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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Control operations in a blasting section in an underground coal mine 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
110125  Control operations in a blasting section in an underground coal mine 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Mining and Minerals 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 06 - Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Fabrication and Extraction 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 3  NQF Level 03  15 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

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 
This unit standard will be useful to people who are responsible for controlling operations in a blasting section in an underground coal mine.

People credited with this Unit Standard are able to:
  • Prepare to control operations in a blasting section.
  • Control operations in a blasting section.
  • Demonstrate teamwork. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Sound and bar roof and side walls using sounding and barring down equipment in an underground coal mine
  • Conduct visual inspection of flameproof apparatus in and underground coal mine
  • Knowledge of mine specific support rule
  • Knowledge of strata control principles in and underground coal mine
  • Conduct statutory examination in an underground coal mine
  • Test, monitor and control the common gases in an underground coal mine
  • Control ventilation in a board and pillar production section in an underground coal mine
  • Control dust in a production section in an underground coal mine
  • Supervise a team of production personnel
  • Knowledge of waiting place procedures
  • Conduct blasting operations in an underground coal mine
  • Charge up a work face for blasting in an underground coal mine
  • Treat misfires and sockets in an underground coal mine 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Prepare to control operations in a blasting section. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Hazard identification and hazard control are conducted to comply with risk assessment requirements to eliminate, minimise or control risk of ill health and injuries to others and self. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Co-worker awareness and understanding of supplied personal protective equipment and hygiene consumables usage is determined and discussed on a regular basis. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Daily production planning is discussed and determined with supervisor and co-workers according to work site-specific production targets. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Reports from previous shift are studied for indications of unsafe and or unhealthy conditions and communicated to co-workers. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Reports must include any three of the following:
  • End of shift reports
  • Fireman`s report
  • Shiftboss logbook
  • Complaint book
  • Safety representative`s report book
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. Face preparation procedures are complied with and communicated to co-workers. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. Consumable stock levels are maintained to meet the shift requirements. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Consumables must include any four of the following:
  • Coal cutter picks
  • Roofbolts
  • Resin
  • Roofbolt bits
  • Brattice
  • Timber
  • Trailing cables
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Control operations in a blasting section. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. The mining cycles are controlled according to health, safety, production and specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Mining parameters are maintained according to specified requirements. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Mining parameters must include the following:
  • Direction lines
  • Board width
  • Pillar centres
  • Mining horizons
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Mining equipment performance and condition are monitored and the results/observations are compared with standards prescribed by the manufacturer and production tempos with appropriate corrective actions taken to ensure compliance. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Coal transport is co-ordinated between the blasted faces and tipping point to achieve production targets. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. Roof support activities are supervised to comply with the roof support code of practice. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. Environmental elements are monitored and hazards are rectified or reported in accordance with specified requirements. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Environmental elements must include the following:
  • Ventilation
  • Dust
  • Flammable gas monitoring
  • Stone dusting
  • Strata conditions
  • Accumulations of water
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Demonstrate teamwork. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. End of shift procedures are conducted in accordance with specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Communication and feedback is provided to, and requested from co-workers to maintain and improve task and product quality per specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Conflict resolution techniques are applied to minimise destructive interpersonal differences with co-workers, which may adversely affect team performance. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Feedback is provided to the in-coming shift with regard to machine and environmental hazards and sub-standards in terms of specified requirements. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    1. Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.

    2. Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider through the relevant ETQA by SAQA.

    3. Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according the moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge, candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes to the standards described in the assessment criteria. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the candidate`s performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.
    Note:
    The ability of the candidate to identify substandard and hazardous conditions, assess and take appropriate action. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation or community.
    Note:
    The ability and willingness of the candidate to accept and interpret work instructions correctly. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage himself / herself and his / her activities responsibly and effectively.
    Note:
    The ability of the candidate to indicate what methods, tools and personal protective equipment are required, and to communicate to fellow workers his / her intentions and the assistance required. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
    Note:
    The ability of the candidate to reconcile the information from visual and physical examinations and constantly evaluate the changing situation. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and / or language skills in the modes of oral and / or written presentations.
    Note:
    The appropriate communication with the relevant personnel with regard to the reporting of hazards and substandard conditions will indicate his / her proficiency in effective communication. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically, thus showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.
    Note:
    The use of science and technology is not relevant for this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
    Note:
    The ability of the candidate to identify and refer anomalous behaviour to a specialist confirms his / her understanding of the fact that a specific observation, inference, action or decision may have a devastating effect. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Terminology:

    Specified requirements include legal and site-specified requirements and are contained in one or more of the following documents:

    Legal
  • Relevant Acts, e.g. Mine Health & Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29/1996), and Minerals Act and Regulations, 1991 (Act No. 50/1991)
  • Mandatory Codes of Practice
  • SABS and other relevant standards
  • Chief Inspector of Mines` Directives

    Site- specific
  • Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments (HIRA)
  • Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management Programme
  • Managerial Instructions
  • Mine Standard Procedures
  • List of Recorded OH&S Risks
  • Working Guides
  • Equipment and Materials Specifications 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  21812   National Certificate: Mining Operations: Underground Coal  Level 3  NQF Level 03  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  MQA 
    Elective  74490   Further Education and Training Certificate: Mining Operations  Level 4  NQF Level 04  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  MQA 


    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.
     
    1. BANA BA THARI MINING TRANING AND DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY 
    2. DEI GRATIA TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT SOLUTION 
    3. GEOSTRAT TRAINING 
    4. GLENCORE OPERATIONS SOUTH AFRICA PTY LTD 
    5. HARMONY GOLD MINING CO LTD 
    6. PRISMA TRAINING SOLUTIONS (PTY) LTD 
    7. PROGRESSIVE TRAINING DEVELOPMENT AND PROJECTS (PTY) LTD 
    8. XTRACT TRAINING SERVICES (SA)(PTY)LTD 
    9. ZULEK TRAINING SPECIALISTS 


    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.