This unit describes a participant’s skills and knowledge required to establish and maintain the ventilation management system in Coal and Metalliferous mining.

This unit is appropriate for those working in management roles.

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.

Evidence is required to be collected that demonstrates a candidate’s competency in this unit. Evidence must be relevant to the roles within this sector’s work operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria of this unit and include evidence that the candidate:

locates and applies relevant legislation, documentation, policies and procedures

implements the requirements, procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient establishment and maintenance of the ventilation management system including:

accessing and analysing archival and historical ventilation information

interpreting and applying mathematical and scientific theorems/laws related to ventilation

accessing, evaluating and applying design criteria for ventilation systems and devices

interpreting computer spreadsheets and ventilation modelling/simulations

accessing, evaluating and applying data from monitoring systems and equipment

establishing ventilation training requirement, programs, systems and procedures

demonstrates completion of the establishment and maintenance of the ventilation management system that safely, effectively and efficiently meets all of the required outcomes on more than one (1) occasion including:

identifying, collecting, collating and evaluating data, events and activities that impact on ventilation systems

identifying and evaluation limitation of ventilations control devices and systems

designing and developing the ventilation management system

establishing technical procedures relating to ventilation

incorporating mine ventilation plan into work activity

conducting enquiries/investigations throughout the audit of ventilation management plan

providing solutions to noncompliance or other discrepancy

preparing reports on ventilations management plan audits

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge in establishing and maintaining the ventilation management system through:

methods of mine ventilation and their applications/limitations including:

exhaust/force

antitropal

homotropal

flank returns

ascensional/descensional

bleeder

ZUY systems

other combinations

identifying methods of panel ventilation and their applications/limitations including:

homotropal and antritropal auxiliary fans

coursed ventilation (narrow side/wide side)

machine mounted scrubber systems

compressed air venturis

bleeders

impact of mining techniques and mine and panel design on ventilation

impact of coal characteristics and coal seam gradients on mine ventilation design

principles and impacts of the ventilation system of gas drainage, spontaneous combustion, outburst and windblast

mine gases; the types and their characteristics under varying circumstances, sources, physiological effects and methods of detection

dust, fumes and other particulate matter; the types, sources, physical and physiological effect, and control/mitigation methods

mine fires; the types, sources of ignition, possible effects on the ventilation circuit and prevention/control/mitigation methods

mine explosions; types, ignition sources, possible effects on the ventilation circuit and prevention/control/mitigation methods

pressure changes; causes, the impacts on the ventilation system, and responses (to include the causes and effects of natural ventilation and recirculation)

heat/humidity; the sources and factors which may impact ventilation and personnel

mine roadways and shafts; their design parameters and impact of mine ventilation

mine fans; fan laws, fan types, performance characteristics, configurations, applications and limitations

ventilation control devices; the types, purposes, design criteria and specifications, distribution/placement criteria and limitations

de-gassing; methods of control – including brattice, auxiliary fans, compressed air venturis, sails, hurdles and bleeders

ventilation networks and individual circuit design criteria, specifications and design processes

fixed ventilation monitoring systems types, characteristics, uses and limitations

portable monitoring equipment, types, characteristics, uses and limitations

functions, capabilities, advantages, limitation and uses of computer modelling and simulation techniques

computer-based systems for mine environmental analysis

ventilation management plan development requirements and processes

ventilation surveys; the types, frequency and method for conducting including pressure/quantity/temperature and gas/dust

processes and techniques for determining alarms and trigger points/levels

general uses and application of ventilation theory

An assessor of this unit must satisfy the requirements of the NVR/AQTF or their successors; and Industry regulations for certification and licensing; and,

this unit is best assessed in the context of this sector’s 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 this sector’s workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills; and,

this unit must be assessed in compliance with relevant legislation/regulation and using policies, procedures, processes and operational manuals directly related to the industry sector for which it is being assessed; and,

assessment may be conducted in conjunction with the assessment of other Units of Competency; and,

assessment must confirm consistent performance can be applied in a range of relevant workplace circumstances; and,

assessors must demonstrate the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence as outlined in this Unit of Competency, and through the minimum years of current* work experience specified below in an Industry sector relevant to the outcomes of the unit; or,

where the assessor does not meet experience requirements a co-assessment or partnership arrangement must exist between the qualified assessor and an Industry subject matter expert. The Industry subject matter expert should hold the unit being assessed (or an equivalent unit) and/or demonstrate equivalence of skills and knowledge at the unit level. An Industry technical expert must also demonstrate skills and knowledge from the minimum years of current work experience specified below in the Industry sector, including time spent in roles related to the unit being assessed; and,

assessor and Industry subject matter expert requirements differ depending on the Australian Qualifications Framework Level (AQF) of the qualification being assessed and/or Industry Sector as follows:

*Assessors can demonstrate current work experience through employment within Industry in a role relevant to the outcomes of the Unit; or, for external assessors this can be demonstrated through exposure to Industry by conducting frequent site assessments across various locations.

**Where a unit is being delivered outside of a Qualification the first numeric character in the Unit code should be considered to indicate the AQF level

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit. Further information is available in the Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package Companion Volume.

Coal mining

Metalliferous mining