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Supervise a horizontal directional drilling operation

Level / 4
Credits / 25

PurposeThis unit standard is for horizontal directional drilling site supervisors.

People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the early planning for a horizontal directional drilling project; prepare the operational plan for a horizontal directional drilling operation; direct the site set up for the horizontal directional drilling operation; monitor pilot bore and pull back operations; describe procedures for accident and incident reporting in a horizontal directional drilling operation; and ensure the operation is completed and the site restored.

Subfield / Civil Works and Services
Domain / Civil Construction Works
Status / Registered
Status date / 12 December 2008
Date version published / 12 December 2008
Planned review date / 31 December 2013
Entry information / Open.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Infrastructure ITO
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0101

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1Thefollowing legislation and other requirements apply to this unit standard:

Resource Management Act 1991;

Local Government Act 2002;

Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;

Health and Safety in Employment (Pipelines) Regulations 1999;

Approved Code of Practice for Excavation and Shafts for Foundations, Occupational Safety and Health, 1995, available from

Territorial authority requirements.

The following legislation and other requirements may apply to this unit standard:

Gas Act 1992;

Telecommunications Act 2001;

Electricity Act 1992;

Electricity Regulations 1997;

NZECP 34:2001 – New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Electrical Safe Distances, available from

Safety Rules SM-EI 2004, Electricity Engineers’ Association of New Zealand, available from

SNZ HB 2002 Code of Practice for Working in the Road, 2003 and

NZS 5258:2003 – Gas Distribution Networks, available from

Notices under legislation;

Road controlling authority requirements.

2Assessment against this unit standard must be based on evidence from a workplace context.

3Personal protective equipment, appropriate to job requirements, is to be selected and used in accordance with company requirements and manufacturer’s instructions.

4Definitions

Available documents refer to records that are electronically accessible. Examples are underground utility plans and territorial authority consents.

Company requirementsinclude the policy, procedures, and methodologies of the company. They include legislative and regulatory requirements which may apply across the company or to a specific site. Requirements are documented in the company’s health and safety plans, traffic management plans, contract work programmes, quality assurance programmes, policies, and procedural documents.

Horizontal directional drilling includes the pilot bore and pull back operations.

Job requirements refer to requirements of the job at hand that are not covered by job specifications.

Job specifications, for the purpose of this unit standard, refer to instructions (oral, written, and/or graphic) that specify the result or results to be achieved and/or how the work is to be done, in relation to a specific job.

Pull back may include push back.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Describe the early planning for a horizontal directional drilling project.

Performance criteria

1.1Description includes the process for preparing and submitting a quote for a horizontal directional drilling project.

1.2Description identifies consents to be obtained for a horizontal directional drilling project.

1.3Description includes the ordering and organising of materials and equipment for a horizontal directional drilling project.

Element 2

Prepare the operational plan for a horizontal directional drilling operation.

Performance criteria

2.1Site and available documents are examined to identify any excavation needs and to brief appropriate personnel on the requirements of the operation.

2.2Operational plan, including appropriate documentation attached, is verified in accordance with company requirements.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – site plan; job specification; consents; quality assurance; hazard control; traffic management; order of work; roles assigned; planned bore path; water supply; fuel; excavation, compaction, and surface restoration; vehicle/s; equipment and materials.

Element 3

Direct the site set up for the horizontal directional drilling operation.

Performance criteria

3.1Roles are assigned and crew is briefed in accordance with company requirements.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – order of work, tracker role, driller role, hazard control, traffic management.

3.2Control of site set up and bore path planning are in accordance with company requirements.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – site protection and hazard control, communication, excavation equipment unloading and isolation, excavation and visual inspection, confirmation of service positions and ground conditions.

3.3Materials required are checked to confirm their fitness for the operation.

3.4Set up systems are pre-tested in accordance with company requirements and job requirements, and are confirmed as ready.

Element 4

Monitor pilot bore and pull back operations.

Performance criteria

4.1Monitoring of the pilot bore operation includes ongoing communication, ensures safety and efficiency, and is in accordance with company requirements.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – tracking and visual sighting of the drill head through inspection pits where required, bore path adjustments as required, operation of drill and ancillary equipment, exit of the drill head.

4.2Monitoring of the attachment of pipe to reaming attachment ensures safety and efficiency and is in accordance with company requirements.

4.3Monitoring of the pull back operation ensures safety and efficiency and is in accordance with company requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – ongoing communication, visual sighting of the product pipe through inspection pits where required, pipe feed, exit and removal of the reaming attachment, pipe secured at both ends.

Element 5

Describe procedures for accident and incident reporting in a horizontal directional drilling operation.

Performance criteria

5.1Description of procedures for accident and incident reporting is consistent with company requirements.

Element 6

Ensure the operation is completed and the site restored.

Performance criteria

6.1Pits are compacted and surfaces restored in accordance with job specifications.

6.2All equipment is taken out of service and removed in accordance with company requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – horizontal directional drilling equipment, tracking equipment, vehicles, signage and barriers.

6.3Excess materials are removed in accordance with company requirements and/or job specifications.

6.4As built data and any other required information are recorded in accordance with company requirements and job specifications.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact Infrastructure if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2019