NZQA Expiring unit standard
17396 version 7
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Title
Demonstrate knowledge of safe working practices in
telecommunications
Level
2
Purpose
Credits
4
This unit standard covers basic instruction in safe working
practices in the telecommunications industry.
People credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate
knowledge of:
–
the fundamental principles of safe working in the
telecommunications industry;
–
evacuation procedures;
–
identification and safe management of hazards in
telecommunications;
–
the safe use of hand and portable electric tools;
–
safe manual handling of loads;
–
the safe use of ladders;
–
fire prevention and control procedures;
–
hazardous substances and associated procedures in
telecommunications;
–
electrical hazards and safety precautions in
telecommunications;
–
safety clothing and associated equipment for use in
telecommunications; and
–
the reporting of electrical accidents.
Classification
Telecommunications > Telecommunications - Service Delivery
This unit standard is
Available grade
Achieved
expiring
Explanatory notes
1
This unit standard has been designed for learning and assessment off-job.
2
References
Electricity Act 1992;
Electricity Regulations 1997;
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996;
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Regulations (various) 1998;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and all associated regulations;
Resource Management Act 1991;
Telecommunications Act 2001;
IEC/TS 60479-1 (2005) Effects of current on human beings and livestock, Part 1 General aspects;
NZS 2772.1:1999A1 Maximum exposure levels - 3 kHz to 300 GHz;
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
17396 version 7
Page 2 of 8
New Zealand Electrical Codes of Practice (Ministry of Economic Development, ISSN
0114-0663);
Safe Working Practices for Electricians and Electrical Workers (Wellington: Ministry
of Commerce, 1990);
Safety Manual - Electricity Industry (SM-EI) (Parts 1 & 2 & 3) (2004). Available from
the Electricity Engineers’ Association New Zealand. http://www.eea.co.nz, PO Box
5324, Wellington;
and their subsequent amendments and replacements.
3
Definitions
Associated equipment – the meaning as assigned to it in Section 2 of the Electricity
Act 1992 with items listed in Regulation 35 of the Electricity Regulations 1997 and
includes - insulating gloves, screens, stands, mats, boots and protective covers;
safety belts; ladders; ropes for pole top rescue.
Current regulations and standards – requirements of the above legislation and codes,
applied to the context in which the term is used.
Enterprise procedures – procedures which an enterprise requires employees to
follow in order to meet its obligations.
Industry practice – those practices which competent practitioners within the industry
recognise as current industry best practice.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental principles of safe working in the
telecommunications industry.
Evidence requirements
1.1
1.2
The responsibilities of the individual in relation to personal safety and the safety
of others are stated in accordance with Section 19 of the Health and Safety in
Employment Act 1992.
This unit standard is
The warning and reporting procedures used for hazardous situations in the
workplace are explainedexpiring
in accordance with the Health and Safety in
Employment Act 1992 and its regulations.
1.3
The concept of prescribed electrical work is explained, and the types of persons
authorised to do such work are identified, in accordance with current
regulations.
1.4
The importance of planning all work and of communicating clearly with others is
explained.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of evacuation procedures.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Exit points, escape routes and assembly points are identified.
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2.2
17396 version 7
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Evacuation procedures are identified, and followed in accordance with
documented enterprise procedures.
Outcome 3
Demonstrate knowledge of identification and safe management of hazards in
telecommunications.
Range
management of hazards – Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and its
regulations; elimination, isolation, and minimisation of hazards in that order as
practicable; use of hazard control plans.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Hazards likely to be encountered on or near telecommunications work sites are
identified and the general means of managing each safely is stated.
Range
3.2
Hazards likely to arise from types of telecommunications work are identified and
the general means of managing each safely is stated.
Range
3.3
3.4
hazards include but are not limited to – live electrical plant and
equipment, including overhead lines and cables, and
telecommunications power supplies; battery rooms; confined
spaces; hazardous gases and atmospheres; types of poles and
falling distances; vehicular traffic; trenches.
hazards include but are not limited to – work near
telecommunications power supplies; hazards associated with
operating plant and equipment; trenching; working with hazardous
substances including battery acid, asbestos, kerosene, isopropyl
alcohol, polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), lead of lead-sheathed
cables, bare fibre ends, live fibre cable.
This unit standard is
International symbols warning of presence of radiation and of laser beams are
identified.
expiring
The dangers and safeguards associated with working in the presence of
electromagnetic radiation in the vicinity of transmitting antennas and laser
beams are explained in accordance with industry practice and NZS
2772.1:1999.
Outcome 4
Demonstrate knowledge of the safe use of hand and portable electric tools.
Evidence requirements
4.1
The practices relating to the safe use of hand tools are stated.
Range
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use of protective clothing and equipment, fitness for purpose, tool
condition.
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NZQA Expiring unit standard
4.2
17396 version 7
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The practices relating to the safe use of portable electric tools are stated.
Range
use of protective clothing and equipment, fitness for purpose, tool
condition, sharp tool bits, use of isolating transformer and residual
current devices, condition of supply leads.
Outcome 5
Demonstrate knowledge of safe manual handling of loads.
Evidence requirements
5.1
Correct posture and load gripping is maintained when lifting and shifting loads.
Range
5.2
use of leg muscles, load kept close, gripped at load front,
controlling movement.
Work area is arranged to minimise the likelihood of accidents and injuries.
Range
table and bench heights, heavy loads lifted from and set down at
carrying height wherever possible, walkways wide and kept clear
of obstructions.
Outcome 6
Demonstrate knowledge of the safe use of ladders.
Evidence requirements
6.1
Ladder types are selected to meet job requirements and are moved, erected
and used according to industry practice.
