Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that will affect performance.
Where reference is made to industry Codes of Practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used.
This unit of competency describes the work conducted by para-professionals.
Operations are performed in accordance with laboratory and/or enterprise procedures, and appropriate legislative requirements.

These procedures and requirements include or have been prepared from
industry Codes of Practice
environmental legislation and regulations
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
equipment manuals
equipment start-up, operation and shutdown procedures
calibration and maintenance schedules
quality manuals
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
production and laboratory schedules
material, production and product specifications.
Site classification is applicable to single dwelling houses, townhouses and commercial, institutional or light industrial buildings. The classification depends on reactivity of the foundation soils and other potential problems, such as mine subsidence, groundwater conditions and slope. These influence the design of footings, so as to minimise damage due to foundation movement during the life of the building.

Tools and equipment used include
hand and power augers
hand tools, including shovels, scoops, spanners, wrenches, tape measure
consumables, including sample bags, labels, thin-walled sampling tubes
documentation, including maps, plans, worksheets
field test equipment, including pocket penetrometer, dynamic cone penetrometer, sand penetrometer
laboratory equipment, including balances, ovens, liquid limit apparatus, linear shrinkage troughs, vernier calipers, core swell testing cell, psychrometer
camera, GPS receiver
safety clothing and equipment, including helmet, boots, earmuffs, glasses.

Typical skills may include
working safely in field conditions
setting up and maintaining tools and equipment
cleaning equipment before leaving site in compliance with environmental authority requirements
performing disturbed and undisturbed sampling
performing in-situ testing
performing laboratory testing
interpreting site plans, specifications and codes
identifying soil and rock materials
handling and storing samples
analysing test results and observations.

Typical problems include
delays in obtaining test results
damage to services
displaced, missing and inaccurate survey markers
misidentification of samples and sampling locations
equipment breakdown and breakage
environmental problems and issues, including site access, inclement weather, traffic, wildlife, vegetation, construction activities, contamination of stormwater.

Health, safety and environment
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environmental (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
All operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied. Users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council and State and Territory Departments of Health. All operations are performed in accordance with standard operating procedures.

The Evidence Guide describes the underpinning knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated to prove competence.
Critical aspects of competency
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard. Candidates must be able to conduct site and laboratory operations, and analyse results to assign a site classification.

In particular the assessor should look to see that the candidate can:

read and interpret maps, drawings, specifications and Codes of Practice
conduct subsurface explorations and log strata
conduct in-situ testing for site classification purposes
conduct disturbed and undisturbed sampling
record project details in writing, by sketching and photography
conduct laboratory testing for site classification purposes
analyse test results and observations to assign a site classification
observe, interpret and report atypical situations
communicate problems to appropriate personnel
report results to clients using enterprise procedures.

Underpinning knowledge

Competency includes the ability to apply and explain:

engineering properties of soil and rock materials
in-situ and laboratory test methods applicable to site classification
methods of assigning a site classification
mathematical principles and processes used in site classification
provisions and requirements of relevant codes
relevant health, safety and environment requirements.

Assessment context and methods
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
It is strongly recommended that assessment is conducted through observation over time. The timeframe must allow for adequate assessment of operation under all normal and a range of abnormal conditions. Where this is not practical, additional assessment techniques must be used.

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of site classifications and other enterprise documentation prepared by the candidate
analysis of work completed over a period of time to ensure accurate and consistent work is obtained within required timelines
feedback from peers and supervisors
use of suitable simulation and/or a range of case studies/scenarios.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly. Questioning techniques should suit the language and literacy levels of the candidate.

Interdependent assessment of unit

This unit of competency may be assessed with:

PMLCOM500B Provide information to customers
PMLORG600B Supervise laboratory operations in work/functional area.

Resource implications

Resources may include:

access to building sites; site tools, equipment and materials
standard construction materials testing laboratory, samples, equipment, materials, test methods, enterprise procedures
access to more than one workplace or simulated learning environment if the primary workplace or learning environment is unable to provide a suitable range of equipment.

This competency in practice
A geotechnical consultancy company has been contracted to perform a site investigation for the purpose of determining the classification of a building site. The client is a structural engineer who will use the information to design a block of townhouses for the site. The company manager assigns a senior technician to the project along with an experienced tester to perform the site work. A second tester will perform the laboratory testing. The senior technician is a signatory for all tests for which the organisation is NATA accredited. They obtain a map of the area and establishes that there is no local information available on conditions in the immediate vicinity. There are no buried services to be damaged during the investigation. They brief the field tester on the project, specifying the number and suggested locations of boreholes as well as the sampling and testing requirements. The field tester performs the site investigation by drilling power auger holes, logging and sampling the strata and performing dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) tests. They push tubes to obtain undisturbed samples of material that they classify as high plasticity clay. They note the presence of uncontrolled fill in one corner of the site, and takes several photographs with a digital camera.
When the site investigation is completed, the senior technician inspects the field logs, notes and photographs and then specifies an appropriate testing program, including shrink-swell tests on the high plasticity clay. Using the shrink-swell test result, they calculate the characteristic surface movement and after reviewing all the data assigns a P classification in accordance with AS2870: Residential slabs and footings - Construction. They then prepare a report to the client, including a description of the site, the extent and nature of the investigation, test results and bore logs and the site classification. Finally, all documentation relating to the project is filed and stored as a complete record in accordance with NATA, quality assurance, and liability requirements. After review by the company manager, the results of the investigation are communicated to the client.

The seven key competencies represent generic skills considered for effective work participation. The bracketed numbering against each of the key competencies indicates the performance level required in this unit. These are stand-alone levels and do not correspond to levels in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Level (1) represents the competence to undertake tasks effectively
Level (2) represents the competence to manage tasks
Level (3) represents the competence to use concepts for evaluating and reshaping tasks.
Communicating ideas and information
(3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
(3)

Planning and organising activities
(3)

Working with others and in teams
(3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
(3)

Solving problems
(3)

Using technology
(3)