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Title / Inspect gas transmission pipeline easements and pipeline systems
Level / 3 / Credits / 3
Purpose / This unit standard is for people working, or intending to work, in the gas transmission industry.
People credited with this unit standardare able to: describe the requirements for pipeline walking and inspections; carry out pipeline walking and inspections on gas transmission pipeline easements; carry out vehicle patrolson gas transmission pipeline easements; inspect and maintain cased crossingson gas transmission pipeline easements; inspect an aerial span on gas transmission pipeline systems; and communicate and document the results of the inspection of gas transmission pipeline systems.
Classification / Gas Industry > GasTransmission Operations
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Performance of the elements of this unit standard must comply with relevant site requirements, and the following legislation and standard:
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Health and Safety in Employment (Pipelines) Regulations 1999;
Resource Management Act 1991;
NZS/AS 2885.1:1997Pipelines – Gas and liquid petroleum – Design and construction.
2Definitions
Company procedures refer to the documented methods for performing work activities and include health and safety, environmental, site requirements, and quality management requirements. They may refer to manuals, codes of practice, or policy statements.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe the requirements for pipeline walking and inspections.
Evidence requirements
1.1Requirements for pipeline walking and inspections are described in accordance with company procedures.
Outcome 2
Carry out pipeline walking and inspections on gas transmission pipeline easements.
Evidence requirements
2.1Conditions of right of way to easement are identified and adhered to.
2.2Maps are read, and the exact area being walked is identified, in accordance with inspection requirements described in performance criterion 1.1.
2.3Safety precautions and safety equipment are used in accordance with company procedures.
2.4Land problems are identified, and their effects on the pipeline are assessed, in terms of their location relative to the pipeline.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – planting and vegetation encroachment, slope erosion, pipe trench erosion, land movement.
2.5Leak indications are identified, and follow up actions are initiated, in accordance with company procedures.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – dead vegetation, contaminated ground, contaminated waterways, subsidence, frozen ground, gas detection.
2.6All maintenance requirements are noted for action in accordance with company procedures.
2.7Current land use, application, and conditions are established and matched against existing alignment plans and reported in accordance with company procedures.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – changes in land use, new subdivisions, industrial developments, changes in water levels and flows, required development or extension of waste areas.
Outcome 3
Carry out vehicle patrols on gas transmission pipeline easements.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – urban, rural.
Evidence requirements
3.1Vehicle signs stating a pipeline patrol is taking place are attached to the vehicle in accordance with company procedures.
3.2Any unauthorised activity within two meters of the pipeline on the roadways or within the easements off the roadways is investigated in accordance with company procedures.
3.3All warning signs on road frontage are confirmed as being fixed, clear, and legible, in accordance with company procedures.
3.4Any erosion, scouring of culverts, and/or slips are reported in accordance with company procedures.
3.5Streams through which the pipeline crosses are checked for scouring in accordance with company procedures.
Outcome 4
Inspect and maintain cased crossings on gas transmission pipeline easements.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – sleeved, concrete cased.
Evidence requirements
4.1Maintenance of concrete cased crossings is carried out, as required, from patrols and inspections in accordance with company procedures.
4.2Maintenance of vent pipes is carried out, as required, from patrols and inspections in accordance with company procedures.
Rangerust at ground level, painting, protection from vehicles.
4.3Cathodic protection test station readings are taken and reported at regular intervals in accordance with company procedures.
4.4Irregularities in cathodic protection test station readings are recognised and reported in accordance with company procedures.
Outcome 5
Inspect an aerial span on gas transmission pipeline systems.
Evidence requirements
5.1Pipe coating condition is identified in accordance with company procedures and maintenance requirements.
Rangepaint condition, frequency of coating repairs, amount of corrosion.
5.2Transition from underground to above ground pipe wrapping requirements is identified in accordance with company procedures.
Rangetype of wrap, condition, adhesion to pipe, condition of pipe, ground composition.
5.3Protective barrier maintenance requirements are identified in accordance with company procedures.
Rangeintegrity of barrier, corrosion.
5.4Condition of support devices is inspected in accordance with regulatory requirements and company procedures.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – integrity of supports, corrosion, ground stability, paint condition, visual impact.
Outcome 6
Communicate and document the results of the inspection of gas transmission pipeline systems.
Evidence requirements
6.1Results of the inspection are reported in accordance with company procedures.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – relevant documentation, reports, plans, follow up actions;
internal, external notification.
Replacement information / This unit standard and unit standard 9546were replaced by unit standard 30369.This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the unit standard must take place by the last date for assessments set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 6 February 1997 / 31 December 2020
Revision / 2 / 3 August 2000 / 31 December 2020
Review / 3 / 24 January 2002 / 31 December 2020
Review / 4 / 22 May 2009 / 31 December 2020
Review / 5 / 17 August 2017 / 31 December 2020
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0014
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, 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.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR 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.
MITO New Zealand IncorporatedSSB Code 101542 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018