NZQA registered unit standard
20444 version 2
Page 1 of 6
Title
Operate an asphalt production plant
Level
4
Credits
20
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: prepare an
asphalt production plant for operation; identify, assess, control,
and monitor health and safety hazards and adverse effects on
the environment associated with operating an asphalt
production plant; control, monitor, and maintain an asphalt
production plant; operate asphalt transfer, storage, and loadout
systems; and maintain product and process quality at an
asphalt production plant.
Classification
Pavement Surfacing > Asphalt Surfacing
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Unit 20443, Operate bitumen storage and heating equipment at
an asphalt plant; Unit 20445, Demonstrate knowledge of
asphalt production plants; and Unit 20455, Demonstrate basic
knowledge of safety relating to bituminous materials; or
demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1
The following requirements apply to this unit standard, and must be complied with:
New Zealand Transport Agency specifications, available at
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources:
NZTA M10: Specification for Asphaltic Concrete;
NZTA M10 Notes: Notes to Specification for Asphaltic Concrete;
NZTA P11: Specification for Open Graded Porous Asphalt;
NZTA P23: Performance Based Specification for Hot Mix Asphalt Wearing Course
Surfacing;
NZTA Q2: Specification for Quality Assurance for Hot Mix Asphalt;
Where specified in the contract documents, the following pilot specifications, or
confirmation of their currency, are available by contacting the Operations Manager,
New Zealand Transport Agency National Office, Telephone 04 894 6316;
NZTA P18P: Pilot Performance Based Specification for Hot Mix Asphalt.
Contract specifications;
Manufacturer’s instructions;
Company procedures;
Resource consents.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
20444 version 2
Page 2 of 6
Any requirements superseding any of the above will apply, pending the review of this
unit standard.
2
Personal protective equipment must be used throughout operations in accordance
with company procedures.
3
Assessment against this unit standard must be based on evidence from a workplace
context at either a batch mix plant or a drum mix plant.
4
Definitions
Company procedures refers to all documented policies, procedures, and
methodologies of the candidate’s employer at the time of training including but not
limited to those relating to health, safety, environment, quality, and operations.
Operating manuals refers to the plant operating manual and manuals written for
specific components or items of plant and equipment that may be published by the
manufacturer or the company.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Prepare an asphalt production plant for operation.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Production plant is inspected for maintenance requirements, and minor
adjustments are made in accordance with operating manuals.
Range
safety and first aid equipment, cold aggregate bins, cold aggregate
metering and feed equipment, binder pumping and metering
equipment and valves, mineral filler storage and feed equipment,
special additive feed equipment, burner, dryer or mixing drum,
cyclones, wet scrubber or baghouse, exhaust stack, product
transfer and hot storage equipment, electrical instrumentation,
hydraulic instrumentation, air systems and controls;
where applicable – filler collector, filler feed, hot aggregate
elevator, screening unit, hot aggregate storage bins, weigh box
pugmill.
1.2
Specialist maintenance requirements are reported in accordance with company
procedures.
1.3
Control systems are set in accordance with job mix formula, blend advice
documents, specification requirements, operating manuals, and company
procedures.
1.4
Prestart procedures are carried out in accordance with operating manuals and
company procedures.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
20444 version 2
Page 3 of 6
Outcome 2
Identify, assess, control, and monitor health and safety hazards and adverse effects on the
environment associated with operating an asphalt production plant.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Health hazards are identified, assessed, and controlled in accordance with
company procedures, and legislation.
2.2
Safety hazards are identified, assessed, and controlled in accordance with
company procedures, and legislation.
2.3
Adverse effects on the environment are identified, assessed, and controlled in
accordance with company procedures and legislation.
2.4
Health and safety hazards are monitored in accordance with company
procedures and legislation.
2.5
Adverse effects on the environment are monitored in accordance with company
procedures and legislation.
2.6
Procedures for extinguishing a drum or pugmill fire are demonstrated in
accordance with operating manuals and company procedures.
2.7
Atmospheric emission control systems are operated and monitored in
accordance with company procedures, and controlled and documented in
accordance with resource consent requirements.
Range
2.8
Spillage containment and treatment systems are operated in accordance with
company procedures, and are controlled and recorded in accordance with
resource consent requirements.
Range
2.9
emissions include – wind-blown dust, exhaust dust, exhaust
gases, odour, noise;
includes where relevant – wet scrubber discharge water.
includes but is not limited to – settling ponds, truck wash, sumps,
separators, drainage system, containment system.
Waste products are controlled, disposed of, monitored, and documented in
accordance with company procedures and resource consent requirements.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
20444 version 2
Page 4 of 6
Outcome 3
Control, monitor, and maintain an asphalt production plant.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Raw materials for asphalt production are stored safely and handled in
accordance with company procedures and manufacturer’s instructions.
3.2
Plant is operated and monitored in accordance with operating manuals,
company procedures, and legislation.
Range
startup, operation, shutdown, and loadout;
includes but is not limited to – safety equipment.
3.3
Process, temperature, and product are controlled in accordance with company
procedures and the temperature ranges of the product being manufactured.
3.4
Bitumen and additives are added to mixes in accordance with plant operating
manual and company procedures.
3.5
Production and process control is documented in accordance with company
procedures.
3.6
Plant is maintained in accordance with legislation, resource consents, operating
manuals, and company procedures for cleanliness, cost effective manufacture,
preventative maintenance, and waste minimisation.
3.7
Plant inspections and maintenance are documented in accordance with
company procedures.
Outcome 4
Operate asphalt transfer, storage, and loadout systems.
Evidence requirements
4.1
Transfer systems, including product delivery vehicles, are operated in
accordance with operating manuals and company procedures.
4.2
Storage and loadout systems are operated and monitored in accordance with
product requirements.
Range
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
monitoring includes but is not limited to – segregation control,
storage time, temperature.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
20444 version 2
Page 5 of 6
Outcome 5
Maintain product and process quality at an asphalt production plant.
Evidence requirements
5.1
Product quality control equipment is calibrated in accordance with operating
manuals and calibration is documented in accordance with company
procedures.
includes but is not limited to – weighbridge, weighfeeder loadcells,
moisture content monitor, meters (bitumen and additive),
temperature.
Range
5.2
Temperature changes are monitored and controlled in accordance with
operating manuals and company procedures.
temperature – stack, bitumen, product.
Range
5.3
Quality control reconciliations are completed, documented, and reported in
accordance with company procedures.
5.4
Reconciliations of purchased and stock materials, and asphalt production and
despatch, are completed and recorded in accordance with company
procedures.
Range
5.5
aggregates, fillers, bitumen, additives, fuel, finished products.
Quality assurance sampling and testing are completed and recorded in
accordance with company procedures and contract specifications.
includes but is not limited to – raw materials, final product.
Range
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 1500.
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
27 October 2005
31 December 2013
Review
2
15 March 2012
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0101
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
20444 version 2
Page 6 of 6
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Infrastructure ITO askus@infratrain.co.nz if you wish to suggest changes to
the content of this unit standard.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016