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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Guidelines and regulatory requirements for large dam maintenance include:
Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) guidelines
Dam maintenance plans and preparations may include:
owner's operation and maintenance manuals
owner's inspection manuals
Safety Evaluation of Existing Dams (SEED) guidelines
Inspection procedures may include:
owner's inspection manuals
owner's operation and maintenance manuals
Safety Evaluation of Existing Dams (SEED) guidelines
Organisational and statutory requirements may include:
occupational health and safety, including the use of personal protective equipment
environmental laws and policies
by-laws and organisational policies
Water Acts
construction and occupational health and safety regulations
public safety and disaster plans
Australian National Committee on Large Dams guidelines
state and local government or state regulatory committees
asset management plan.
Dam assets may include:
earthen walls or embankments
concrete walls and structures
hydraulic structures
electrical equipment
spillways and dissipaters
outlets and intake structures
pipes
conduits
foundations
mechanical equipment, for example:
gates
valves
standby equipment
baulks
bulkheads
cranes
trashracks
reservoir perimeter
weirs
drainage systems (surface and sub-surface)
access roads
hoists, ladders and platforms
tunnels and galleries
monitoring equipment
survey monuments and monitoring points
Data may include:
operation and maintenance manuals
past inspection reports
operation, monitoring and testing records
observation and associated comments and reports
original design plans
design modifications
construction records and reports
survey information
maintenance records
performance data

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 the Training Package.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The candidate should demonstrate the ability to conduct inspections of dams and implement dam maintenance programs including:
monitoring and implementing dam maintenance in conformance with standard operating procedures
interpreting technical documentation
identifying and investigating maintenance problems
collecting and evaluating technical information
preparing required reports
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Access to the workplace and resources including:
documentation that should normally be available in a water industry organisation
relevant codes, standards, and government regulations
Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.
Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:
competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice
a decision of competence should only be made when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's competence over time and in various contexts
all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence
where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be authenticated and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time
assessment can be through simulated project-based activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit
In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in a manner appropriate to the skill levels of the operator, any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and reflecting the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.