RIIWHS402E
Examine and maintain mine safety


Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to examine and maintain mine safety in coal and metalliferous mining. It includes conducting routine and non-routine examinations of site activity and investigation procedures for noncompliance issues identified.

It applies to those working in supervisory roles. They generally perform a broad range of operational activities in their area of responsibility and are responsible for monitoring a safe work environment.

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.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Maintain familiarity with operational and safety activities

1.1 Obtain, interpret, clarify and confirm work requirements

1.2 Access, interpret and apply mine safety legislation and documentation and confirm work activity is compliant

1.3 Obtain and clarify operational forecast information and confirm with appropriate management authorities according to site requirements

1.4 Access, interpret and apply geological and survey data according to job requirements

1.5 Obtain, interpret and apply legislative and site requirements to all work activities

1.6 Access and apply safety information and procedures according to legislative and site requirements

1.7 Coordinate activities with others within scope of own role

2. Examine operations

2.1 Conduct inspections according to legislative and site requirements

2.2 Respond to instances of non-compliance according to legislative and site requirements

2.3 Discuss inspection findings with responsible parties and initiate response according to legislative and site requirements

2.4 Prepare and process records of inspections results according to legislative and site requirements

Evidence of Performance

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:

examine and maintain of mine safety on at least two occasions, including:

attaining work and site requirements to examine mine safety, including in the form of:

handover reports

work instructions

verbal briefings

interpreting and applying geological and survey information used for establishing activity that maintains site safety

providing instruction and supervision to those involved in mine safety

conducting routine and non-routine examinations of site activity

applying procedures for recognising potential hazards and applying corrective measures according to legislative and site requirements

undertaking investigation procedures for noncompliance issues identified and reporting outcomes and methods for resolving noncompliance according to legislative and site requirements

preparing reports relating to inspections, investigations and outcomes of response activities.

During the above, the candidate must:

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

work effectively with others to examine and maintain mine safety, including:

organising work activities to meet task requirements

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

complying with reporting requirements and procedures

determining coordination requirements throughout work activities.


Evidence of Knowledge

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 examine and maintain of mine safety, including those relating to site inspections

key procedures and documentation required to examine and maintain of mine safety, including those relating to:

risk management procedures

site operational and maintenance procedures

site and equipment safety requirements

site inspections

shot firing procedures and practices

principles and techniques for conducting routine and non-routine examinations, including for operations relating to:

workings on or around highwalls and lowwalls

dumps

roads

working faces

stockpiles

sumps

techniques for interpreting and applying site geological, geographical and survey data

characteristics, technical capabilities and limitations of systems, plant and equipment required for work activities

techniques for coordinating and communicating job activities with others.


Assessment Conditions

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

include access to:

work and site requirements to examine and maintain mine safety

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:

Industry sector

AQF indicator level***

Required assessor or industry subject matter expert experience

Drilling, Metalliferous Mining, Coal Mining, Extractive (Quarrying) and Civil Infrastructure

1

1 year

2

2 years

Drilling, Coal Mining, Extractive (Quarrying), Metalliferous Mining and Civil Infrastructure

3-6

3 years

Other sectors

Where this unit is being assessed outside of the resources and infrastructure sectors assessor and/or industry subject matter expert experience should be in-line with industry standards for the sector in which it is being assessed and where no industry standard is specified should comply with any relevant regulation.

*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.


Foundation Skills

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

SKILL

DESCRIPTION

Oral communication

Conveys information and requirements clearly and listens actively

Reading

Identifies and interprets relevant information from workplace procedures, documentation and legislation

Writing

Prepares specific information that complies with requirements, using sector-specific vocabulary, grammatical structures and conventions


Sectors

Coal mining

Metalliferous mining