This unit describes a participant’s skills and knowledge required to construct and maintain ventilation devices in Coal mining.

This unit is appropriate for those working in operational roles.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory and certification requirements that apply to this unit can vary between States, Territories and industry sectors. Relevant information must be sourced prior to the application of this unit.

Evidence is required to be collected that demonstrates a candidate’s competency in this unit. Evidence must be relevant to the roles within this sector’s work operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria of this unit and include evidence that the candidate:

locates and applies relevant documentation, policies and procedures

implements the requirements, procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient completion of constructing and maintaining ventilation devices including:

reading, interpreting, applying and communicating technical information

identifying, addressing and reporting environmental issues, potential hazards and risks

selecting and using relevant tools and equipment

complying with environmental requirements and constraints

identifying work requirements

applying diagnostic and fault finding techniques

applying construction techniques

monitoring and responding to local environmental conditions (including ventilation, gas levels, spontaneous combustion and strata conditions)

inspecting and maintaining devices, equipment and materials

works effectively with others to undertake and complete constructing and maintaining ventilation devices in a way that meets all of the required outcomes including:

organising work activities to meet all task requirements

communicating clearly and concisely with others to receive and clarify work instructions

complying with written and verbal reporting requirements and procedures

resolving coordination requirements throughout work activities

demonstrates completion of constructing and maintaining ventilation devices that safely, effectively and efficiently meets all of the required outcomes on more than one (1) occasion including:

applying basic construction skills to conduct remedial work to make workplace safe and to identify potential strata hazards (roof and ribs)

completing operations on the following devices in an underground coal mine:

stoppings OR regulators; and

overcasts OR undercasts; and

seals OR bulkheads

using materials for devices under this unit including but not limited to:

poles/props/ply/mesh

pre-fabricated steel

plaster/cementitious products or bricks

pumping equipment

together with foam or other secondary materials as necessary

establish ventilation at construction site and monitor mine atmosphere

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of the following when constructing and maintaining ventilation devices:

legislative, and organization procedures, layout and plan

operational safety systems related to ventilation devices

mine geology and survey information related to ventilation devices

types and applications of ventilation circuits, ventilation devices and sealing systems

applying ventilation device construction processes and techniques

ventilation device equipment and material characteristics including transportation requirements

hazard management processes and techniques for managing hazards (including strata, dust, gases, poor ventilation and spontaneous combustion)

being prepared for fire/accident/emergency

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors; and industry regulations for certification and licensing; and,

this unit must be assessed in the context of this sector’s work environment; and,

this unit must be assessed in compliance with relevant legislation/regulation and using policies, procedures, processes and operational manuals directly related to the industry sector for which it is being assessed; and,

assessment may be conducted in conjunction with the assessment of other units of competency; and,

assessment must confirm consistent performance can be applied in a range of relevant workplace circumstances; and,

assessors must demonstrate the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence as outlined in this unit of competency, and through the minimum years of current* work experience specified below in an industry sector relevant to the outcomes of the unit; or,

where the assessor does not meet experience requirements a co-assessment or partnership arrangement must exist between the qualified assessor and an industry subject matter expert. The industry subject matter expert should hold the unit being assessed (or an equivalent unit) and/or demonstrate equivalence of skills and knowledge at the unit level. An industry technical expert must also demonstrate skills and knowledge from the minimum years of current work experience specified below in the industry sector, including time spent in roles related to the unit being assessed; and,

assessor and industry subject matter expert requirements differ depending on the Australian Qualifications Framework Level (AQF) of the qualification being assessed and/or industry sector as follows:

*Assessors can demonstrate current work experience through employment within industry in a role relevant to the outcomes of the unit; or, for external assessors this can be demonstrated through exposure to industry by conducting frequent site assessments across various locations.

**Where a unit is being delivered outside of a qualification the first numeric character in the Unit code should be considered to indicate the AQF level.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit. Further information is available in the Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package Companion Volume.

Coal mining