This unit of competency supports trade contractors and building service sector practitioners responsible for ensuring compliance with the building or plumbing codes and standards relevant to their industry sector. The unit can be applied to different trades within the building, construction and plumbing and services industry.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Access and interpret relevant code and standard requirements.

1.1. Clauses from the national industry code (BCA or PCA) that apply to relevant trade areas are identified.

1.2. Prescriptive requirements of relevant BCA or PCA clauses are determined.

1.3. Requirements of relevant Australian standards are accessed and interpreted accordingly.

1.4. Application of relevant state and territory variations and the identified schedule of referenced documents within the BCA or PCA are accessed and their application evaluated.

2. Apply relevant codes and standards.

2.1. Relevant standards and codes are applied to the selection of work methods.

2.2. Relevant standards and codes are applied to the selection of materials and equipment.

2.3. Assessment methods are put in place to ensure compliance with relevant codes and standards.

3. Manage ongoing compliance with codes and standards.

3.1. Strategies are identified to ensure current standards and codes are accessed and used.

3.2. Mechanisms are identified and used to inform workers of the required application of relevant codes and standards.

3.3. Impact of new materials, equipment or work processes on compliance with relevant standards and codes is evaluated before implementation.

3.4. Relevant documentation and reporting processes are identified and completed in accordance with the relevant codes and standards.

Required skills

Required skills for this unit are:

communication skills to:

enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand

provide information to workers

read and interpret:

Australian standards

BCA or PCA

other relevant documentation

use and interpret non-verbal communication

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

technological skills to facilitate use of the organisation's software and office technology

written communication skills to complete relevant documentation and reports.

Required knowledge

Required knowledge for this unit is:

definitions and common technical terms or usage specified under general provisions of BCA, PCA and other standards

nature of materials and the effects of performance

relevant construction industry legislative and OHS requirements, codes and practices

work drawings and specifications.

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

This unit of competency could be assessed by the application of design principles and solutions specified in the DTS and performance-based concept of BCA criteria applied to building projects or the PCA criteria applied to plumbing and services projects.

This unit of competency can be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate construction workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

comply with organisational quality procedures and processes

apply and interpret relevant documentation and codes

accurately apply relevant BCA or PCA codes and standards relating to performance and compliance of building project work.

demonstrate understanding of the assessment methods available to determine whether a building solution complies with performance requirements or DTS provisions of the BCA.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

BCA and relevant Australian/New Zealand standards

PCA and relevant Australian/New Zealand standards

documentation, including design brief drawings, specifications, codes, design concepts, construction schedules and other necessary supporting documents

research resources, including product information and data

relevant computer software package and suitable hardware.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must:

satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package

include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application

reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles

confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

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, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge

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

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

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.

Relevant trade areas include:

bricklaying

cabinet making and joinery

carpentry

painting

plastering

plumbing and services

roof tiling

stonemasonry

tiling.

Australian standards include:

AS3553: 1988 Adhesives for floor and wall applications - resilient vinyl, linoleum and rubber sheet and tiles

AS3660 Termite management

AS3740: 2004 Waterproofing of wet areas in residential buildings

AS3786 Smoke alarms

AS3958.1: 1991 Ceramic tiles - guide to the installation of ceramic tiles

AS4256 Plastic roof and wall cladding material

AS/NZS2311: 2000 Guide to the painting of buildings

AS/NZS2908 Cellulose cement products.

Assessment methods include:

comparison with deemed-to-satisfy (DTS) provisions of the BCA

evidence of suitability

expert judgement

verification method.

Unit sector

Construction

Nil

This unit contains employability skills.