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.
Organisational procedures and proformas will include:
Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) guidelines
dam monitoring templates and proformas
relevant regulator's technical bulletins
occupational health and safety information
operation and maintenance information and manuals
instrumentation records, plans and manuals
dam safety performance indicators
roles, responsibilities and delegations for instrumentation monitoring and action
security and storage of data
dam safety inspection manuals
past inspection reports design and construction reports, surveillance reports and risk assessments
prescribed surveillance schedules
incident management plans
data storage and security
state and local government requirements
Standard Operating Procedures
asset management plan
Dam behaviour will include:
horizontal and vertical movement of concrete dams
leakage and seepage through drainage systems under a range of weather and storage content situations
structural movements expected during and post earthquakes
and may include:
vibration and water flow patterns
Conditions may include:
climatic
geological
location
dimensions
catchment
Assess will include:
analyse observations
make judgements of urgency and seriousness of problem
priorities for action
Unusual events will include:
seismic events
floods
extreme inflows
rapid draw down
landslides and slips
dam incidents
sabotage/terrorist attack
fires
long term low storage levels
Organisational and regulatory information will include:
Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) guidelines
past inspection reports, surveillance reports and risk assessments
survey information
relevant regulator's technical bulletins
occupational health and safety information
operation and maintenance manuals
dam performance history
dam safety performance indicators
dam safety inspection manuals
and may include:
design and modification plans and reports
construction records and reports
Identified areas and features will include:
dam structure
concrete walls and structures
hydraulic structures
spillways/diversions systems
outlet works / intake structures
pipes/conduits
abutments and foundations
access to areas
reservoir perimeter and downstream areas
weirs and monitoring installations
tunnels, galleries and drainage systems.
and may include:
mechanical and electrical components including valves, winches, hydraulic and electrical systems
civil infrastructure including ladders, pipe work, and security
post tensioning anchors
Inspection techniques and details will include:
visual observation and note taking
use of manual, electronic and/or computer equipment and digital camera
dam condition assessments
site security
site access
concrete dam safety emergency indicator reporting
landslides and environmental conditions
details of concrete dam sites to be inspected
Faults and changes will include:
cracks (existing and new)
drain blockage
seepage/leakage
cavitation
foundation piping
misalignment/movement/instability
settlement
concrete deterioration
alkali aggregate reaction
concrete defects:
efflorescence
honeycombing
segregation
erosion
chemical attack
joint damage/deterioration
maintenance concerns including:
vegetation in joints or cracks
missing or damaged sealants and water bars
leaking or inoperative valves and gates
damaged monitoring instrumentation
Evidence may include:
flood, rainfall and relevant weather information
incident details including seismic
inspection findings
location and extent of faults and changes
photographs
monitoring data

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.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The candidate should demonstrate the ability to conduct and report on concrete dam safety inspection including:
interpreting and applying relevant organisational and regulatory information and requirements to the planning of safety monitoring activities
identifying inspection features and scheduling activities according to the required frequency
conducting concrete dam inspection activities
gathering and recording data
identifying faults, changes and failure indicators
reporting on inspection and monitoring outcomes, with recommendations for action
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Access to the workplace and resources including:
documents that should normally be available in dam workplaces
codes, standards, and government regulations applying to dam monitoring
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
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 and or examination 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.