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Title / Operate an excavator for rock placement
Level / 3 / Credits / 5
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to:prepare for on-site operations, and use excavator for rock placement.
Classification / Infrastructure Works Civil Plant Operation
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and safety prerequisites / Unit 17310, Operate a hydraulic excavator on civil construction sites; or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1The following legislation and regulations must be complied with: Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992; and Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995.
2Assessment against this unit standard must take place in a workplace environment. Assessment parameters will depend on company and site specific equipment, procedures, and practices. Practices must reflect industry best practice and comply with legislative requirements.
3The following manual must be complied with: Operator Safety Manual for Earthmoving Machinery, 2002 available by contacting the Infrastructure ITO or the Civil Contractors New Zealand,
4Definitions
Company requirements include 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.
Contract specifications include plans, diagrams, and special technical conditions. They do not include special administrative conditions.
Manufacturer’s instructions may include specifications, installation, handling, use and maintenance instructions, and safety data sheets.
Job instructions are those given to the operator prior to undertaking a job. They may include site safety instructions, contract drawings, and written memos.
Walk round means to walk around the machine inspecting it and its environment for hazards, and removing hazards that may impair start-up.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Prepare for on-site operations.
Evidence requirements
1.1Job instructions are confirmed in accordance with company requirements.
1.2Walk round is completed prior to starting work in accordance with company requirements.
1.3Machine operation is checked prior to starting work in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
Rangevisibility, seat belt, engine controls and gauges, throttle position, hydraulic controls;
check controls and gauges after warm-up.
1.4Attachments are fitted to excavator in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
Rangeone of – rock bucket, standard bucket, wide bucket.
Outcome 2
Use excavator for rock placement.
Rangerock placement includes but is not limited to – gabions, sea wall, river protection works, aprons, energy dissipation, retaining walls, swales, truck loading.
Evidence requirements
2.1Site and foundation for rock placement are excavated in accordance with contract specifications.
2.2Rocks are sorted to size and placed in accordance with contract specifications.
Planned review date / 31 December 2019Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 25 September 2006 / 31 December 2014
Review / 2 / 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.
InfraTrain New ZealandSSB Code 101564 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018