NZQA registered unit standard
10543 version 5
Page 1 of 4
Title
Plan, identify and protect underground services during excavation
and reinstatement
Level
3
Credits
10
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: plan to
excavate an underground site; confirm location of existing
underground utility services; and prepare for and monitor
excavation and reinstatement to protect underground utility
services.
Classification
Electricity Supply > Electricity Supply - Distribution Networks
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Unit 18038, Demonstrate knowledge of and apply health and
safety in the electricity supply environment, or demonstrate
equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1
This unit standard is intended for, but not restricted to, workplace assessment. The
range statements within the unit standard can be applied according to enterprise
specific equipment, procedures and processes.
2
Safety of personnel and plant must be a priority throughout the assessment. If the
safety requirements are not met the assessment must stop and the candidate will be
assessed as not yet competent.
3
Performance and work practices in relation to the outcomes and evidence
requirements must comply with all current legislation, especially the
Electricity Act 1992 and any subsequent amendments, and any regulations, codes of
practice recognised under that statute, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992,
the Resource Management Act 1991, and their subsequent amendments, electricity
supply industry codes of practice and documented enterprise procedures. These
include the latest version of, Safety Manual – Electricity Industry (SM-EI) Wellington:
Electricity Engineers’ Association.
A full list of current legislation and industry codes is available from:
Infrastructure Industry Training Organisation
PO Box 1245
Hamilton 3240.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
10543 version 5
Page 2 of 4
4
The phrase in accordance with industry requirements is implicit in all outcomes and
evidence requirements in this unit standard.
5
Definitions
Industry requirements include all asset owner requirements; manufacturers’
specifications; and enterprise requirements which cover the documented workplace
policies, procedures, specifications, business, and quality management requirements
relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out.
Asset owner refers to the owner of an electricity supply network that takes its point of
supply from Transpower NZ, and delivers electricity to industrial, commercial and
residential customers.
6
‘Underground services’ may include but are not limited to – electricity, gas, water,
telecommunications.
7
‘Industry codes’ which apply to this unit standard include but are not limited to – Code
of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management 4th ed (2012) Wellington: available at
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/code-temp-traffic-management/;
Guide for Safety with Underground Services (2002) Wellington: Occupational Safety
and Health Services, Department of Labour, available at
http://www.business.govt.nz/worksafe/information-guidance/all-guidanceitems/underground-services-guide-for-safety-with/underground.pdf.
8
Assessment of practical skills against the outcomes in this unit standard requires
three practical observations from three different workplace activities.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Plan to excavate an underground site.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Work instructions are accepted in the form of a job sheet.
1.2
Work instructions and underground service plans are interpreted.
Range
1.3
site plan clarity, access to documents, existing underground
service plans, and reference to any standards or guides for safety
underground services.
Work environment is identified and reviewed.
Range
hazards, ground conditions, traffic, work location.
1.4
Safe working zone is established.
1.5
Work equipment is checked.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
10543 version 5
Page 3 of 4
Outcome 2
Confirm location of existing underground utility services.
Range
electrical cables; gas pipes; telecommunication cables; waste water, storm
water, water pipes; traffic signals; documented local land owners plant.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Location and identity of existing underground services are confirmed.
Range
hand digging, visual identification.
2.2
Work instructions are reviewed against actual location of existing underground
utility services, with any proposed changes to instructions identified and
relevant parties notified.
2.3
Approval to proceed with excavation is obtained.
Outcome 3
Prepare for and monitor excavation and reinstatement to protect underground utility
services.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Method of excavation and reinstatement is determined and machinery, plant,
and equipment are selected in accordance with site conditions and work
instructions.
Range
manual, mechanical.
3.2
Excavation is marked out in accordance with approved route and work
instructions.
3.3
Excavation and reinstatement process is monitored and underground services
are protected.
Planned review date
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
31 December 2019
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
10543 version 5
Page 4 of 4
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
19 June 1997
31 December 2016
Review
2
21 November 2001
31 December 2016
Revision
3
10 September 2004
31 December 2016
Review
4
21 August 2009
31 December 2016
Review
5
18 September 2014
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0120
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
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 the Infrastructure Industry Training Organisation
qualifications@infrastructureito.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this
unit standard.
Infrastructure ITO
SSB Code 101813
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016