ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Plan and prepare for the application of the strata management plan

1.1. Access, interpret and apply compliance documentation relevant to the work activity

1.2. Communicate and explain work group and individual roles, responsibilities and tasks

1.3. Identify obtain and allocate resources required for the application of the strata management plan

1.4. Identify individual training needs.

1.5. Identify and interpret the risks associated with unstable mining structures

2. Apply the strata management plan

2.1. Communicate, apply and monitor site mining system in accordance with the strata management plan

2.2. Communicate and apply primary, secondary and other support systems in accordance with the strata management plan

2.3. Identify and assess the impact of mining on the stability of mining structures in accordance with the strata management plan

2.4. Install, monitor and assess strata support systems

2.5. Install, monitor and assess strata monitoring devices

2.6. Identify and assess strata supports and failure mechanisms and apply appropriate controls

2.7. Apply, monitor and record mining sequences in accordance with the strata management plan

2.8. Identify and assess and record stress changes in the mining structure

2.9. Identify, assess and record geological structures encountered during the mining process

2.10. Apply action response plans in accordance with site requirements

2.11. Apply and monitor site procedures relating to strata management

2.12. Participate in audit and review requirements in accordance with the strata management plan

3. Apply monitoring and maintenance procedures

3.1. Carry out inspection to ensure that repair and maintenance activities are conducted in accordance with strata management plan

3.2. Record, report and review maintenance and monitoring requirements and activities in accordance with strata management plan

Required skills

Specific skills are required to achieve the Performance Criteria of this unit, particularly for its application in the various circumstances in which this unit may be used. This includes the ability to carry out the following, as required to apply and monitor the strata management plan:

apply legislative, organisation and site requirements and procedures for applying and monitoring the strata management plan

access, interpret and apply technical information

access and analyse historical strata management information related to the mine and failure mode of mine structures

interpret and apply design criteria for strata management

communicate effectively in the workplace

apply operational procedures relating to strata management

conduct and report on audits

identify and evaluate fundamental geological and geotechnical information

Required knowledge

Specific knowledge is required to achieve the Performance Criteria of this unit, particularly for its application in the various circumstances in which this unit may be used. This includes knowledge of the following, as required to apply and monitor the strata management plan:

legislative and site requirements for mining structures, including mine plans, ventilation, gas monitoring, strata support and safety management plans

the systems of underground mining, including tunnels, drifts, stone drivage, shaft sinking, pillar extraction, partial extraction, punch mining and fault drivage

stress, including mining induced stress, vertical and horizontal stress, tectonics, virgin stress, topographical features

sedimentology, including subsidence, water bearing strata, permeability of seam and strata, hydrology, rock property testing, caving characteristics, windblast, faults, dykes, outburst, gas content and over and underlying strata

systems of work, including bord and pillar, place changing, longwall, highwall, auger mining, pillar extraction, partial extension and punch mining

mining structure failure modes

exploration techniques

geology and strata gas characteristics

strata support and monitoring systems

audit methodologies

historical information

training systems

emergency response and evacuation planning processes and techniques

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to worksite operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions for applying and monitoring the strata management plan

implementation of requirements, procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient completion of strata management plan application and monitoring

working with others to plan, prepare and conduct strata management plan application and monitoring

evidence of the consistent successful strata management plan application and monitoring

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit must be assessed in the context of the work environment. Where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment may occur in a simulated environment provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of workplace performance, including task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.

Assessment of this competency requires typical resources normally used in a resources and infrastructure sector environment. Selection and use of resources for particular worksites may differ due to the site circumstances.

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the participant. For example, language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required on the job.

Customisation of assessment and delivery environment to sensitively accommodate cultural diversity.

Aboriginal people and other people from a non English speaking background may have second language issues.

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.

Method of assessment

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency. The assessment strategy for this unit must verify required knowledge and skill and practical application using more than one of the following assessment methods:

written and/or oral assessment of the candidate's required knowledge

observed, documented and/or first hand testimonial evidence of the candidate's:

implementation of appropriate requirement, procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient achievement of required outcomes

consistent achievement of required outcomes

first hand testimonial evidence of the candidate's:

working with others to undertake and complete the strata management plan application and monitoring

provision of clear and timely instruction and supervision by the individual of those involved in the conduct of the strata management plan application and monitoring

Guidance information for assessment

Consult the SkillsDMC User Guide for further information on assessment including access and equity issues.

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 compliance documentation may include:

legislative, organisational and site requirements and procedures

manufacturer's guidelines and specifications

Australian standards

Employment and workplace relations legislation

Equal Employment Opportunity and Disability Discrimination legislation

Interpret is defined as: the understanding needed by the person within their job role.

Resources may include, but are not limited to:

skilled personnel

roof and rib supports

face equipment

power water/gas drainage systems

strata monitoring devices

Risk is defined as: "the chance of something happening that will have an impact upon objectives. It is measured in terms of consequences and likelihood" (definition from AS/NZS 4360:1999 Risk Management).

Mining structure can be defined as:

excavation

pillars

roadways

workings

roof, rib and floor

Strata monitoring devices may include:

convergence indicators

extensometers

load cells

stress cells

Factors affecting stability of mining structures may include:

roadway size

pillar sizes

depth of cover

strength of coal and underlying/overlying strata

stress regimes

strata characteristics

longwall chocks

presence of water

systems of mining

breaker line supports

direction of mining

sequence of pillar extraction

primary and secondary support

geological structures

speed and continuity of extraction

Appropriate controls may include:

restriction of access

setting of temporary and remedial supports

monitoring and reporting

Stress includes, but is not limited to:

horizontal and vertical tectonic induced stress

mining induced stress

topographical features

virgin stress environment

Audit is defined as: a systematic examination against defined criteria to determine whether activities and related results conform to planned arrangement, and whether these arrangements are implemented effectively and are suitable to achieve the organisation's policy and objectives (AS/NZS 4804: 2001).

Mine design is the process of engineering analysis applied to the systems and sequences involved in mining.

Hazard is defined as: a source of potential harm or a situation with a potential to cause loss (definition from AS/NZS 4360:1999 Risk Management).

Standard operating procedures (SOP) are also known as safe working procedures, safe operating procedures and standard working procedures.

Mining systems and methods may include, but are not limited to:

bord and pillar

longwall

highwall

place changing

auger mining

pillar extraction

partial extraction

punch mining

Geological and hydrogeological information may be related, but not limited to:

subsidence

roof and floor technical data

gas content

over and underlying strata

water bearing strata

permeability of seam and strata

physical properties

caving characteristics

outburst

windblast

faults

intrusions

Mine site historical information may include, but is not limited to:

existence of previous workings within the work seam or other seam

sedimentology aspects of the mine site relating to subsidence

outburst

gas content/gas composition

roof and floor technical data

over and underlying strata

water bearing strata

permeability of seam and strata

hydrology

rock property testing results

caving characteristics

windblast

Mine design may include in whole or in part requirements relating to:

mine plant

mining induced stress

ventilation

tunnels

sequencing drivages

stone drivage

shaft sinking

pillar extraction

partial extraction

punch mining

modelling

seam grades

windblast

outburst

geology

gas drainage

multi-seams

fault drivage

spontaneous combustion

roof and floor technical data

over and underlying strata

subsidence

legislative requirements

Coal seam characteristics may include, but are not limited to:

moisture

cleat

coal hardness

seam gas

friability

pyrites

Or depositional factors such as:

seam thickness

multiple and rider seams

seam dip

depth of cover