Elements and Performance Criteria

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

OHS requirements:
are to be in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:
the use of personal protective equipment and clothing, including high visibility vest
safety equipment
first aid equipment
fire fighting equipment
hazard and risk control
elimination of hazardous materials and substances
safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire
awareness of danger zone for kickback
manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying
erection of warning signs
potential falling objects
falling procedures for cross cutting on slopes

Legislative requirements:
are to be in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:
Australian Standards
OHS
the environment
relevant industry codes of practice
duty of care
heritage and traditional land owner issues

Organisational requirements may include:
legal requirements
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 procedures
recording and reporting requirements
access and equity principles and practices
equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements
environmental management requirements including waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines

Environmental protection measures may include:
noise
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
contingencies for modifying operations during wet or other adverse weather conditions

Work plan may include:
instructions for the trimming, cross cutting and despatch of harvested trees from the work site
type, size, length, quantity and grade

Appropriate personnel may include
supervisors
suppliers
clients
colleagues
managers
contractors

hardwood logs
softwood logs
for production and non-production purposes

Equipment may include:
chainsaws
specific safety attire
maintenance tools

Trimming may include:
trimming off branches, burls and other small growths
delimbing

Communication may include:
verbal and non-verbal language
constructive feedback
active listening
questioning to clarify and confirm understanding
use of positive, confident and cooperative language
use of language and concepts appropriate to individual social and cultural differences
control of tone of voice and body language

Assessment of environmental conditions may include:
ground growth
ground slope
ground hazards and obstacles

Defects may include:
shakes
insect defects
knots and resin pockets
pipe
branches
lumps
bumps
drysides

Grade may include:
an evaluation of the log for defects, quality and size of log return

Extraction may include:
methods of removing the log from the worksite with mechanical equipment and cables, considering site conditions and specific log location

Cutting pattern may include:
direction or angle for making a cut

Sequence of cross cuts may include:
the plan of cuts to optimise time and recovery of logs

Pre start-up checks may include:
checking equipment has been set up correctly
checking the systems are performing accurately
checking equipment is operating to optimum performance

Cross cutting technique may include:
bridging cuts
swinging cuts
side bind cuts
delimbing
boring
wedge cut

Capping and splitting may include:
defects caused by cross cutting activities

Tolerances may include:
length and angle relative to the log centre line

Head of tree may include:
the waste section of the tree containing the smaller branches and heavy foliage

Records and reports may include:
log book recording of tree type, size, length, diameter; inspection, grading and labelling outcomes; storage locations; quality outcomes; hazards, incidents or equipment malfunctions
using a computer-based system or another appropriate organisational communication system to record and report

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently trim and cross cut harvested trees and conduct operator maintenance within organisational requirements

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:

complying with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice, including OHS and environmental, relevant to trimming and cross cutting harvested trees
complying with organisational policies and procedures relevant to trimming and cross cutting harvested trees
complying with applicable licensing or certification requirements
effectively communicating and working safely with others in the work area
optimising volume and quality recovery
efficiently trimming and cross cutting harvested trees in accordance with the work plan and within prescribed organisational tolerances on level and sloping ground
effectively conducting operator maintenance on a chainsaw

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 undertaking work applicable to this unit
specifications and work instructions

Method of assessment
Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI05 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