This unit of competency is applicable to laboratory personnel working in the geotechnical, construction material testing, civil engineering and mining industry sectors.

Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These can be found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'.

MSL973009A

Conduct field-based acceptance tests for construction materials

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Confirm requirements for monitoring activities with supervising staff

1.1. Review job request to confirm the purpose and objectives of monitoring activities

1.2. Review emergency plans, risk assessments, safe work procedures, environmental requirements associated with the monitoring activities and site requirements

1.3. Review any available data from previous monitoring at the site to identify expected values and any trends in results

1.4. Liaise with client to arrange site access, confirm timing and clarify the need for permits, induction training or any other special requirements

1.5. Confirm details of monitoring instruments to be used, parameters to be measured and the data formats required by users

2. Prepare for monitoring activities

2.1. Complete all administrative requirements and obtain appropriate approvals/permits

2.2. Arrange appropriate transport to and from site and accommodation as necessary

2.3. Assemble all required instruments, equipment and supplies and check that they are fit for purpose

2.4. Stow monitoring instruments, equipment and supplies to ensure their safe transport

2.5. Liaise with appropriate personnel on arrival at site to ensure safety and minimise disruption to other workers during monitoring

2.6. Complete site induction as necessary

3. Collect and verify monitoring data

3.1. Use barriers and signage to control access to work area in accordance with enterprise safety procedures

3.2. Perform pre-use checks of instruments and trial measurements to ensure they are operating within specifications

3.3. Identify location for monitoring in accordance with work instructions and/or test method

3.4. Operate instruments safely and in accordance with work instructions, test method, and/or manufacturer's specifications

3.5. Take sufficient measurements to ensure that data meets quality requirements

3.6. Recognise obvious errors or atypical data and take appropriate corrective actions

3.7. Recognise and record/photograph details of site conditions that may impact on data quality

3.8. Seek advice to deal with any situation beyond own technical competence

4. Finalise monitoring activities

4.1. Remove signage and barriers and reinstate all disturbed surfaces in accordance with enterprise procedures

4.2. Ensure all data are stored safely before shutdown of instrument/equipment

4.3. Clean all instruments and equipment (and vehicle as necessary) to avoid environmental damage including stormwater run-off and/or transfer of pests

4.4. Check that all instruments, equipment and supplies are present and undamaged before re-stowing them for safe transport

4.5. Notify appropriate site personnel on completion of monitoring activities and prior to leaving site

4.6. On return to base, check serviceability of instruments and equipment before storage

4.7. Download data into laboratory/enterprise information management system in accordance with enterprise procedures

4.8. Complete site safety plans, instrument/equipment logs and test reports in accordance with enterprise procedures

4.9. Notify supervising staff upon completion of activities

4.10. Report any significant issues arising from monitoring activities to appropriate personnel

5. Maintain a safe work environment

5.1. Use safe work procedures and personal protective equipment to ensure personal safety and that of others

5.2. Minimise environmental impacts of monitoring activities and generation of waste

5.3. Collect and/or dispose of all waste in accordance with environmental/quarantine requirements and enterprise procedures

Required skills

Required skills include:

identifying resource requirements for field monitoring activities

liaising with clients and site personnel about monitoring activities

interpreting safety information (e.g. site safety plans) and working safely

applying work instructions, test methods and enterprise procedures with close attention to detail

checking and using monitoring instruments and equipment in accordance with test methods and/or enterprise procedures

cleaning and troubleshooting/maintaining instruments and equipment in the field

operating communication systems

estimating/calculating simple scientific quantities (e.g. stress, strain and pressure)

recording and presenting results accurately and legibly

using laboratory software (e.g. spreadsheets, file management and data logger control)

maintaining security, integrity and traceability of all samples, data/results and documentation

demonstrating a professional approach and positive company/organisation image

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

monitoring activities routinely performed in job role, including:

purpose and principles of monitoring

properties of materials and/or structures being monitored

key steps in setup, operation and shutdown of monitoring instruments

calculation steps to give results in appropriate units and precision

expected measurement values for materials or structures

monitoring instruments and equipment routinely used in job role, including the function of key components, effects of varying key controls, connections, data acquisition fundamentals and common problems

basic instrument fault identification and rectification procedures pre-use checks and operating procedures for monitoring instruments and equipment routinely used in job role

expected values and sources of uncertainty (and methods for control) in monitoring activities routinely performed in job role

procedures for verifying and recording data, reporting results, calculations, site observations and unexpected or atypical results, and equipment problems

procedures for ensuring traceability of data and results

health, site safety and environmental management requirements relevant to job role

confidentiality requirements relevant to job role

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:

liaise effectively with site personnel to arrange for monitoring to be performed safely and efficiently

set up, operate and troubleshoot monitoring equipment in the field

conduct monitoring activities safely and produce reliable data within the required timeframe

work semi-autonomously.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

This unit of competency may be assessed with other relevant units of competency such as:

MSL924001A Process and interpret data

MSL924002A Use laboratory application software

MSL943002A Participate in laboratory/field workplace safety.

Resources may include:

data sets and records

test methods and description of monitoring activities

monitoring instruments and equipment

data logger, computer and relevant software or laboratory information system

relevant enterprise procedures.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of monitoringdata, results and records generated by the candidate

feedback from supervisors and clients regarding the candidate's ability to work independently and conduct a range of monitoring activities reliably, safely and efficiently

questions to assess understanding of enterprise procedures, monitoring activitiesand test methods relevant to their job role.

