Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to supervise the planning process and organisation of on-site building or construction work projects up to and including medium rise commercial and wide span buildings (medium rise licensing classification with reference to Class 1 and 10 construction, Class 2 and 3 to a maximum of 3 storeys, Class 4 to 9 to a maximum of 3 storeys, not including Type A construction).

Successful supervision of planning and organisation requires effective interpretation of contractual and planning requirements and development of strategies for using human and physical resources effectively in order to comply with contractual obligations.

In order to achieve the outcomes for this unit, knowledge of relevant building and construction planning practices, state or territory building and construction codes, standards and regulations and human resource principles and practices is required.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports builders, related construction industry professionals and senior managers within building and construction firms responsible for supervising the planning of on-site building or construction work for medium rise building and construction projects.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Appraise the contractual documentation and delegate the planning of operational requirements as necessary.

1.1. Copies of building approvals and conditions relating to the medium rise building or construction project are obtained.

1.2. Contracts  are reviewed to determine any unusual aspects of construction, use of materials or penalty provisions.

1.3. Possible design problems are identified and brought to the attention of project consultants.

1.4. Availability of subcontractors and their suitability to meet job requirements specific to medium rise projects is reviewed.

1.5. Availability of materials and conditions of purchase and authorised purchases are reviewed.

1.6. Access to the site is established within requirements and on-site accommodation is located in an appropriate location.

1.7. Contact is established and maintained with relevant statutory authorities controlling construction work.

2. Initiate strategies and delegate the implementation of medium rise construction operations, as necessary.

2.1. Resources  supply system for controlling and recording materials entering and leaving the site is implemented and maintained.

2.2. Procedures for recording and paying for the hire of plant equipment and authorising payment are managed.

2.3. OHS and rehabilitation procedures, including hazard and risk management, are established.

2.4. Procedures for the removal of existing services and hazardous materials are planned and implemented in accordance with regulatory requirements.

2.5. Procedures required for the control of multiple projects are established.

3. Supervise the preparation of project schedules.

3.1. Construction operations are planned and executed in sequence.

3.2. Entering of operations data into an appropriate scheduling system for analysis is managed.

3.3. Project's critical path is established and revision of the project schedule  is managed with new projects incorporated and documented as required.

3.4. Strategies for avoiding and overcoming project delays are developed.

3.5. Management is advised of cost-benefits and implications of providing overtime payments.

4. Ensure the provision of all resources required for project.

4.1. Adjustments to the project timeframe to take account of anticipated delays are facilitated.

4.2. Temporary services  and site accommodation needs are identified and arranged as required.

4.3. Plant requirements, site location and installation dates are confirmed.

4.4. On-site personnel and labour requirements are determined and documented.

5. Review existing on-site buildings or structures.

5.1. Condition of existing buildings or structures to be retained, and structures on adjacent site boundaries, are reviewed and recorded.

5.2. Copies of reports are submitted to adjacent building owners prior to commencing construction work.

6. Supervise staff and maintain an effective work environment.

6.1. Overview of the project site or sites is maintained and staff resources are allocated according to organisational, regulatory and project needs.

6.2. Activities of contract planning personnel are monitored and an effective work environment is maintained.

6.3. Effective human resource practices and policies which maximise performance and productivity are employed.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

Required skills for this unit are:

• evaluation skills to review and evaluate documentation and processes and recommend changes or improvements
• communication skills to:

• enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand
• discuss problems with consultants
• manage staff
• read and interpret:

• contracts, project schedule and reports
• documentation from a variety of sources

• use and interpret non-verbal communication
• use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences
• written skills to:

• document project schedule and resource requirements
• maintain records
• record relevant information

• management skills, including the ability to delegate tasks and supervise staff to achieve planning outcomes
• planning skills to enable the effective planning of projects, processes and strategies which maximise the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of building or construction contracts and which effectively organise and use available resources on construction sites.

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge for this unit is:

• building and construction industry contracts
• building and construction industry subcontracting system
• building or construction practices in on and off-site management
• construction planning process
• contract documentation, quantities establishment, rates and costs related to payments and claims
• human resource principles and practices
• relevant licensing arrangements
• relevant state or territory building and construction codes, standards and government regulations for medium rise building projects
• workplace safety requirements.

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 

This unit of competency could be assessed by the demonstration of effective supervision of planning on-site building or construction work.

This unit of competency can be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate construction workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

• translate contract requirements into construction plans and processes
• delegate planning tasks
• apply construction planning processes that effect desired outcomes
• development strategies that effectively maximise resource use
• establish and maintain a workplace environment representative of good management practice.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

• available in either a building or construction office
• relevant codes, standards and regulations
• office equipment, including calculators, photocopiers and telephone systems
• computers with appropriate software to view 2-D CAD drawings, run costing programs and print copies
• a technical reference library with current publications on measurement, design, building construction and manufacturers' product literature
• a suitable work area appropriate to the process.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must:

• satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package
• include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application
• reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles
• confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

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, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

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.

Contracts  include:

• Australian standard contracts, including the AS2124 and AS4000 series
• Construction Industry Contract (CIC) suite
• individual organisational contracts
• Joint Contracts Committee (JCC) suite
• MBA and HIA contracts
• Simple Building Works (SBW), including series 1 and series 2 (SBW2 Lump Sum).

Resources  include:

• human resources, both organisational and subcontracted
• on-site facilities
• plant and equipment
• power, water, telephone and other resources
• pre-cut or pre-cast components
• raw materials
• temporary accommodation.

Project schedule  includes:

• critical events and milestones
• labour supply and availability information
• materials supply and availability information
• plant and equipment availability information
• services provision
• subcontractor requirements and availability.

Temporary services  include:

• offices and crib rooms
• on-site communications
• portable generators and lighting
• power poles
• toilets.

Unit sector 

Construction

Co-requisite units 

Nil

Functional area