Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the outcomes required to prepare and assemble construction-ready timber wall frame sections, and to stack, strap and despatch them in readiness for transport to a construction site

General workplace legislative and regulatory requirements apply to this unit; however there are no specific licensing or certification requirements at the time of publication

This unit replaces FPICOT3241A Assemble timber wall frames

Application of the unit 

The unit involves assembling timber wall frames in a timber and wood products production setting

The skills and knowledge required for competent workplace performance are to be used within the scope of the person's job and authority

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. Prepare for assembly

1.1. Applicable occupational health and safety  (OHS), environmental , legislative  and organisational requirements  relevant to assembling timber wall frames  are identified and followed

1.2. Work order  and construction plans are reviewed and clarified with appropriate personnel 

1.3. Type and quantity of material  and assembly hardware  to be assembled are collected

1.4. Equipment  is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer recommendations

1.5. Setup jigs  required for construction are specified and prepared

1.6. Communication  with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements

2. Set up components

2.1. Timber components  are selected from pre-cut material in line with the cutting list

2.2. Components are positioned and clamped in jigs ready for joining with allowable faults, joins and grain in line with construction standards and grading rules

2.3. Defective components  are rejected and disposed of  in line with site procedures and environmental requirements

2.4. Components are nailed to maintain temporary alignment during assembly

3. Install assembly hardware

3.1. Assembly hardware is located and selected in line with the construction plans and standards

3.2. Hardware is positioned on joints and installed

3.3. Temporary bracing  is nailed or stapled to the product in line with construction standards

3.4. Assembly faults  are corrected in line with site procedures

4. Prepare products for despatch and report

4.1. Finished product is assessed for quality against construction standards and labelled in line with work order

4.2. Components are removed from jigs and safely stacked  in a designated location in line with work order

4.3. Finished products are strapped  and pre -slung  ready for transportation in line with industry or organisational standards and methods

4.4. Bracing and strapping waste material is minimised and dealt with  in line with site procedures, manufacturer recommendations and environmental requirements

4.5. Equipment faults  are recognised and reported in line with site procedures

4.6. Records and reports  are accurately completed, processed and maintained in line with workplace procedures

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Required skills 

• Technical skills sufficient to use and maintain relevant tools, machinery and equipment; assemble timber wall frames
• Communication skills sufficient to use appropriate communication and interpersonal techniques with colleagues and others
• Literacy skills sufficient to record and report workplace information; maintain documentation
• Numeracy skills sufficient to measure, estimate and calculate time required to complete a task
• Problem solving skills sufficient to identify problems and equipment faults; demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Required knowledge 

• Applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and established safe practices relevant to the full range of processes for assembling timber wall frames
• Environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material (including preservative treated timber)
• Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for assembling timber wall frames
• Environmental risks and hazards
• Using energy effectively and efficiently
• Using material effectively and efficiently
• Characteristics of timber and timber defects
• Key features of wall frames and their use
• Assembly sequences and jigs
• Assembly componentry and construction standards
• Quality requirements of national building codes and standards
• Industry standard cross sections and lengths
• Established communication channels and protocols
• Problem identification and resolution strategies, and common fault finding techniques
• Types of tools and equipment, and procedures for their safe use and maintenance
• Appropriate mathematical procedures for estimating and measuring, including calculating time to complete tasks
• Procedures for recording and reporting workplace information

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 assemble timber wall frames according to 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 assembling timber wall frames
• following organisational policies and procedures relevant to assembling timber wall frames
• assembling timber wall frames in line with the work order, construction plans, construction standards and engineering specifications
• stacking and strapping bundles of completed products in line with organisational requirements and OHS regulations

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

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)

Timber wall frames  may include:

• wall components such as:

• studs
• top and bottom plates
• lintels
• trimmers
• nogging
• bracing

Work order  is to include:

• instructions for the assembly and despatch of timber and timber products from the work site

and may include:

• construction plans or drawings
• type of product
• size
• 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

Material  may include:

• native timber species
• imported timber species
• dressed timber
• in-the-rough timber
• stress and non-stress graded timber
• preservative treated timber
• coated and/or treated timber products
• beams, including laminated beams

Assembly hardware  may include:

• nailing plates
• gang nails
• nail gun nails
• staples

Equipment  may include:

• measuring equipment
• circular saws
• docking saws
• drills
• assembly jigs
• nail plate presses
• staple guns
• nail guns
• compressor or compressed air supply
• marking equipment
• strapping equipment

Setup jigs 

are enterprise manufactured templates that assist in the positioning of components during the assembly process

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

Timber components 

are the sections of timber or timber product which have been pre-cut in readiness for assembly and have been cut to follow the construction plans and cutting list

Defective components  may include:

components with an unacceptable level of:

• warp
• wane
• cupping
• shakes
• insect defects
• knots
• resin pockets

Disposing of  may include:

• recycling defective components
• re-using defective components
• redirecting defective components for energy recovery

Temporary bracing 

may be fixed to secure the assembled wall frames in alignment and square during transportation, moving and positioning on site

Assembly faults  may include:

• incorrectly positioned joints
• timber splits from nailing
• incorrectly positioned hardware

Stacking  may include:

• preparing for transport
• categorising in common size and shape
• marking lots in line with work order and site requirements
• locating so as not to block access or passage

Strapping  may include:

• securing bundles with metal or plastic strap
• tightening and tensioning using hand-held equipment, to prevent slippage, strap breakage and damage to products

Pre-slung  is to include:

• use of wire slings to assist in transporting product
• use of other slinging devices to assist in transporting product

Dealing with  may include:

• recycling bracing and strapping waste material
• re-using bracing and strapping waste material
• redirecting bracing and strapping waste for energy recovery
• sending bracing and strapping waste to landfill

Equipment faults  may include:

• damaged equipment components
• electrical faults

Records and reports  may include:

• product type and size
• 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

Competency field 

Common Technical