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Title / Operate a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving
Level / 3 / Credits / 15
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving; prepare a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving; carry out on-site operations with a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving; describe safe initial response to hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving immobilisation, and carry out shut down procedures and minor maintenance tasks on a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving.
Classification / Infrastructure Works > Infrastructure Works Equipment
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and safety prerequisites / Candidates must hold a minimum of the class of licence required for the vehicle being driven and comply with the requirements of the Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Rule 1999.
Explanatory notes
1Legislation and other requirements relevant to this unit standard include but are not limited to:
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992; Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995;
Operator Safety Manual for Earthmoving Machinery, available from Infrastructure ITO at: ;
The Official New Zealand Truck Loading Code: Code of Practice for the Safety of Loads on Heavy Vehicles 2008 is available from New Zealand Transport Agency.
2Definitions
Company requirements include 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.
Job instructions are those given to the operator prior to undertaking a job. They may include site safety instructions, contract drawings, and written memos.
Manufacturer’s instructions refer to the manufacturer’s operating manuals.
Bulkearthmoving refers to significant amounts of earth being removed, transported, and placed. Examples of undertakings involving bulk earthmoving are large subdivision development, roadway construction, and surface extraction.
Walk-around –refers to walking around the machine inspecting it and its environment for hazards and removing hazards that may impair start-up.
3Operators must use the hand and horn signals endorsed by their company.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving.
Evidence requirements
1.1Hydraulic face shovels for bulk earthmoving are identified in terms of their components.
Rangeboom cylinder, operator cabin, super structure, undercarriage and tracks, stick cylinders, bucket, bucket crowd cylinders, hydraulic cooler, bottom dump cylinder.
1.2Operations employed by hydraulic face shovels for bulk earthmoving are explained.
Rangebulk removal from face.
Outcome 2
Prepare a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving.
Evidence requirements
2.1Job instructions are confirmed in accordance with company requirements.
2.2Walk-around is completed prior to starting work in accordance with company requirements.
2.3Machine operation is checked prior to starting work in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and/or company requirements.
Rangevisibility, seat belt, engine controls and gauges, throttle position, hydraulic controls, communications equipment.
2.4Surrounding area is checked for hazards before moving off in accordance with company requirements.
Outcome 3
Carry out on-site operations with a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving.
Evidence requirements
3.1Hydraulic face shovel is operated with adequate slew and working clearances in accordance with manufacturer’s and job instructions.
Rangeclearances include but are not limited to – proximity of people and plant.
3.2Machine control levers are used to produce smooth movement of shovel through all positions in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
3.3Communication is maintained with other plant operators in accordance with company requirements.
3.4Hydraulic face shovel is operated in accordance with the Operator Safety Manual for Earthmoving Machinery and The Official New Zealand Truck Loading Code.
Rangeplacement and coordination of vehicle/s being loaded, digging sequence.
3.5Hydraulic face shovel loads a dump truck in accordance with company requirements.
Outcome 4
Describe safe initial response to hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving immobilisation.
Evidence requirements
4.1Safe initial response to hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving immobilisation is described in accordance with company requirements.
Outcome 5
Carry out shut-down procedures and minor maintenance tasks on a hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving.
Evidence requirements
5.1Hydraulic face shovel for bulk earthmoving is parked and shut down in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and company requirements.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – engine run-down, checks, refuelling, boom position, documentation (including reporting any faults).
5.2Scheduled minor maintenance tasks are carried out in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and company requirements.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – housekeeping, routine servicing, lubrication.
Planned review date / 31 December 2014Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 25 February 2004 / N/A
Review / 2 / 17 September 2010 / N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0101
This AMAP can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (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 granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Consent 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.
Infrastructure ITOSSB Code 101813 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018