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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Plan and prepare to operate an excavator with log grapple
   • Review production plan, confirm its targets for felling and processing and assess wood flow requirements to ensure efficient machine operations and overall productivity
   • Confirm type, size and quantity of logs or slash to be grappled, to ensure that loads and machine are in line with safe working requirements and industry standards for operations
   • Confirm, identify and report health, safety, environmental and heritage risks of operation in line with standard operating procedures and site safety and environmental management plans
   • Apply risk control measures in line with standard operating procedures, site operational plan, legislative requirements and industry standards to eliminate or minimise risks
   • Identify emergency plan procedures to follow in the event of an emergency
   • Use production plan to identify layout of landing or roadside area and access to logs for efficient process and minimum interference with other forestry operations
   • Assess terrain characteristics to establish machine stability
   • Carry out pre-operational checks on machine to ensure optimal production performance and operational effectiveness in line with workplace procedures or manufacturers' recommendations
2. Operate excavator with log grapple to load log trucks and/or sort log stacks
   • Use industry-accepted warning signs, vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems and procedures to maintain communication and workplace safety during operation
   • Position excavator with log grapple for stability and safe access to logs by adjusting the technique in response to terrain conditions
   • Use machine cabin controls to grapple bunches of logs / slash and load trucks and/or sort stacks and ensure bunch size is suited to the log grapple capacity and terrain conditions
   • Systematically load trucks and/or construct log/slash stacks using handling techniques to avoid log damage and ensure safety and stability of truck and/or stacks
   • Use appropriate techniques to maintain log product separation in the truck when multiple product grades are loaded or in line with the production plan requirements
   • Drive the machine and manoeuvre log grapple safely and efficiently to avoid logs, machine and environmental damage
   • Ensure all merchantable product and/or slash from the site is loaded or sorted in line with the production plan requirements
3. Segregate and stack stems and/or logs
   • Visually assess and measure products for size, species and quality characteristics at the felling site and during stacking at the roadside or landing bay to ensure they are placed in the appropriate stack and in line with the production plan requirements
   • Mark and report logs that cannot be clearly and safely assessed in line with the production plan requirements
   • Position and construct stacks of stems or logs to avoid product damage, provide stability, restrict height for efficient extraction and facilitate safe access and conduct of other landing and machine operation in line with worksite layout and production plan requirements
   • Maintain stack separation and identification to ensure products are correctly presented on roadside and/or landing bay for an optimum transport and logistics cycle time in line with industry standards and production plan requirements
   • Clean area of all debris resulting from excavator with log grapple operation, in line with resource management policies
4. Carry out machine operator maintenance
   • Park, shut-down, de-energise and isolate excavator with log grapple in line with workplace procedures or manufacturers' recommendations
   • Clean, check and carry out routine maintenance tasks on excavator with log grapple to maintain optimum operational performance
   • Identify and report machine faults, malfunctions or problems in line with workplace procedures or manufacturers' recommendations
   • Clean work area and dispose of or recycle waste materials in line with site environmental management plan
   • Record excavator with log grapple operations and maintenance activities