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SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD: 

Control weeds with chemicals using hand held equipment 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
117966  Control weeds with chemicals using hand held equipment 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Primary Agriculture 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation Primary Agriculture 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 1  NQF Level 01  2 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Registered" 		 2004-12-02  2007-12-02  SAQA 0357/04 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2008-12-02   2011-12-02  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
Apply herbicides manually, under supervision, to control weeds, Do basic repairs to sprayer. Check the functioning of sprayer, correlate discharge rate if a number of sprayers are used to ensure uniform herbicide application. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
No prior learning is assumed to be in place. 

UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
N/A 

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
Explain the objective(s) of effective weed control. 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
Needs of any plant including weeds explained. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Air, water, light, warmth and food.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
Effect weeds have on the crop explained. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Water, sunlight, food, warmth.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
Requirements for effective chemical weed control explained. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Factors having an affect on effective chemical weed control Example: Season; dampness of soil, rain, size of weeds
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
Advantages and disadvantages of using chemicals to control weeds explained. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Examples: Cost, size or types of weeds, season.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
Reasons given why weeds successfully re-establishes themselves quickly: 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Few predators and are hardy.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
Classification of weeds demonstrated. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Annual weeds, biennial weeds and perennial weeds broadleaf weeds, grasses and sedges.
 

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
Prepare to apply herbicides with manual sprayer. 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
Sprayer checked and faults remedied. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Functioning of sprayer, pressure setting, discharge rate, correlate discharge rate with one another if more than one operator will apply herbicide leaks, harness.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
Chemicals prepared. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Water/chemical mixture used, walking speed, pressure setting of sprayer nozzle used.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
Learner to explain factors affecting efficient herbicide application. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Contact of chemicals with weeds, wind, rain, wetness of soil, season.
 

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
Apply herbicides with manual sprayer. 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
Herbicides applied. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Spot spraying, full cover spraying, partial spraying Pre-emergence and post-emergence spraying.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
Variables affecting herbicide application demonstrated. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Walking speed, height of nozzle above ground, pressure and pumping rhythm.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
Safety precautions taken. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
OHS Act. Eating, drinking, smoking.
 

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
Comply with safety procedures at end of herbicide application. 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
Equipment and safety clothing are washed with clean water. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
OHS Act, washing not near streams.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
Unused herbicides are safely stored. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
OHS Act.
 

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
Empty herbicide containers pictured and burned. 
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
Reasons for not using empty herbicide containers.
 


UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
The assessment of qualifying learners against this standard should meet the requirements of established assessment principles. It will be necessary to development assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which qualifying learners are working. These activities and tools may include an appropriate combination of self-assessment and peer assessment; formative and summative assessment, portfolios and observations, etc.

The assessment should ensure that all the specific outcomes, critical cross-field outcomes and essential embedded knowledge be assessed.

The specific outcomes must be assessed through observation of performance. Supporting evidence should be used to prove competence of specific outcomes only when they are not clearly seen in the actual performance.

Essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in its own right, through oral and written evidence. It cannot be assessed by observation only.

The specific outcomes and essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in relation to each other. If a qualifying learner is able to explain the essential embedded knowledge but is unable to perform the specific outcomes, then they should not be assessed as competent. Similarly, if a qualifying learner is able to perform the specific outcomes but is unable to explain or justify their performance in terms of the essential embedded knowledge, they should not be assessed as competent.

Evidence of the specified critical cross-field outcomes should be found both in performance and in the essential embedded knowledge.

Performance of specific outcomes must actively affirm target groups of qualifying learners, not unfairly discriminate against them. Qualifying learners should be able to justify their performance in terms of these values.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or assessing this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • The effect of weeds on crop production
  • The importance of covering all weeds with herbicides
  • Problems caused by "under spraying" and "over spraying"
  • The reasons for chemical control of weeds
  • Dangers attached to working with herbicides
  • Legal requirements when working with herbicides 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    The learner will be able to identify and solve problems during the process. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    The learner will be able to organise and manage himself and his activities responsibly and effectively. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    The learner will be able to collect, analyse and critically evaluate information. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    The learner will communicate effectively when reporting on work matters. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    The learner will use science and technology effectively and critically (showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others) . 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    The learner will demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Terminology
  • Pre-emergence herbicide application means applying herbicides to the planted field before the plants emerges above the soil surface.
  • "Over" and "under" spraying refers to too little application of herbicides or too much application of herbicides. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.