SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Thicken and dewater sludge

SAQA US ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE
12050	Thicken and dewater sludge
ORIGINATOR
SGB Water Sector
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-
FIELD			SUBFIELD
Field 12 - Physical Planning and Construction			Civil Engineering Construction
ABET BAND	UNIT STANDARD TYPE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Undefined	Regular	Level 4	NQF Level 04	8
REGISTRATION STATUS		REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE	SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		2005-02-09	2008-02-09	SAQA 1058/05
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2009-02-09		2012-02-09

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 is replaced by:

US ID	Unit Standard Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Credits	Replacement Status
255979	Thicken and dewater sludge	Level 4	NQF Level 04	6

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

The qualifying learner achieving this unit standard in combination with context expertise standard(s) will be able to thicken and dewater sludge. This competence will enable the learner to operate and maintain sludge thickeners and dewatering processes and dispose of sludge in accordance with legislative requirements and sludge guidelines. In addition this competence will contribute to the economic sustainability of the environment and equip the learner with enhanced skills, thereby improving the learner`s motivation, employability and basic work experience.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Numeracy NQF level 1;
Apply personal safety practices NQF level 2.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE

Work policies and procedures:
Best operating procedures.

Dewatering process:
Drying bed, centrifuge, belt press, filter press and sludge lagoons.

Thickening processes:
Diffused Air Flotation, gravity thickening and centrifuging.

Reports:
Maintenance, faults, breakdowns.

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1

Operate sludge thickeners in accordance with work policies and procedures

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. Inlet flow is controlled.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. Water and solids separation equipment is operated.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

3. Problems are identified and corrective action is explained.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

4. Water portion is sent back to head of works.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

5. Solids are disposed of in accordance with work policies and procedures.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2

Operate sludge dewatering process in accordance with work policies and procedures

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. Inlet flow is controlled and monitored.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. Sludge is dewatered.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

3. Problems are identified and corrective action is explained.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

4. Sludge is disposed of in accordance with sludge guidelines and the importance of doing this is explained.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

5. Water portion is sent back to head of works.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3

Maintain sludge thickener and dewatering equipment in accordance with work procedures

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. Routine maintenance is completed.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. Breakdowns are recorded and reported.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

3. Blockages are noted and corrective action is explained and demonstrated.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4

Complete reports in accordance with work policies and procedures

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. Work tasks are completed.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. Reports are complete and handed in to relevant person.

UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

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

Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this unit standard 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 ETQA`s policies and guidelines for assessment and moderation..

Moderation must include both internal and external moderation of assessments at exit points of the qualification, unless ETQA policies specify otherwise. Moderation should also encompass achievement of the competence described both in individual unit standards as well as the integrated competence described in the qualification.

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

Learners should have a knowledge and understanding of:

Relevant Legislation: OHS Act, National Water Act, sludge guidelines

Alternative sludge thickeners (diffused, air flotation, centrifuge, gravity thickener)

Alternative sludge dewatering devices (belt press, centrifuge, drying beds, filter press and sludge lagoons)

Health hazards associated with sludge

Chemical dosing techniques for sludge dewatering

Alternative ways of disposing of sludge

The dangers of working in hot and humid conditions

The process of operating a drying bed

The process of operating a centrifuge

The process of operating a belt press

Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):

UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Identify and solve problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made.

Assessment criteria:

Problems are identified and corrective action is explained.

Blockages are noted and corrective action is explained and demonstrated.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING

Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, and community.

Assessment criteria:

None.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING

Plan, organise and manage oneself and one`s activities responsibly and effectively.

Assessment criteria:

Work tasks are completed.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.

Assessment criteria:

Problems are identified and corrective action is explained.

Blockages are noted and corrective action is explained and demonstrated.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the form of oral and/or written presentation.

Assessment criteria:

Problems are identified and corrective action is explained.

Sludge is disposed of in accordance with sludge guidelines and the importance of doing this is explained.

Breakdowns are recorded and reported.

Blockages are noted and corrective action is explained and demonstrated.

Reports are complete and handed in to relevant person.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE

Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.

Assessment criteria:

Sludge is disposed of in accordance with sludge guidelines and the importance of doing this is explained.

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.

Assessment criteria:

Sludge is disposed of in accordance with sludge guidelines and the importance of doing this is explained.

UNIT STANDARD NOTES

This unit standard has been replaced by unit standard 255979, which is "Thicken and dewater sludge", Level 4, 6 credits.

Integrated assessment:

When conducting assessments, assessors must ensure that they are familiar with the full text of the unit standards being assessed. Assessors must ensure that the assessment covers the specific outcomes, critical cross-field outcomes and essential embedded knowledge by developing assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which the learners are working. These activities and tools may include self-assessment, peer assessment, formative and summative assessment. It may be more effective and efficient to assess a number of unit standards together in an integrated way, thus reducing the overall number of assessments and ensuring that commonalities that exist between a number of unit standards are captured in a way that makes sense for assessment.

Assessment option:

Learners could be assessed using the following methods:
Oral or written questions
Observation
Product sample reports

QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD:

	ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	STATUS	END DATE	PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
Elective	22673	National Certificate: Wastewater Process Operations	Level 2	NQF Level 02	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2007-11-28	Was EWSETA until Last Date for Achievement

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.

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