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Evidence Guide: PUAFIR322 - Push trees with machines in forest fire control operations

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

From the Wiki University

 

PUAFIR322 - Push trees with machines in forest fire control operations

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Use and service machine

  1. Machine is set up, maintained and serviced to ensure safe operation in forest environments and that it is free of soil and water borne disease and weeds, prior to and after use.
  2. Effective communication is established with supervisor, team members and support vehicle/s.
  3. Safe procedures are employed when using the machine to push trees.
  4. Machine is parked safely and securely when not in operation.
  5. Personal protective clothing and equipment are worn and used in accordance with agency requirements.
Machine is set up, maintained and serviced to ensure safe operation in forest environments and that it is free of soil and water borne disease and weeds, prior to and after use.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effective communication is established with supervisor, team members and support vehicle/s.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safe procedures are employed when using the machine to push trees.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Machine is parked safely and securely when not in operation.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal protective clothing and equipment are worn and used in accordance with agency requirements.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plan to push tree

  1. Tree is assessed for suitability for pushing.
  2. Topographical and vegetation factors are considered.
  3. Environmental, cultural and heritage factors are considered in relation to the area where tree/s may be pushed or fall.
  4. Approval is sought and gained for tree/s to be pushed.
  5. Hazards and safe clearances are established around the tree selected for pushing.
  6. Escape routes are identified.
  7. Support personnel are warned of tree to be pushed.
Tree is assessed for suitability for pushing.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topographical and vegetation factors are considered.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Environmental, cultural and heritage factors are considered in relation to the area where tree/s may be pushed or fall.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approval is sought and gained for tree/s to be pushed.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazards and safe clearances are established around the tree selected for pushing.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Escape routes are identified.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Support personnel are warned of tree to be pushed.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Push tree

  1. Communication is maintained with ground crews during tree pushing operations
  2. Ground is prepared for tree pushing.
  3. Direction of fall is determined.
  4. Tree is pushed applying safe tree pushing practices.
Communication is maintained with ground crews during tree pushing operations

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ground is prepared for tree pushing.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direction of fall is determined.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree is pushed applying safe tree pushing practices.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Undertake mop-up and rehabilitation activities

  1. Tree and debris are cleared for access and mop-up work as required.
  2. Area is made safe for personnel to enter.
  3. Rehabilitation works are conducted to specified standards as required.
Tree and debris are cleared for access and mop-up work as required.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Area is made safe for personnel to enter.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rehabilitation works are conducted to specified standards as required.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions to Assessors

Evidence Guide

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

maintain effective cooperation with support personnel and vehicles

push trees in support of fire operations

communicate effectively with supervisor and other members of the team

Consistency in performance

Competency should be demonstrated over time; some performance criteria may be performed in a simulated wildfire environment.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Context of assessment

Competency should be assessed in an operational environment or in a field-based simulated environment; Element 3 should be assessed in a forest environment.

Specific resources for assessment

Access is required to:

trees requiring pushing

machinery

communications equipment

support personnel

Method of assessment

Assessment should be conducted by direct observation in either the workplace (through recorded subject matter supervision and/or mentoring) or the training environment.

Assessment may occur in an operational environment or in an industry-approved simulated work environment. Forms of assessment that are typically used include:

direct observation

interviewing the candidate

journals and workplace documentation

third party reports from supervisors

written or oral questions

Required Skills and Knowledge

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required Skills

communicate effectively orally

maintain and service machine in non-fire environments

operate machines in a non-fire environment

Required Knowledge

burn-over survival techniques

capabilities of support vehicles

environmental factors

machine capabilities and limitations

machine design and safety features

machine maintenance requirements in a fireground environment

organisational operating procedures (relevant to machine operations)

wildfire control tactics and techniques

Range Statement

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 in the Performance Criteria is detailed below.

Machine may include:

bulldozer

excavator

front end loader

and must be fitted with

falling object protection systems (FOPS)

roll over protection systems (ROPS)

Safe procedures may include:

ensuring FOPS and ROPS are correctly fitted and used

applying safe work practices

assistance to vehicles and personnel working with machines

communication with fire control line supervisors and support vehicles

maintenance of contact and cooperation with support vehicles

position in relation to live fire edge and fire intensity

survival techniques in burn over situations

wearing appropriate personal protective equipment

wearing seatbelts in the cabin

working within the limits of machine capability

Assessment of trees must include:

entangled crowns

fire burning in the tree

faults

growth characteristics and stresses

hanging and insecure limbs

hollows

lean of tree

multi leaders

potential for ‘domino’ effect

size of tree

slope of land

soundness of timber

species

weight distribution

Topographical and vegetation factors may include:

density and condition of vegetation

proximity to and crossing of, drainage lines and creeks

rockiness of terrain

size, condition and proximity of hazardous trees

soil type

steepness of terrain

Environmental factors may include:

presence of or sensitivity to, environmental diseases or weeds that may be spread by machines

presence of species sensitive to disturbance

protection of flora and fauna habitat

reference/research areas

rock outcrops and caves

soil disturbance and erosion

water quality

Cultural and heritage factors may include:

aboriginal sites

historic sites

structures and earthworks

Sought and gained may include:

notifying supervisor of selected tree/s

confirming permission to push tree/s

confirming tasks are approved in incident action plan

Hazards may include:

buildings and other structures

falling trees and branches

heat, dust, smoke

hot ash

power lines

roads

rock outcrops and caves

Ground preparation may include:

clearing escape route

clearing vegetation and obstacles (such as logs, rocks) around tree

creating ramp for pushing

ripping or severing roots of tree to be pushed

Safe tree pushing practices must include:

avoiding obstacles such as tree roots and rocks rising as a result of the tree falling

direction of approach relative to proposed direction of fall

minimum and gradual power application to effect tree fall

not rocking tree

awareness of point of contact with machine

use of blade and/or tree arm for optimal leverage

Rehabilitation works may include:

breaking up heaps and levelling mounds

removing material from creek and drainage lines

filling in stump holes