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: 

Demonstrate knowledge and basic understanding of the effect of high mining heights on artificial support installation and effectiveness 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
115530  Demonstrate knowledge and basic understanding of the effect of high mining heights on artificial support installation and effectiveness 
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  2 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Registered" 		 2004-08-11  2007-08-11  SAQA 0655/04 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2008-08-11   2011-08-11  

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 pursuing a career in rock engineering.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Describe the environments associated with high mining heights;
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of support height on desired support performance;
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of the mode of failure of support units installed in high mining heights;
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of support installation procedures required for high mining heights. 
    		•

    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:
  • National Introductory Certificate to Mining and Minerals (Level 1)
  • National Certificate in Strata Control (Level 2) 
    		•

    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 
    Describe the environments associated with high mining heights. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The environments where high mining heights are encountered are described. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • High channel widths and seam thickness
  • Falls of ground
  • Negotiating geological structures
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The specific hazards relating to high mining heights are listed. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Ineffectiveness of support
  • Platforms
  • Sidewall and face scaling
  • Overhanging faces
  • Difficulty in conducting examinations
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of support height on desired support performance. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    A listing of the acceptable height range for different support types is provided. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Packs, Elongates and backfill.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    An explanation of the effect of exceeding desired height ranges on support performance is provided for different support types. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Reduction in operating strength of support unit
  • Reduction in stiffness of support unit
  • Instability of support
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Demonstrate basic knowledge of mode of failure of support units installed in high mining heights. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    A description of the mode of failure of support units is provided. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Toppling
  • Buckling
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Demonstrate basic knowledge of support installation procedures required for high mining heights. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Procedures relating to support installation in high mining heights contained in mine specific codes of practice, standards and instructions are described. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The hazards associated with installation of support in high mining heights is explained. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • 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 must be accredited as a provider through the relevant ETQA by SAQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines 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. Candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. 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.

    The following embedded knowledge is addressed in an integrated way in the unit standard:
  • Health and safety 
    		•

    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 explain different environments containing high mining heights and explain failure mechanisms confirms. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.
  • Note: The ability and willingness of the candidate to explain that high mining heights result in decreased support efficacy, which could affect the team's safety confirms. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.
  • Note: Not applicable to this Unit Standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
  • Note: The ability of the candidate to observe, analyse and evaluate undesirable support performance in an attempt to improve the safety of the team confirms. 
    		•

    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 other personnel to assist their understanding of the need for additional measures when dealing with high mining heights confirms. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.
  • Note: The use of science and technology is promoted through the understanding of improved ways to support high mining heights confirms. 
    		•

    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 understanding of the effect of support choice in high mining heights on underground conditions and the safety of workers confirms relatedness. 
    		•

    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. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Terminology

    Specified Requirements

    Specified requirements include legal and site-specific 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
  • SANS and other relevant Standards
  • Chief Inspector of Mines' Directives/instructions

    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


    Unit Standard Justification
  • Skills: Level 2: Moderate in range
  • Procedures: Level 2: Established and familiar.
  • Context: Level 3: Range of familiar.
  • Knowledge: Level 3: Some relevant theoretical
  • Information processing: Level 2: Basic processing of readily available information
  • Problem Solving: Level 3: A range of known responses to familiar problems, base on limited discretion and judgement.
  • Orientation of activities: Level 3: Directed, with some autonomy.
  • Application of responsibility: Level 2: Some responsibility for quantity and quality, and possible responsibility for guiding others.
  • Orientation of scope of responsibility: Level 4: Under broad guidance and evaluation.

    Average Level: = 2.67
    Actual Level Assigned: = 3


    Credits

    Total hours required by the learner to achieve the required outcome:
  • Classroom Teaching: 8 hours
  • On-The-Job Training: 16 hours
  • Total: 24 hours

    Credits Achieved: = 24 / 10 = 2.4
    Credits Assigned: = 2 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  60369   National Certificate: Strata Control Operations  Level 3  NQF Level 03  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. ADCORP TECHNICAL TRAINING (PTY) LTD 
    2. GEOSTRAT TRAINING 
    3. PALABORA COPPER (PTY) LTD 
    4. SASOL GLOBAL LEARNING 
    5. SIBANYE GOLD ACADEMY PROPRIETARY LIMITED 
    6. THUNGELA OPERATIONS (PTY) LTD 
    7. XTRACT TRAINING SERVICES (SA)(PTY)LTD 


    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.