SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

National Certificate: Explosives Manufacturing Operations

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
48916	National Certificate: Explosives Manufacturing Operations
ORIGINATOR
Chemical Industries SGB
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
Was CHIETA until Last Date for Achievement			OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National Certificate	Field 06 - Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology		Manufacturing and Assembly
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	120	Level 3	NQF Level 03	Regular-Unit Stds Based
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 0160/05	2007-09-18	2009-06-17
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2010-06-17		2013-06-17

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 qualification is replaced by:

Qual ID	Qualification Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Replacement Status
78528	National Certificate: Chemical Operations	Level 3	NQF Level 03	120	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

A person acquiring this qualification will be able to:

Communicate in a variety of ways

Use Mathematics in a variety of ways

Adjust and maintain production processes

Perform first line maintenance procedures

Manufacture explosives products within a specialty area of propellants, explosives accessories, initiating systems and ammonium nitrate based explosives or small arms ammunition manufacturing processes

Adhere to safety, risk, quality and environmental requirements and specifications.

Rationale for the qualification

National Certificate in Explosives Manufacturing Operations: NQF Level 3 is designed to contribute towards developing explosives manufacturing competence. The qualification focuses on the manufacturing of explosives products within a specialty area of propellants, explosives accessories, initiating systems and ammonium nitrate based explosives or small arms ammunition manufacturing processes.

Different organisations within chemical industry produce diverse range of products, which leads to further different components per explosives product. Manufacturing skills using both machinery and equipment skills and specialised hand skills are important with the exception of ammonium nitrate based explosives. The chemical industry has to respond to ongoing development of new products, safety, health, environmental issues which are incorporated into the qualification.

National Certificate in Explosives Manufacturing Operations: NQF Level 3 is a second qualification in a series for learners who want to follow a career as operators within the explosives industry. The majority of learners for this qualification are likely to be operators and senior operators working independently and as a team within an organisation in the explosives industry. The qualification allows learners to advance to learning in a variety of manufacturing related qualifications or to learning in the Further Education and Training Certificate in Manufacturing and Assembly Supervision NQF 4.

Explosives Operations is a field that serves the needs of the society and the economy. The qualification will enhance the status, productivity and employability of the learner within the chemical industry, in particular, explosives operations.
This qualification will contribute to the full development of the learner within the manufacturing fraternity by providing recognition, further mobility and transportability within manufacturing fields. The skills, knowledge and understanding demonstrated within this qualification are essential for social and economic transformation and contribute to the progression and economic growth within the manufacturing fraternity.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

National Certificate in Explosives Operations NQF 2 or

Knowledge of monitoring and operating machinery
- Range: Post production operations, using and caring of tools and equipment, adherence to safety requirements in the explosives manufacturing operations.

Recognition of prior learning

This qualification may be achieved in part or completely through the recognition of prior learning, which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. A learner wishing to be assessed towards this qualification may arrange to do so without attending any further training or education. The assessor and the learner will jointly decide on the most appropriate method to be taken.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

Choose at least 1 specialisation from the ones identified in the electives component of the qualification, and a further 12 credits from the additional electives provided.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

The exit level outcomes for this qualification reflect a combination of specific outcomes and critical cross-field education and training outcomes. The way in which the critical outcomes have been advanced through the learning required for this qualification is embedded in the unit standards, i.e. how it is reflected and assessed in the context of the specific outcomes.

1. Communicate and solve problems in a variety of ways.

2. Solve problems related to explosives manufacturing conversion processes.
- Range: Manufacturing of propellants or explosives accessories, or initiating systems or small arms ammunition or ammonium nitrate based explosives.

3. Control, adjust and maintain specialised explosives manufacturing processes by using relevant science and technology.
- Range: Propellants, explosives accessories, initiating systems, ammonium nitrate based explosives or small arms ammunition manufacturing processes.

4. Maintain safety, good manufacturing principles and quality assurance practices in an explosives manufacturing environment.

5. Demonstrate a familiarity with first line maintenance procedures and operations in explosives operations.

6. Lead a team to enhance performance towards meeting organisation's standards.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Oral and written communication is successfully engaged in a business environment

Problems are understood and solved to indicate critical and creative thinking

Business principles are understood and applied to business environment

2.

Problems are identified and solved using known solutions to familiar and complex problems.

Understanding is demonstrated regarding explosive manufacturing and conversion processes.

Information is collected, analysed, organised and critically evaluated for explosives manufacturing processes.

Understanding is demonstrated of the uses of common explosives accessories.

3.

Compare and interpret available information to solve problems during the explosives manufacturing processes.

Adjust and maintain production processes and systems according to standard operating procedures.

Apply self management practices during the controlling, adjusting and maintaining of specialised explosives manufacturing processes.

4.

Apply knowledge and comprehension of occupational health, safety and environmental legislation relevant to the explosives manufacturing industry according to standard operating procedures.

Quality assurance practices are monitored and controlled according to standard operating procedures.

5.

First line maintenance is performed regularly and consistently in explosive operations.

Problems relating to explosives operations are solved using sector acceptable processes and procedures.

6.

The role of a leader is indicated to ensure that the team meets an organisation standard.

New member is inducted into a team for familiarity with explosive operations.

Knowledge of self and team is applied to develop a plan to enhance team performance.

The assessment criteria of the qualification are embodied in the unit standards. The knowledge, skills and understanding will be assessed across several specialised contexts and are clearly defined within the relevant specific outcomes, assessment criteria and range statements within these unit standards.