This
istrestle ladder;
types –unit
step ladder, standard
single ladder, extension ladder,
erection and use include but are not limited to – suitable support,
sufficient space
for placement, four to one rule, use of non wireexpiring
reinforced wooden or fibreglass stile ladders only near live
Range
electrical plant and equipment, avoidance of standing on top two
steps, use of blocks or assistant at base for additional stability,
avoidance of foot slipping.
6.2
Ladder defects are identified, recorded, and reported according to industry
practice.
Range
cracks, splinters, loose hinges, loose rungs, missing bolts, rivets,
rungs or other parts, worn ropes, deterioration.
Outcome 7
Demonstrate knowledge of fire prevention and control procedures.
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 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
17396 version 7
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Evidence requirements
7.1
Possible causes and types of fire encountered in telecommunications work are
identified.
Range
7.2
simple combustion theory – fuel, oxygen, ignition; paper, wood,
textiles, flammable liquid or gas; electrical equipment.
Simple fire extinguishing theory is explained and extinguishing agents suitable
for different types of fire are identified.
Range
theory – use of smothering and cooling to remove or reduce
oxygen supply and heat;
extinguishing agents – water including fog, carbon dioxide, foam.
7.3
The importance of disconnecting power supplies to burning electrical plant or
equipment is explained.
7.4
The danger of toxic gases given off by fires in electrical plant and equipment is
identified and the measures to be taken to deal with such gases are explained.
Range
7.5
avoidance of exposure to combustion products, breathing
apparatus, ventilation away of smoke and gaseous products.
Use of fire extinguishers is demonstrated according to manufacturers’ operating
instructions.
Range
water, carbon dioxide, foam.
Outcome 8
This unit standard is
Evidence requirements
expiring
8.1
Hazardous substances likely to be encountered during telecommunications
Demonstrate knowledge of hazardous substances and associated procedures in
telecommunications.
work are identified.
Range
8.2
Procedures for the reporting, handling, storing and disposal of hazardous
substances are described.
Range
8.3
hazardous substances include but are not limited to – chemicals,
battery acid, polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in old transformers and
capacitors, sodium and mercury from metal vapour lamps and
rectifiers, lead of lead-sheathed cables, fibre from fibre cables.
procedures include reference to – use of protective clothing and
equipment, disposable overalls, rags and sawdust, safe storage in
sealed containers, fibre disposal, use of disposal specialists.
Procedures for dealing with spills of hazardous substances are described.
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NZQA Expiring unit standard
17396 version 7
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Outcome 9
Demonstrate knowledge of electrical hazards and safety precautions in
telecommunications.
Evidence requirements
9.1
The nature of electric shock is explained with reference to the effects of voltage
and current on the human body.
9.2
Potential sources of electric shock in telecommunications are identified, and
descriptions given as to how these sources may cause electric shocks to
telecommunications workers.
Range
9.3
The safety procedures for the prevention of electric shock are outlined.
Range
9.4
contact between telecommunications drop wires and power lines,
induction from power lines into parallel telephone wires on shared
poles, high voltage flashover, earth potential rise, insulation
breakdown in equipment.
switching off supply, provision of protective equipment at main
distribution frames, bonding of conductors, bonding to earth,
tagging, use of insulating gloves or tools, use of earth continuity
conductors to operate protection, use of isolating transformers,
use of residual current devices, understanding the safety
requirements for controlling touch and step voltages.
The hazards of uncontrolled short circuit or earth fault currents are explained.
This unit standard is
expiring
Range
Outcome 10
rapid heating of conductors and plant, immediate heating of air if
arcing occurs, flash burns to eyes or skin, control by fast operation
of fuses or protective relays to open circuit breakers.
Demonstrate knowledge of safety clothing and associated equipment for use in
telecommunications.
Evidence requirements
10.1
Commonly used personal items of safety clothing are listed and their purposes
stated.
Range
10.2
overalls, safety spectacles, protective gloves, safety boots, safety
helmet, fall arrest devices.
Checking, inspection, and care requirements of personal safety clothing are
stated.
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Range
10.3
checks of appearance and correct operation before every use;
cleaning whenever dirty; periodic inspections; replacement when
damaged, worn out or deemed to have lost adequate protective
function.
Commonly used items of associated equipment are listed and their purposes
stated.
Range
10.4
17396 version 7
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items include but are not limited to – insulating gloves, screens,
mats, stands, boots, protective covers, safety belts, non-wirereinforced wood and fibreglass ladders, ropes, temporary earthing
fittings.
Inspection and care requirements of associated equipment are stated.
Range
checks of appearance and correct operation before every use;
cleaning whenever dirty; regular inspections, especially as per
regulations; regular maintenance, repair and replacement as
required; regular testing of integrity and adequacy of strength or
insulation as required by regulations; clear labelling of defective
equipment items to prevent inadvertent use.
Outcome 11
Demonstrate knowledge of the reporting of electrical accidents.
Evidence requirements
11.1
The types of electrical accidents that must be reported are stated in accordance
with current regulations.
This unit standard is
expiring
Replacement information
This unit standard and unit standard 17490 have been
11.2
The procedures and details of reporting electrical accidents are stated in
accordance with current regulations.
replaced by unit standard 27911.
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by
the last date for assessment set out below.
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17396 version 7
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Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
30 May 2000
31 December 2016
Revision
2
3 April 2001
31 December 2016
Revision
3
10 October 2002
31 December 2016
Rollover and
Revision
4
21 November 2008
Review
5
18 July 2013
31 December 2016
Rollover
6
17 April 2014
31 December 2016
Rollover
7
16 April 2015
31 December 2018
31 December 2016
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0003
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.
This unit standard is
expiring
The Skills Organisation
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