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, 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 line with applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:
personal protective equipment and clothing
safety equipment
first aid equipment
fire fighting equipment
hazard and risk control
fatigue management
elimination of hazardous materials and substances
safe forest practices, including required actions relating to forest fire
manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying
Environmental requirements may include:
legislation
organisational policies and procedures
workplace practices
Legislative requirements:
are to be in line with applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and 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
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 procedures
ethical standards
recording and reporting requirements
equipment use, maintenance and storage requirements
environmental management requirements (waste minimisation and disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)
Work plan is to include:
instructions for the trimming and despatch of felled branches from the work site
and may include:
type
size
length
quantity
grade
instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures
environmental care requirements relevant to the work
Appropriate personnel may include:
supervisors
suppliers
clients
colleagues
managers
Trees may include:
native species
imported species
plantation trees
non-plantation trees
Trimming is to include:
cutting off branches, burls and other small growths at a height requiring the use of a pole saw
Equipment is to include:
procedures for pole saw lock-out, such as protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine
and may include:
pole saws
specific safety attire
maintenance tools and equipment
Pre-startup checks
are conducted to ensure:
equipment has been set up correctly
systems are performing accurately
equipment is operating to optimum performance
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
Environmental conditions may include:
ground growth
ground slope
ground hazards
obstacles
Conditions may include:
location of the tree in determining safety for trimming conditions
stability of the tree in determining safety for trimming conditions
Pole saw is to include:
mechanised saw at the end of a long extension pole from the bottom of the pole
and may also include:
manual saws
non-mechanised saws
Splitting is
the branch tearing away part of the tree bark beneath the branch, once the branch releases from the result of cutting
Clearing may include:
recycling cut branches
redirecting cut branches for energy recovery
Records and reports may include:
tree type
size
length
diameter
inspection information
grading and labelling outcomes
storage locations
quality outcomes
hazards
incidents
equipment malfunctions
and may be:
manual
a computer-based system
other appropriate organisational communication system
Chain
is the fast moving component surrounding the pole saw blade, containing many linked teeth
Dealing with may include:
recycling chain and other components that need replacing
re-using chain and other components that need replacing
sending chain and other components that need replacing to landfill

EVIDENCE GUIDE
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 operate a pole saw in line with 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:
following applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to operating a pole saw
following organisational policies and procedures relevant to operating a pole saw
trimming trees with a pole saw in line with the work plan and within prescribed organisational tolerances
conducting operator maintenance on a pole saw
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 required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
Assessment is to follow 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 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 required knowledge
Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills
Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required 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