This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to establish and maintain ventilation management systems in coal and metalliferous mining, including design, development, audit and review processes and procedures.

It applies to those working in management or technical specialist roles. They generally perform complex, nonroutine tasks involving strategic and planning activities and are responsible for establishing and maintaining operational systems and plans.

Licensing, legislative and certification requirements that apply to this unit can vary between states, territories and industry sectors. Users must check requirements with relevant body before applying the unit.

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:

establish and maintain ventilation management systems on at least two occasions, including:

identifying, collating and evaluating data, events and activities that impact on ventilation systems

identifying and evaluation limitations of ventilations control devices and systems

designing and developing the ventilation management system incorporating principles and requirements of mine ventilation, including effects of mine gases

establishing technical procedures relating to ventilation

confirming training program is established to address training needs relating to ventilation management

incorporating mine ventilation plan into work activity

conducting enquiries/investigations throughout the audit of ventilation management plan

providing solutions to noncompliance or other discrepancy

preparing reports on ventilations management plan audits.

During the above, the candidate must:

locate and apply relevant legislation, documentation, policies and procedures and confirm work activity is compliant

implement requirements, procedures and techniques for establishing and maintaining ventilation management systems, including:

accessing and analysing archival and historical ventilation information

interpreting and applying mathematical and scientific theorems/laws related to ventilation

accessing, evaluating and applying design criteria for ventilation systems and devices

interpreting computer spreadsheets and ventilation modelling/simulations

accessing, evaluating and applying data from monitoring systems and equipment

work effectively with others to establish and maintain ventilation management systems in a manner that meets required outcomes, including:

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

identifying the relevant information and scope of the work necessary to meet required outcomes

establishing technical procedures relating to ventilation management.

The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:

key legislation required to establish and maintain mine ventilation management systems

key procedures and documentation required to establish and maintain mine ventilation management systems, including archival and historical ventilation information

principles, methods, applications and limitations of mine ventilation, including:

exhaust/force

antitropal

homotropal

flank returns

ascensional/descensional

bleeder

Z/U/Y systems

principles, methods, applications and limitations of panel ventilation, including:

homotropal and antitropal auxiliary fans

coursed ventilation (narrow side/wide side)

machine mounted scrubber systems

compressed air venturis

bleeders

impact of mining techniques and mine and panel design on ventilation

impact of coal characteristics and coal seam gradients on mine ventilation design

principles and impacts of ventilation systems on gas drainage, spontaneous combustion, outburst and windblast

types of mine gases, including:

characteristics under varying circumstances

sources

physiological effects

methods of detection

types of airborne contaminants, including:

sources

physical and physiological effects

control and mitigation methods

types of mine fires, including:

sources of ignition

possible effects on the ventilation circuit

prevention, control and mitigation methods

types of mine explosions, including:

ignition sources

possible effects on the ventilation circuit

prevention, control and mitigation methods

pressure change principles, including:

causes

impacts on the ventilation system

responses, including the causes and effects of natural ventilation and recirculation

heat and humidity principles, including sources and factors which may impact ventilation and personnel

mine roadways and shafts design parameters and impacts on mine ventilation

principles mine fans, including:

fan laws

types

performance characteristics and configurations

applications and limitations

types of ventilation control devices, including:

purposes

design criteria and specifications

distribution and placement criteria

applications and limitations

de-gassing methods of control, including:

brattice

auxiliary fans

compressed air venturis

sails

hurdles

bleeders

design criteria, specifications and design processes of ventilation networks and individual circuits

types, characteristics, uses and limitations of fixed ventilation monitoring systems

types, characteristics, uses and limitations of portable monitoring equipment

functions, capabilities, limitation and uses of computer modelling and simulation techniques

computer-based systems for mine environmental analysis

ventilation management system development requirements and processes

types, frequency and method for conducting ventilation surveys, including:

pressure

quantity

temperature

gas

dust

processes and techniques for determining alarms and trigger points/levels

ventilation theory, including:

psychrometry and heat

gas laws including Charles’s law and Boyle’s law

natural ventilation pressures

air quality measurement

control device leakage

duct leakage

regulator

equivalent office calculation and Kirchoff’s laws

techniques for identifying individual training needs and reviewing ventilation management system training plans

principles, processes and techniques for emergency response, evacuation and disaster planning

techniques for leading and coordinating work activities with others.

Mandatory conditions for assessment of this unit are stipulated below. The assessment must:

include access to:

ventilation management plan

be conducted in a safe environment; and,

be assessed in the context of this sector's work environment; and,

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

confirm consistent performance can be applied in a range of relevant workplace circumstances.

Where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment may occur in a simulated work environment* provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of this sector’s workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.

Assessor requirements

Assessors must be able to clearly demonstrate current and relevant industry knowledge and experience to satisfy the mandatory regulatory standards as set out in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/Australian Quality Training Framework mandatory requirements for assessors current at the time of assessment and any relevant licensing and certification requirements. This includes:

vocational competencies at least to the level being delivered and assessed

current industry skills directly relevant to the training and assessment being provided

current knowledge and skills in vocational training and learning that informs their training and assessment

formal relevant qualifications in training and assessment

having knowledge of and/or experience using the latest techniques and processes

possessing the required level of RII training product knowledge

having an understanding and knowledge of legislation and regulations relevant to the industry and to employment and workplaces

demonstrating the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence outlined in this unit of competency, and

the minimum years of current** work experience after competency has been obtained as specified below in an industry sector relevant to the outcomes of the unit.

It is also acceptable for the appropriately qualified assessor to work with an industry expert to conduct assessment together and for the industry expert to be involved in the assessment judgement. The industry expert must have current industry skills directly relevant to the training and assessment being provided. This means the industry subject matter expert must demonstrate skills and knowledge from the minimum years of current work experience after competency has been obtained as specified below, including time spent in roles related to the unit being assessed:

*Guidance on simulated environments has been stipulated in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide located on VETNet.

**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 a minimum number of site assessments as determined by the relevant industry sector, across various locations.

*** While a unit of competency does not have an AQF level, where a unit is being delivered outside of a qualification the first numeric character in the unit code should be considered as the AQF indicator level for assessment purposes.

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance but not explicit in the performance criteria.

Coal mining

Metalliferous mining