and in particular for hazardous substance.

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