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.
Forwarders
may be wheeled or half track and attachments may include blades
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
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 procedures
ethical standards
recording and reporting requirements
equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements
environmental management requirements (waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)
Environmental protection measures
may include action to limit the impact to:
ground growth and canopy
soil and water
may include action to limit the impact of:
general forest lean
wind speed and direction
fallen trees
density of trees
ground slope
ground hazards
obstacles
Work order is to include:
instructions for the operation of a forwarder and its respective tasks including logs to be handled
and may include:
information about log placement and access requirements, loading regulations and site operating plans
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
Safe working conditions
is to ensure:
minimal equipment and log movement during forwarder operations
control of risks and hazards
Environmental and heritage concerns may include:
dust
noise
water
flora and fauna
heritage legislation
culturally sensitive sites and artefacts
plantations
native forest
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
Pre start-up checks
are specified by the manufacturer prior to operating the equipment and may include:
visual and audio warning devices and lights
engine and stop engine lights
fluid levels
cab display instrumentation and gauges and on-board computer systems
and relate to start-up, park and shutdown procedures which may involve:
safety mechanisms
operational (horn, operating lights)
correct location of equipment
vehicle security
Functions must include:
segregating, stacking, loading, transporting and unloading of logs
and may include:
loading and unloading of other materials
Hazards may include:
uneven/unstable terrain
trees
fires
overhead and underground services
bridges
buildings
excavations
traffic
embankment
cuttings
structures and hazardous materials
Capacities of equipment may include:
efficient and safe operating speed
duration of operation
type of activities performed
weight and/or load limitations
operating limitations
Site conditions may include:
wet, dry
day, night
stability of ground
broken ground
slope of working surface
location of water table
Emergency plan may include:
notification of authorities
evacuation procedures
isolation procedures
equipment shutdown procedures
clean up
first aid
use of personal protective equipment and clothing
guarding
access and exit
Logs may include:
full range of species, size
conditions to be encountered in local harvesting operations
softwood or hardwood
Maintenance of log stacks includes providing for:
anticipated stock levels
stock rotation requirements
size
segregation of lengths, species and grades
Visual assessment of logs includes identifying and determining:
species
diameter
length
grade
landing layout
stock rotation requirements
Estimation
of log weight is used to determine lifting requirements and compliance to load plate
Lifting
may be conducted on a trial basis when an issue with load size or stability or other unacceptable operational situation is determined
Placement
of slipper or chocks is made as required to support or compress logs
Visual inspection and fault finding may include:
vehicle number
danger tags
personnel proximity
tyres and rim condition
wheel nuts and studs
light positioning and cleanliness
radiator top up tank
oil leaks, fuel leaks, water leaks
no combustible material around exhaust
damage to equipment
portable fire extinguisher
fire suppression system
cab mounts
windows
engine oil to be checked before starting engine
grease lines
cab condition
Routine operational servicing may include:
checking fluid levels
greasing
tightening loose fittings
filter changing
Cleaning methods may include:
water
steam
degreasing
vacuum
forced air
Records and reports may include:
end of shift documentation
work log
supplies
log
computer readings
and may be:
manual
using a computer-based system or other appropriate organisational communication system

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 conduct forwarder operations 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 conducting forwarder operations
following organisational policies and procedures relevant to conducting forwarder operations
communicating effectively and working safely with others in the work area
planning, preparing and conducting forwarder operations including segregating and stacking logs, and loading, transporting and unloading logs in line with site requirements
carrying out authorised operator maintenance
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