Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

NWP511B Mapping and Delivery Guide
Manage dam safety surveillance

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency NWP511B - Manage dam safety surveillance
Description This unit of competency describes the outcomes required to plan, schedule, implement and report on dam safety surveillance.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit supports the attainment of skills and knowledge required for staff with a specific responsibility for managing the safety surveillance of large dams.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites Not applicable.
Competency Field Dam safety.
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities
Slides
PPT
Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Plan and prepare for dam safety surveillance.
  • Access and apply the Australian National Committee on Large Dams guidelines and other regulatory requirements.
  • Develop safety surveillance policies, plans and procedures according to organisational and statutory requirements.
  • Access and interpret historical and design information.
  • Determine monitoring frequency and surveillance sites for inspecting dam structure conditions and behaviour.
  • Assess and document dam behaviour and potential failure modes.
  • Determine instrumentation requirements and data collection methods.
       
Element: Implement dam safety surveillance plans.
  • Inform stakeholders of policies and plans.
  • Develop inspection programs and implement inspection and monitoring procedures.
  • Communicate procedures for the collection and recording of information to field staff.
  • Collate, process, validate, record and store data from instruments and personnel.
  • Analyse data and determine, record and evaluate structural, material and/or behavioural problems.
       
Element: Complete safety surveillance reports.
  • Prepare and distribute clear and concise reports to meet the dam owners', stakeholders' and regulatory requirements.
  • Communicate consequences of failure to dam owners and other stakeholders.
  • Include recommendations for remedial action.
  • Undertake economic evaluations, cost estimates and work schedules according to enterprise requirements.
  • Assess the timeliness of all stages of communication and reporting.
       


Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The candidate should demonstrate the ability to plan, schedule, implement and report on dam safety surveillance including:

planning and preparing for dam safety surveillance

implementing dam safety surveillance plans

completing safety surveillance reports

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Access to the workplace and resources including:

documentation that should normally be available in a water industry organisation

relevant codes, standards, and government regulations

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:

competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace

where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice

a decision of competence should only be made when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's competence over time and in various contexts

all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence

where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be authenticated and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time

assessment can be through simulated project-based activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in a manner appropriate to the skill levels of the operator, any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and reflecting the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assignment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills:

analyse and process data

communicate

use equipment and instruments

interpret plans and charts

produce reports

Inspect and operate instruments

Required knowledge:

properties of stored water

dam design principles

materials science (e.g. corrosion, paint coating)

communication systems

relevant utilities

principles of hydraulics

principles of soil mechanics

concrete structure

strengths and deterioration

construction procedure

safe dam operating procedures

principles of dam surveillance

risk management techniques

maintenance practices

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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Organisational and statutory requirements may include:

environmental laws and policies

by-laws and organisational policies

Water Acts

construction and occupational health and safety regulations

public safety and disaster plans

Australian National Committee on Large Dams guidelines

state government or state committees

asset management plan

Historical and design information may include:

past surveillance reports

observation and associated comments and reports

original design plans

design modifications

construction records and reports

survey information

Surveillance sites may include:

earthen walls

concrete walls

hydraulic structures

electrical equipment

spillways

outlets

pipes

conduits

foundations

mechanical equipment, such as:

gates

valves

tunnels and galleries

reservoir perimeter

weirs

Stakeholders may include:

dam owners

water authorities

government

water consumers

downstream land owners

meteorological bureau

local government

emergency organisations

police

land care and water watch groups

industry

Inspections may include:

interaction and communication with employees and the general public

visual observation

use of electronic and/or computer equipment

specialist investigations such as drilling and core sampling

operational preparedness checks

specialist inspections

Data may include:

current and past monitoring records

flood information

seismic details

previous safety reviews

geological and foundation investigation reports

hydrometrical reports

past remedial works

past incidents

past surveillance reports

inspection reports

original design plans

design modifications

construction records and reports

operation and maintenance performance data

Instruments may include:

simple manual devices through to complex computer controlled systems

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Access and apply the Australian National Committee on Large Dams guidelines and other regulatory requirements. 
Develop safety surveillance policies, plans and procedures according to organisational and statutory requirements. 
Access and interpret historical and design information. 
Determine monitoring frequency and surveillance sites for inspecting dam structure conditions and behaviour. 
Assess and document dam behaviour and potential failure modes. 
Determine instrumentation requirements and data collection methods. 
Inform stakeholders of policies and plans. 
Develop inspection programs and implement inspection and monitoring procedures. 
Communicate procedures for the collection and recording of information to field staff. 
Collate, process, validate, record and store data from instruments and personnel. 
Analyse data and determine, record and evaluate structural, material and/or behavioural problems. 
Prepare and distribute clear and concise reports to meet the dam owners', stakeholders' and regulatory requirements. 
Communicate consequences of failure to dam owners and other stakeholders. 
Include recommendations for remedial action. 
Undertake economic evaluations, cost estimates and work schedules according to enterprise requirements. 
Assess the timeliness of all stages of communication and reporting. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

NWP511B - Manage dam safety surveillance
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

NWP511B - Manage dam safety surveillance

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: