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Title / Provide tracking for horizontal directional drilling
Level / 4 / Credits / 15
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: prepare tracking and communications equipment and verify intended bore path; guide pilot bores; and assist with product installation and record as-built data.
Classification / Infrastructure WorksInfrastructure Works Utilities
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Thefollowing legislation, regulations, code of practice, and requirements must be complied with:
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 Safety in 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 2002:2003 Code of Practice for Working in the Road, 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
Company requirementsinclude the policy, procedures, and methodologies of the company. They include legislative and regulatory requirements applicable to the company or 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 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.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Prepare tracking and communications equipment and verify intended bore path.
Evidence requirements
1.1Tracking equipment is checked in accordance with company requirements.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – batteries or power supply, calibration, remote interface.
1.2Design grade is checked in accordance with company requirements and to meet job specifications.
1.3Intended bore path is verified in accordance with company requirements, taking into account drill entrance angle, ground conditions, bending radii of rods and product to be installed, and service clearances required.
1.4Confirmation to proceed with operations is obtained from the site supervisor in accordance with company requirements.
1.5Communications equipment is made ready in accordance with company requirements.
Outcome 2
Guide pilot bores.
Evidence requirements
2.1The drill head is located throughout the pilot bore operations.
2.2Information on the location of the drill head is conveyed to enable the drill head to drill the intended bore path in accordance with company requirements.
2.3Alignment and depth of bores are marked and/or recorded in accordance with company requirements and job specifications.
Outcome 3
Assist with product installation and record as-built data.
Evidence requirements
3.1Assistance with product installation is provided as required by the site supervisor and/or job requirements.
3.2As-built data is recorded in accordance with company requirements and job specifications.
Planned review date / 31 December 2019Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 17 December 2003 / 31 December 2014
Review / 2 / 12 December 2008 / 31 December 2016
Review / 3 / 19 February 2015 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0101
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.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Infrastructure ITO you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Infrastructure ITOSSB Code 101813 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018