RIIUMM303A
Conduct hand held mining

This unit covers the conduct of hand held mining in the metalliferous mining industry. It includes planning and preparing for hand held mining, setting up hand held machines, carrying out hand held mining operations, and carrying out end-of-shift procedures. Licensing, legislative, regulatory and certification requirements that apply to this unit can vary between states, territories, and industry sectors. Relevant information must be sourced prior to application of the unit.

Application

This unit is appropriate for those working in an operational role at worksites within:

Metalliferous mining


Prerequisites

Not applicable.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Plan and prepare for hand held mining

1.1. Access, interpret and apply compliance documentation relevant to the work activity

1.2. Plan and prepare work

1.3. Receive, interpret and clarify shift change over details

1.4. Identify, manage and/or report risks and hazards

1.5. Select and use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment

1.6. Wash down and visually inspect work area to ensure safe access

1.7. Ensure work area is properly ventilated before entry and ensure area is free of dust and blasting fumes

1.8. Inspect and assess site conditions to determine if scaling is required and take action

1.9. Identify, inspect and clearly mark all exposed butts and misfires

1.10. Ensure that butts or remnants are made safe or report the occurrence

1.11. Inspect hand held drilling machinery and equipment for operational serviceability

1.12. Identify if breakthrough with drill-steel may occur and take appropriate action

1.13. Ensure that appropriate dust suppression and/or extraction equipment is prepared and ready for use

1.14. Adhere to emergency reporting and evacuation procedures

2. Set up hand held machine

2.1. Assemble hand held machine and connect services to machine

2.2. Perform hand held machine operational checks according to recommended operating procedures

2.3. Select location and positions hand held machine for drilling operations according to the drilling plan

3. Carry out hand held mining operations

3.1. Conduct work safely and efficiently

3.2. Select appropriate drill steel and determine hole collar location

3.3. Drill holes in accordance with drilling plan

3.4. Continue to monitor condition of back, walls and floor

3.5. Monitor hand held machine and air-leg for efficient operation

4. Carry out end-of-shift procedures

4.1. Shutdown machine and disconnect services

4.2. Inspect machine for defects and damage, and report to appropriate persons

4.3. Remove equipment, hoses or debris from the work area

4.4. Store machine and associated equipment and plant in a designated or safe location

4.5. Submit end-of-shift report

Required Skills

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 conduct hand held mining:

apply legislative, organisation and site requirements and procedures for the conduct of hand held mining

identify hazards

communicate

monitor operations

organise work tasks

assemble machinery

interpret work plan

report defects

perform troubleshooting

use hand tools

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 conduct hand held mining:

controlling atmospheric contaminants

house keeping

rock drilling procedures and equipment

equipment safety requirements

ground control characteristics and applications

hand held equipment and equipment faults

drill steel types and selection

inspection procedures

isolation procedures

operational procedures and checks

explosives and their associated hazards

emergency reporting and evacuation procedures

Evidence Required

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 the conduct of hand held mining

implementation of requirements, procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient completion of hand held mining

working with others to undertake and complete the conduct of hand held mining that meets all of the required outcomes

consistent timely completion of hand held mining that safely, effectively and efficiently meets the required outcomes

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

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

consistent achievement of required outcomes

first hand testimonial evidence of the candidate's:

working with others to undertake and complete the conduct of hand held mining

Guidance information for assessment

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


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.

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

Legislation may include Acts and regulation dealing with:

mining safety and health

mine inspection

OHS

explosives

Machinery and equipment may include:

airleg assembly and accessories

hand held

rising feed

drill steels

bits

raise ladder

water hoses

air hoses

lubrication devices

Hand held machine operational checks may include:

checking and testing machine controls

rockdrill chuck wear

lubricator and lubrication

secure nuts and bolts

water tubes

bridle pins

security of air and water connections

inspection of hoses and connections

oil flow from exhaust outlet

Personal Protective Equipment may include:

lamp

safety helmet

eye protection

hearing protection

protection from atmospheric contaminants (dust/oil mist)

hand protection

overalls with reflective strip

safety footwear

Rockdrill machine faults may include:

drop in penetration rate

loss of water or water pressure

loss of rotation

loss of air or air pressure

loss of lubrication

loss of gauge on bit

clogged air or water tubes

broken water tube

water in airline

airleg problems (e.g. broken crows foot)

Unusable drill steels may include:

bent

broken

blocked

blunt

without necessary gauge/diameter

Work area inspections may include:

travel ways

footings/access/retreat

fumes or dust

ventilation air flow

ground conditions

breakthrough locations (if accessible)

misfires

services including firing cables

workplace explosive storage

Potential hazards and risks may include:

insufficient illumination

falling rocks

fire/flames/ignition sources

premature explosion

atmospheric contaminants

faulty equipment

debris

insufficient ventilation

unauthorised persons

high air or water pressures

breaking hoses

stuck or broken drill steels

drilling in butts

drilling into misfires

Site procedures may include:

pre-start check

lock out and tagging procedures

clean up

blasting procedures and re-entry times

permit-to-work systems

safety equipment

use of personal protective equipment

communication and reporting procedures

emergency procedures

Dust suppression and/or extraction equipment may include:

secondary fans (electric or compressed air) and ventilation bags

mobile or fixed sprays

ventilation doors or other vent devices

air movers and ventilation bags

use of water trucks

watering down site

wash down backs and blasted material

Conditions may include:

ground conditions(blocky, faulted, secure)

floor stability (e.g. broken, blocky, flaky, stable, compacted)

slope of working surface

environmental conditions (e.g. hot, noisy, dry, wet)

visibility and illumination conditions


Sectors

Metalliferous Mining (Underground)


Competency Field

Refer to Unit Sector(s).


Co-Requisites

Not applicable.


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.


Licensing Information

Refer to Unit Descriptor.