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Title / Excavate, backfill and compact, and prepare for surface reinstatementfor infrastructure works
Level / 3 / Credits / 10
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: prepare for excavation operations, excavate, backfill and compact, and carry out final preparation for surface reinstatementfor infrastructure works.
Classification / Infrastructure WorksGeneric Infrastructure Works
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Thefollowing legislation and requirements apply to this unit standard:
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Resource Management Act 1991;
Approved Code of Practice for Safety in Excavation and Shafts for Foundations is available from
Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management, produced by the New Zealand Transport Agency andavailable from
or equivalent specification as required by the road controlling authority (RCA) on its network;RCA and local authority requirements and service providers.
Other requirements applicable to this unit standard may include but are not limited to:
SNZ HB 2002:2003, Code of Practice for Working in the Road; available from
2Assessment against this unit standard must be based on evidence from a workplace context.
3Tools and personal protective equipment, appropriate to job requirements, is to be selected and used in accordance with company procedures and manufacturer’s instructions.
4Definitions
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.
Contract specifications include plans, diagrams, and special technical conditions. They do not include special administrative conditions.
Immediate environment refers to the environment in which the work is taking place such as inner city, suburban, or rural, and may include the presence of nearby structures.
Road Controlling Authority (RCA) refers to New Zealand Transport Agency network, local authority requirements and service providers.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Prepare for excavation operationsfor infrastructure works.
Evidence requirements
1.1A check is made to ensure the plan supplied is the current approved plan for operations, and discrepanciesto the plan are reported in accordance with company requirements.
Rangediscrepancies may include ground conditions, immediate environment, services
1.2A check is made to ensure that materials, plant, and equipment are fit for purpose, and any concerns identified from the check are reported in accordance with company requirements.
1.3Hazards are identified, reported and controlled on site in accordance with company requirements.
Rangecontrols include one of: elimination, isolation, minimisation.
1.4Overhead and underground services are located and identified in accordance with company, industry, and Department of Labour requirements.
Outcome 2
Excavate for infrastructure works.
Evidence requirements
2.1Area to be excavated is marked out in accordance with the plan and company requirements.
2.2Excavation is carried out taking into account ground conditions and immediate environment, andthe excavation is shored or otherwise stabilised in accordance with company requirements and the Code of Practice for Excavations.
Rangemay include requirements under SNZ HB 2002:2003.
2.3Groundwater is controlled without destabilising the excavation in accordance with company requirements and the Code of Practice for Excavations.
Outcome 3
Backfill and compact for infrastructure works.
Evidence requirements
3.1A check is made to ensure backfill material meets contract specifications and/or RCA requirements, and any discrepancies are reported in accordance with company requirements.
3.2Backfill material is placed and compacted in accordance with contract specifications, RCA and company requirements.
Outcome 4
Describe and carry out final preparation prior to surface reinstatement.
Evidence requirements
4.1Surface reinstatement and final preparation requirements are described in accordance with contract specifications and/or RCA requirements.
4.2Final preparation prior to surface reinstatement is made in accordance with contract specifications and/or RCA requirements, and company requirements.
Planned review date / 31 December 2016Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 26 January 2007 / 31 December 2012
Review / 2 / 21 November 2008 / 31 December 2012
Review / 3 / 21 July 2011 / 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 (CMRs). 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 Infrastructure if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Infrastructure ITOSSB Code 101813 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018