Integrated Assessment

The applied competence (practical, foundational and reflexive competencies) of this qualification will be achieved if a candidate is able to achieve all the exit level outcomes of this qualification.

Identifying and solving problems, team work, organising one-self, using of applied science, the implication of actions and reactions in the world as a set of related systems must be assessed during any combination of practical, foundational and reflexive competencies assessment methods and tools to determine the whole person development and integration of applied knowledge and skills.

Applicable assessment tool(s) are developed that ensure that foundational, reflective and embedded knowledge, problem solving and the application of the world as a set of related systems within the manufacturing and maintenance fields are assessed to ensure integrative assessment.

A detailed portfolio of evidence is required to prove practical, applied and foundational competencies of the learner.
Assessors and moderators should develop and conduct their own integrated assessment by making use of a range of formative and summative assessment methods. Assessors should assess and give credit for the evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience.

Unit standards in the qualification must be used to assess specific and critical cross-field outcomes. During integrated assessments the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and should assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

Benchmarking for similar was qualifications was done against international standards and qualifications from the NVQ from:

Britain

New Zealand Qualification Authority

The American Qualification Curriculum and Assessment Authority Frameworks

The US Manufacturing Skills Standards

The following was found:

The New Zealand National Certificate in Extraction Industries Level 2-4 (Land operations using explosives) has 5 comparable unit standards on handling of explosives.

The newly designed South African unit standards compare fairly well with the existing New Zealand unit standards.

No comparable qualifications were found in the US and Britain. This is not surprising given South Africa's competitive edge and leader in this field worldwide.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification will allow a person to advance to learning of other manufacturing related qualifications and even supervision-based qualifications at NQF level 4. This qualification would also provide the necessary foundation to articulate vertically to National Higher Certificate in Explosives Management NQF 5. The qualification provides the learner with flexibility to pursue careers in the explosives material manufacturing industry and articulation within chemical and related manufacturing environments.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this qualification must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.

Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this qualification must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.

Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the ETQAs policies and guidelines for assessment and moderation; in terms of agreements reached around assessment and moderation between ETQAs (including professional bodies); and in terms of the moderation guideline detailed immediately below.

Moderation should also encompass achievement of the competence described both in individual unit standards, exit level outcomes as well as the integrated competence described in the qualification.

Anyone wishing to be assessed against this qualification may apply to be assessed by any assessment agency, assessor or provider institution that is accredited by the relevant ETQA.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

For an applicant to register as an assessor, the applicant needs:

Interpersonal skills, subject matter expertise and assessment experience.

The assessor needs to be competent in the planning and conducting assessment of learning outcomes as described in the unit standard "Plan and conduct assessment of learning outcomes" NQF level 5. The subject matter experience must be well developed within the field of explosives operations and quality assurance practices.

The assessor must have completed:
- A similar qualification or from the same family of qualifications, at or above NQF 4, or
- National Higher Certificate in Explosives Management NQF 5 or
- "Explosive Technology For Supervision And Management" course

The subject matter experience of the assessor can be established by recognition of prior learning.

Assessors need to be registered with the relevant Education and Training Quality Assurance Body.

NOTES

This qualification has been replaced by qualification 78528, which is "National Certificate: Chemical Operations", Level 3, 120 credits.

UNIT STANDARDS:

	ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Core	14776	Apply self-management practices	Level 2	NQF Level 02	8
Core	9922	Adjust and maintain production process	Level 3	NQF Level 03	30
Core	9913	Perform first line maintenance	Level 3	NQF Level 03	14
Fundamental	8968	Accommodate audience and context needs in oral communication	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5
Fundamental	9010	Demonstrate an understanding of the use of different number bases and measurement units and an awareness of error in the context of relevant calculations	Level 3	NQF Level 03	2
Fundamental	9013	Describe, apply, analyse and calculate shape and motion in 2-and 3-dimensional space in different contexts	Level 3	NQF Level 03	4
Fundamental	8969	Interpret and use information from texts	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5
Fundamental	9012	Investigate life and work related problems using data and probabilities	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5
Fundamental	8973	Use language and communication in occupational learning programmes	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5
Fundamental	7456	Use mathematics to investigate and monitor the financial aspects of personal, business and national issues	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5
Fundamental	8970	Write texts for a range of communicative contexts	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5
Elective	9599	Lift and move material and equipment by means of a forklift	Level 2	NQF Level 02	3
Elective	13912	Apply knowledge of self and team in order to develop a plan to enhance team performance	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5
Elective	116014	Control ammonium nitrate based explosives manufacturing processes	Level 3	NQF Level 03	20
Elective	116011	Control explosives accessories manufacturing processes	Level 3	NQF Level 03	20
Elective	116012	Control initiating devices manufacturing processes in an explosives manufacturing environment	Level 3	NQF Level 03	20
Elective	116009	Control propellant manufacturing processes	Level 3	NQF Level 03	20
Elective	116013	Control small arms ammunition manufacturing processes	Level 3	NQF Level 03	20
Elective	13917	Indicate the role of a team leader ensuring that a team meets an organisation`s standards	Level 3	NQF Level 03	6
Elective	13911	Induct a new member into a team	Level 3	NQF Level 03	3
Elective	7567	Produce and use spreadsheets for business	Level 3	NQF Level 03	5

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.

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PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

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.

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