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

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 worksite operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions for establishing and maintaining the mining method and strata management systems

implementation of procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient establishment and maintenance of the mining method and strata management systems

the identification of the relevant information and scope of the work required to meet the required outcomes

the identification of viable options and the selection of mining method and strata management techniques that best meet the required outcomes

working with others to undertake and complete the establishment and maintenance of the mining method and strata management systems

consistent successful establishment and maintenance of the mining method and strata management system

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit must be assessed in the context of the work environment. Where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment may occur in a simulated environment provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of workplace performance, including task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.

Assessment of this competency requires typical resources normally used in a resources and infrastructure sector environment. Selection and use of resources for particular worksites may differ due to the site circumstances.

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the participant. For example, language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required on the job.

Customisation of assessment and delivery environment to sensitively accommodate cultural diversity.

Aboriginal people and other people from a non English speaking background may have second language issues.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities. Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

Method of assessment

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency. The assessment strategy for this unit must verify required knowledge and skill and practical application using more than one of the following assessment methods:

written and/or oral assessment of the candidate's required knowledge to apply in undertaking of the establishment and maintenance of the mining method and strata management systems

observed, documented and/or first hand testimonial evidence of the candidate's:

implementation of appropriate requirement, procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient achievement of required outcomes

identification of the relevant information and scope of the work required to meet the required outcomes

identification of viable options and the selection of mining method and strata management techniques that best meet the required outcomes

consistent achievement of required outcomes

first hand testimonial evidence of the candidate's:

working with others to undertake and complete the establishment and maintenance of the mining method and strata management systems

provision of clear and timely required support and advice on the establishment and maintenance of the mining method and strata management systems

Guidance information for assessment

Consult the SkillsDMC User Guide for further information on assessment including access and equity issues.

Required skills

Specific skills are required to achieve the Performance Criteria of this unit, particularly for its application in the various circumstances in which this unit may be used. This includes the ability to carry out the following, as required to establish and maintain the mining method and strata management systems:

apply legislative, organisation and site requirements and procedures for establishing and maintaining the mining method and strata management systems

access, interpret and apply technical information

access, interpret and apply mine survey information

access and analyse historical strata information related to the mine and failure mode of mine structures

interpret and apply mathematical and scientific theorems/laws related to mining structures

perform mathematical calculations

interpret and apply design criteria for mining structures systems and devices

collect, collate and interpret mining structures data

prepare technical procedures relating to mining structures

conduct enquiries/investigations and prepare reports

communicate effectively in the workplace

access data from monitoring systems and equipment

operate hand held monitoring equipment

analyse and report on training needs

apply risk management processes and techniques

Required knowledge

Specific knowledge is required to achieve the Performance Criteria of this unit, particularly for its application in the various circumstances in which this unit may be used. This includes knowledge of the following, as required to establish and maintain the mining method and strata management systems:

legislative and legislative requirements for mining structures, including mine plans, ventilation, gas monitoring, strata support and safety management plans

mine planning and design

the systems of mining, including tunnels, drifts, stone drivage, shift sinking, pillar extraction, partial extraction, punch mining, longwall mining (including installation and recovery), the use of breaker line supports and faults drivage

stress analysis, including mining induced stress, vertical and horizontal stress tectonics

sedimentology, including subsidence, water bearing strata, permeability of seam and strata, hydrology, physical property testing, caving characteristics, windblast, outblast, gas content and over and underlying strata

systems of work, including bord and pillar, place changing, longwall, highwall, auger mining, pillar extraction, partial extraction, the use of breaker line supports and punch mining

mining structure failure modes

exploration techniques

geology, lithology and strata gas characteristics

mining and general engineering principles relevant to the behaviour of excavations in rock

ground support systems

audit methodologies

pillar design criteria

pillar stress/strain/strength/ratios

width/height ratios

roof support design criteria

Mohr's Circle

Young's Modules

Poisson's Ratio

stress distribution diagrams

factors of safety

mine surveying

mining of coal deposits

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.

Relevant compliance documentation may include:

legislative, organisational and site requirements and procedures

manufacturer's guidelines and specifications

Australian standards

Employment and workplace relations legislation

Equal Employment Opportunity and Disability Discrimination legislation

Resources may include but are not limited to:

skilled personnel

roof and rib supports

face equipment

power water/gas drainage systems

budgetary requirements

standard operating procedures

training materials

Historical information may include, but are not limited to:

existence of previous workings within the work seam or other seam

sedimentology aspects of the mine site relating to subsidence

outburst

gas content

roof and floor technical data

over and underlying strata

water bearing strata

permeability of seam and strata

hydrology

physical property testing results

caving characteristics

windblast

mine plans

Risk is defined as: the chance of something happening that will have an impact upon objectives. It is measured in terms of consequences and likelihood (definition from AS/NZS 4360:1999 Risk Management).

Stress includes, but is not limited to, horizontal and vertical tectonic induced stress and mining induced stress.

Mining system types and methods may include, but are not limited to:

bord and pillar

longwall

highwall

place changing

auger mining

pillar extraction

partial extraction

punch mining

systems of entry

Stable structure controls include, but are not limited to:

roadway size

pillar sizes

depth of cover

strength of coal and underlying/overlying strata

stress regimes

strata characteristics

longwall chocks

water ingression

systems of mining

breaker line supports

direction of mining

Audit is defined as: a systematic examination against defined criteria to determine whether activities and related results conform to planned arrangement, and whether these arrangements are implemented effectively and are suitable to achieve the organisation's policy and objectives (AS/NZS 4804: 2001)

Mine design is the process of engineering analysis applied to the mining systems and sequences involved in mining.

Mine design may include in whole or in part requirements relating to:

mine plan

mining induced stress

ventilation

tunnels

sequencing

drifts

stone drivage

shaft sinking

pillar extraction

partial extraction

punch mining

modelling

seam grades

windblast

outburst

geology

gas drainage

fault management

multi-seams

fault drivage

spontaneous combustion

roof and floor technical data

overlying strata

subsidence and legislative

legislative requirements

Hazard is defined as: a source of potential harm or a situation with a potential to cause loss (definition from AS/NZS 4360:1999 Risk Management)

Standard operating procedures (SOP) are also known as safe working procedures, safe operating procedures and standard working procedures.

Geological, hydrological and geotechnical information may be related, but is not limited, to:

subsidence

roof and floor technical data

gas composition and content

over and underlying strata

water bearing strata

permeability of seam and strata

physical properties

caving characteristics

outburst and windblast

faults

intrusions

deformities

Mine gases may be seam gases or gases from other introduced sources and may include:

methane

carbon dioxide

carbon monoxide

oxides of nitrogen

hydrogen

sulphur dioxide

hydrogen sulphide

hydrocarbons

combinations

Mining constraints may include, but are not limited to:

lease boundaries

stress regimes

seam thickness

seam gas characteristics

surface infrastructure and features

geological features

abandoned workings

adjacent mines

Coal seam characteristics may include, but are not limited to:

rank

petrology

moisture

cleat

coal hardness

seam gas

friability

pyrites

or depositional factors such as:

seam thickness

multiple and rider seams

seam dip

depth of cover

Monitoring may include:

survey checks and measurements

instruments for measuring strata movement

observation of safe work procedures

instruments for measuring stress

visual observation

instruments for measuring surface subsidence

instruments for measuring water levels