Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor

1)

1.1) Descriptor

This unit covers the basic mandatory requirements of the regulations, codes and practices and how they apply to various gas industry work functions.

It encompasses an overview of the industry, types of gases, relevant mandatory safety regulations and organisational policies, procedures and work practices required for working in the Australian gas industry.

Application of the Unit 

2) 

This competency standard shall apply to any safe work site where Gas Industry operations occur including the transmission, distribution and LPG sectors. It is subject to all Environmental Legislative requirements, Workplace Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Duty of Care requirements being met for the environment and the workplace.

This unit is intended as an entry level competency at AQF 2 for new entrants in the gas industry. It is suitable for pre-employment and employment-based programs under an approved contract of training

License to practice

3) License to practice

During Training:

Competency development activities are subject to regulations directly related to licencing, workplace health and safety and where applicable contracts of training such as apprenticeships.

In the workplace:

The skills and knowledge described in this unit are not subject to licence regulation other than those directly related to Environmental Legislation, Chemical Management, Workplace Health and Safety/Occupational Health and Safety, gas/electricity/water industry safety and compliance, industrial relations, environmental protection, telecommunications, anti-discrimination and training.

Commonwealth, State/Territory or Local Government legislation and regulations may exist that limit the age at which a person can operate certain equipment. Other conditions may apply to this competency under State and Territory legislative and regulatory requirements

Prerequisite Unit(s)

4)

4.1) Competencies

Granting competency in this unit shall be made only after competency in the following unit(s) has/have been confirmed.

There are no pre-requisite competencies for this unit.

4.2) Literacy and numeracy skills

Participants are best equipped to achieve competency in this unit if they have reading, writing and numeracy skills indicated by the following scales. Description of each scale is given in Volume 2, Part 3 ‘Literacy and Numeracy’

Reading

3

Writing

3

Numeracy

3

Employability Skills

5)

This unit contains Employability Skills

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of Employability Skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged will assist in identifying Employability Skill requirements.

6)  Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Prepare to determine the requirements for working in the Australian gas industry 

1.1

Instructions for determining the relevant regulations, codes and practices are communicated and confirmed to ensure clear understanding.

1.2

WHS/OHS policies and procedures are communicated and confirmed to ensure they are understood as they apply to the carrying out of the work.

1.3

Appropriate personnel are consulted to ensure the work is coordinated effectively with others involved.

1.4

Resources and materials needed to do the work are confirmed and obtained in accordance with established procedures.

1.5

Schedule for the work is confirmed in accordance with instructions and requirements.

2. Determine the requirements for working in the Australian gas industry 

2.1

WHS/OHS policies and procedures and safe work practices are followed to eliminate or minimise incidents.

2.2

Schedule for the work is followed to ensure work is completed in an agreed time, to a quality standard and with a minimum of waste.

2.3

Further instructions are sought from appropriate personnel in the event of unplanned happenings or conditions.

2.4

Ongoing checks of work quality are undertaken in accordance with instructions and requirements.

3. Complete work and relevant documentation 

3.1

Final checks are made to ensure the work conforms with instructions and to requirements.

3.2

Appropriate personnel are notified of completion of the work.

3.3

Work area is cleaned up and made safe and sustainable energy practices are followed.

3.4

Appropriate documentation of the relevant regulations, codes and practices is completed in accordance with instructions and established procedures.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Evidence shall show that knowledge has been acquired of the mandatory safety, regulatory and industry requirements for working in the Australian gas industry. The knowledge and skills shall be contextualised to current industry standards, technologies and practices.

The extent of the required skills and knowledge is given below. It forms an integral part of this unit.

KS01-G002A Australian gas industry policies and procedures 

Evidence shall show an understanding of the mandatory safety, regulatory and industry requirements for working in the Australian gas industry to an extent indicated by the following aspects:

T1. Overview of the gas industry in Australia, encompassing:

• Production
• Transmission
• Distribution
• LPG/Gaseous Fuels
• Industrial, commercial and domestic applications

T2. Australian gas resources, encompassing:

• Major Gas Fields

T3. Gases produced in Australia(details required)Types of gases, encompassing:

• properties
• characteristics
• applications
• combustion
• ventilation

T4. Overview of statutory authorities and regulatory bodies that operate in the Gas Industry, encompassing:

• Federal and State/Territory, Local Government
• Roles and functions
• Employer and employee responsibilities
• Overview of relevant licencing/regulatory requirements

T5. Overview of Australian Standards, guidelines, codes of practice and regulations

• Hierarchy of legislation/codes
• Federal and State/Territory Acts and Regulations
• Australian Standards, guidelines, codes of practice
• Employer and employee responsibilities, rights and obligations.
• Overview of relevant Australian Standards, Guidelines, codes of practice and regulations

T6. Industry stakeholders, encompassing:

• Industry associations;
• Employee organisations
• Other relevant organisations

EVIDENCE GUIDE

8) The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

The Evidence Guide forms an integral part of this unit. It must be used in conjunction with all parts of the unit and performed in accordance with the Assessment Guidelines of this Training Package.