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 testing (1)

A contracting engineer has requested daily monitoring of a large cutting on a major new highway for at least several months. The new cutting has exposed a major geological fault that may result in significant slippage or total failure of the slope. A technician is assigned the task of monitoring the site which is approximately 10 km from the laboratory. He/she confirms the site location, specified monitoring points and the data required by the engineer. He/she then contacts the site manager to arrange access and schedule the monitoring times. The technician confirms that he/she has a currentfirst aid certificate and has previously completed the construction company's site induction program. Because there is only 4WD access to the cutting, the technician arranges to use an appropriate vehicle. On arrival at the site, the technician meets key company staff. He/she locates the boreholes and identifies each monitoring point on the site plan. He/she then assembles the laboratory's inclinometer taking care to check the torpedo probe, data logger, graduated support cable, electrical cables and connectors. He/she carefully checks the first borehole and uses a dummy probe to clean the keyways and ensure that it is free of obstructions. He/she records a trial set of orthogonal readings @ 0.5 m intervals over the 10 m depth. The technician then obtains a complete set of baseline data being careful to conduct repeat measurements and record each depth precisely so that subsequent measurements can be recorded at the same point and small changes in inclination can be detected. On return to base, he/she verifies the data and discusses the results with the laboratory manager before issuing them to the client. He/she then documents the site details and work instructions for the team to ensure rapid turnaround of data for the client.

Construction materials testing (2)

Two technicians have been assigned the task of surveying the condition of a stretch of highway to determine the extent of deterioration and whether it needs to be re-sealed. They locate the test method (Q702) and conduct a routine pre-use check of the laboratory's dedicated vehicle and confirm that all monitoring systems are functioning correctly. They examine the previous road roughness data and schedule the test for 8 pm in order to minimise interferences. On reaching the site, they drive the specified route to check for hazards such as cross roads, wildlife and other traffic. After commencing the test, the driver maintains constant speed while the operator records 'chainage' data and key road features on a laptop computer to reference the data set. After one pass, the technician reviews the data file to identify problem spikes, gaps or anomalies in the data. Then they perform repeat runs for both lanes in both directions, being careful to use the same wheel path in each case. On return to base, they download the data files, run data quality checks and use laboratory software to smooth the data. They then store the data files in accordance with enterprise procedures and complete the test report.

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

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:

Australian and international standards, such as:

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

AustRoads test methods

enterprise quality manual, customer quality plan

enterprise recording and reporting procedures

enterprise sampling procedures for specific samples, sites and clients

environmental legislation and regulations

equipment manuals and warranty, supplier catalogues and handbooks

equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures

industry codes of practice

maps and site plans

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

material, production and product specifications

National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) documents regarding construction materials testing (Field application document)

national measurement regulations and guidelines

occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice

quality manuals

sampling and test procedures, enterprise or standard operating procedures (SOPs)

site safety plans

State/Territory Road Authority test methods

test methods

Hazards

Hazards may include:

dust and noise

extreme weather (e.g. sunlight, wind, hail, rain and heat)

manual/handling of heavy equipment or materials

crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery

vehicular traffic on roads and sites

injuries caused by falling objects and working conditions such as uneven surfaces, heights, slopes, wet surfaces, trenches and confined spaces

nuclear density/moisture gauges and industrial X-ray equipment

driving vehicles over long distances, in rural or remote areas and over difficult terrain

fatigue

Enterprise safe work procedures

Enterprise safe work procedures may include:

use of site safety plans and MSDS

use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, sunscreen lotion, hearing protection, gloves, goggles, coveralls, respirators and safety boots

handling and storing hazardous material and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer's instructions, enterprise procedures and regulations

regular cleaning and/or decontaminating of equipment

signage, barriers, traffic control and flashing lights

Monitoring activities

Monitoring activities may include measuring:

displacement and vibration

pressure and force

temperature

setting time

strain

cracking (visual assessment of road condition)

defect mapping

moisture

water levels

movement of chemical ions through structures

Monitoring instruments and equipment

Monitoring instruments and equipment may include:

transducers, such as accelerometers, load cells, pieziometers, strain gauges and thermocouples

signal conditioning and data storage devices such as amplifiers, data loggers and portable computers

global position system (GPS)

digital camera

survey equipment, steel ruler/tape and verniers

signage, warning lights and boundary tape/cones

worksheets and test methods

umbrellas and shade structures

communication equipment (e.g. radio)

Administrative requirements and appropriate approvals

Administrative requirements and appropriate approvals may include:

travel requisitions, insurance

authority for procurement of supplies, use of vehicles and equipment

access permits

Appropriate corrective actions

Appropriate corrective actions may include:

logical check of equipment setup

check of calibration, zero error, drift for measuring instrument, data entry/storage and transfer

replacement of batteries, instrument boards/cards and leads and connectors

careful re-reading of procedures and checklists

repeat measurements

seek advice

Minimising environmental impacts

Minimising environmental impacts may include:

damage from movement of vehicles

disposal of surplus or spent or materials

containing run-off of water

recycling of wastes

compliance with quarantine requirements, including cleaning of vehicles to prevent transfer of pests (e.g. fire ants and seeds) and contaminants

compliance with environmental, cultural and heritage protection requirements

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

Unit sector

Testing

This unit contains employability skills.