Elements and Performance Criteria

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
OHS requirements are to be in accordance with Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures. Requirements may include:
the use of personal protective equipment and clothing
safety equipment
first aid equipment
fire fighting equipment
hazard and risk control
erection of signs
elimination of hazardous materials and substances
safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire
manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying
Legislative requirements are to be in accordance with applicable legislation from all levels of government that affect organisational operation. Requirements may include:
award and enterprise agreements
industrial relations
Australian Standards
confidentiality and privacy
OHS
the environment
equal opportunity
anti-discrimination
relevant industry codes of practice
duty of care
heritage and traditional land owner issues
Organisational requirements
may include legal, organisational and site guidelines, policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility, quality assurance, procedural manuals, quality and continuous improvement processes and standards, OHS, emergency and evacuation, ethical standards, recording and reporting, access and equity principles and practices, equipment use, maintenance and storage, environmental management (waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)
Trees
will be fallen in a forest environment and may require a range of cuts
fallen during basic harvesting are to conform with the following characteristics: diameter not more than 50 centimetres at position of cut, height not more than 20 metres, species and growth conditions not prone to twisting or splitting, sound wood condition in barrel, single leader, lean and weight distribution consistent with falling direction,
Environmental protection measures
may include ground growth, canopy, general forest lean, wind speed and direction, fallen trees, density of trees, ground slope, soil and water protection, ground hazards and obstacles. Measures may also include contingencies for modifying operations during wet or other adverse weather conditions
Work order
is to include information and instructions relevant to tree harvesting operations including processing location details and trees to be felled and retained
Appropriate personnel
may include supervisors, clients, colleagues, managers
Falling requirements
include trees to be felled and retained, extraction methods, processing location, environmental care principles
Conditions
in which falling will be undertaken may include: minimal canopy affecting free fall, ground slope not excessive, wind not significantly affecting falling characteristics, absence of ground growth or fallen trees preventing complete fall, absence of stags and hazardous ground features in falling radius, clear falling or sparse tree density, absence of ground growth or fallen trees preventing free movement around tree stump
Communication
may include verbal and non-verbal language, hand or other agreed signals, eye contact with other operators or personnel, active listening, questioning to clarify and confirm understanding, use of electronic communication devices
Tools and equipment
may include support tools, protective equipment, first aid equipment, spares, maintenance requirements, fuel
Visual assessment
may cover size, weight distribution, lean, species, multi leaders, soundness of timber, growth characteristics and stresses
Errors
may relate to hang-ups, damage and extraction
Clearance
of growth for escape route may require assistance from dozer or other machine
Operations
may include scarf cutting to plan, backcutting to provide planned hinge-wood and maintain control of tree, using wedges to assist in controlling falling direction

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
Overview of assessment
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can assess, plan and safely and efficiently operate chainsaw equipment to fell trees in a forest environment within organisational requirements
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Comply with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice, including OHS, environmental and organisational policies and procedures, relevant to harvesting basic trees manually
Comply with applicable licensing or certification requirements
Communicate effectively and work safely with others in the work area
Assess, plan and safely and efficiently fall trees without damage to personnel, equipment or surrounding environment
Prepare, operate and maintain chainsaw equipment and other falling equipment
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements
The following resources should be made available:
workplace location or simulated workplace
materials and equipment relevant to tree harvesting operations
specifications and work instructions
Method of assessment
Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package
Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of underpinning knowledge
Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on underpinning knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of key competencies
Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the essential underpinning knowledge
Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency
The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English
Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role