Overview of Assessment

8.1)

Longitudinal competency development approaches to assessment, such as Profiling, require data to be reliably gathered in a form that can be consistently interpreted over time. This approach is best utilised in Apprenticeship programs and reduces assessment intervention. It is the industry-preferred model for apprenticeships. However, where summative (or final) assessment is used it is to include the application of the competency in the normal work environment or, at a minimum, the application of the competency in a realistically simulated work environment. It is recognised that, in some circumstances, assessment in part or full can occur outside the workplace. However, it must be in accordance with industry and regulatory policy.

Methods chosen for a particular assessment will be influenced by various factors. These include the extent of the assessment, the most effective locations for the assessment activities to take place, access to physical resources, additional safety measures that may be required and the critical nature of the competencies being assessed.

The critical safety nature of working with electricity, electrical equipment, gas or any other hazardous substance/material carries risk in deeming a person competent. Sources of evidence need to be ‘rich’ in nature to minimise error in judgment.

Activities associated with normal everyday work have a bearing on the decision as to how much and how detailed the data gathered will contribute to its ‘richness’. Some skills are more critical to safety and operational requirements while the same skills may be more or less frequently practised. These points are raised for the assessors to consider when choosing an assessment method and developing assessment instruments. Sample assessment instruments are included for Assessors in the Assessment Guidelines of this Training Package.

Critical aspects of evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

8.2)

Before the critical aspects of evidence are considered all prerequisites must be met.

Evidence for competence in this unit shall be considered holistically. Each element and associated performance criteria shall be demonstrated on at least two occasions in accordance with the ‘Assessment Guidelines – UEG11’. Evidence shall also comprise:

• A representative body of work performance demonstrated within the timeframes typically expected of the discipline, work function and industrial environment. In particular this shall incorporate evidence that shows a candidate is able to:

• Implement Occupational Health and Safety workplace procedures and practices, including the use of risk control measures as specified in the performance criteria and range statement encompassing:

• Apply sustainable energy principles and practices as specified in the performance criteria and range statement
• Demonstrate an understanding of the required skills and knowledge as described in this unit. It may be required by some jurisdictions that RTOs provide a percentile graded result for the purpose of regulatory or licensing requirements.
• Demonstrate an appropriate level of skills enabling employment
• Conduct work observing the relevant Anti-Discrimination legislation, regulations, polices and workplace procedures

• Demonstrated consistent performance across a representative range of contexts from the prescribed items below:

• Prepare to work in the Australian gas industry as described in 8) Range Statement and including:

A

Requirements to enter the workplace including, the use of work permits and clearances and isolation permissions.

B

Risk control and safe work methods.

C

Need and requirements of work procedures and instructions.

D

Requirements for dealing with accidents and emergencies within the scope of responsibility.

E

Procedures/protocols for dealing with unplanned events

Context of and specific resources for assessment

8.3)

This unit should be assessed as it relates to normal work practice using procedures, information and resources typical of a workplace. This should include:

• WHS/OHS
• policy and work procedures and instructions.
• Suitable work environment, facilities, equipment and materials to undertake actual work as prescribed in this unit.

These should be used in the formal learning/assessment environment.

Note:

Where simulation is considered a suitable strategy for assessment, conditions for assessment must be authentic and as far as possible reproduce and replicate the workplace and be consistent with the approved industry simulation policy.

The resources used for assessment should reflect current industry practices in relation to applying WHS/OHS practices in the workplace.

Method of assessment

8.4)

This unit shall be assessed by methods given in Volume 1, Part 3 ‘Assessment Guidelines’.

Note:
Competent performance with inherent safe working practices is expected in the Industry to which this unit applies. This requires that the specified essential knowledge and associated skills are assessed in a structured environment which is primarily intended for learning/assessment and incorporates all necessary equipment and facilities for learners to develop and demonstrate the essential knowledge and skills described in this unit.

Concurrent assessment and relationship with other units

8.5)

For optimisation of training and assessment effort, competency development in this unit may be arranged concurrently with unit:

UEGNSG141A

Apply Workplace Health and Safety regulations, codes and practices in the gas industry

RANGE STATEMENT

9)  This relates to the unit as a whole providing the range of contexts and conditions to which the performance criteria apply. It allows for different work environments and situations that will affect performance.

This unit shall be demonstrated in relation to mandatory safety, regulatory and practice requirements for working in the Australian gas industry. This includes an overview of the gas industry and resources in Australia, types of gases, relevant statutory authorities and regulatory bodies, Australian Standards, guidelines, codes of practice and regulations, and industry stakeholders.

Generic terms used throughout this Vocational Standard shall be regarded as part of the Range Statement in which competency is demonstrated. The definition of these and other terms that apply are given in Volume 2, Part 2.1.

Competency Field

11)

Gas industry