ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION ACTION PLAN
for Cranes and Lifting Equipment
(version 5)
Contact
Chief Executive
The Skills Organisation
Freepost 5164
PO Box 24469
Royal Oak
Auckland 1345
Telephone
Fax
Email
Website
09 525 2590
09 525 2591
info@skills.org.nz
http://www.skills.org.nz
Service Sector > Cranes
Domain
Standard IDs
Crane Inspection
3823
Crane Maintenance and Servicing
3802-3804, 3807, 3812, 27674, 27675
Crane Operation
3787, 3788, 3790-3792, 3794, 3795,
3797, 3799, 3800, 16617, 20208, 20209,
20527-20529, 20864, 20865, 23351,
24509-24511, 25737, 26505, 26590,
27672, 27676
Service Sector > Lifting Equipment
Domain
Standard IDs
Rigging
23448-23450
Service Sector > Stevedoring and Ports Industry
Domain
Standard IDs
Port Machinery Operations
20585, 20586
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ACCREDITATION INFORMATION (AI)
Introduction
The purpose of the Accreditation Information (AI) is to set out the nature of the
accreditation process and involvement of the standard setting body (SSB) in the
process, and to set out the SSB’s industry or sector-specific requirements for a
tertiary education organisation (TEO)1 or school’s quality systems in relation to the
criteria for accreditation.
Standard Setting Body involvement in accreditation process
Level 2
Evaluation of documentation by NZQA and industry.
Level 3 and above
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Visit waiver conditions
Conditions under which The Skills Organisation may waive their involvement in an
accreditation visit:
a
When the application for accreditation has been developed in consultation with
The Skills Organisation; or
b
When the applicant organisation’s history of teaching and assessment against
related unit standards is well known to The Skills Organisation.
Areas of shared responsibility
None.
Fees schedule for SSB involvement in accreditation process
The fees schedule is applicable to all applications for accreditation received by NZQA
from 1 November 2004. However, the SSB may choose to charge lower fees for
their involvement in accreditation. Contact the SSB for further information.
Additional fees can be charged by NZQA, the Institutes of Technology and
Polytechnics Quality (ITP Quality), and the Committee for University Academic
Programmes (CUAP) for involvement in accreditation. Contact the relevant quality
assurance body (QAB) for information.
General requirements for accreditation
These are the general requirements for accreditation of providers gazetted in 1993.
Applicants should consult their QAB (NZQA, ITP Quality, or CUAP) for detailed
requirements.
1
Tertiary education organisation (TEO) includes public and private tertiary education providers,
industry training organisations, government training organisations, and other providers.
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Criterion 1
Development and evaluation of teaching programmes
There is a system for developing coherent teaching programmes and for their
evaluation, which should include evaluation by learners/consumers.
Criterion 2
Financial, administrative and physical resources
Adequate and appropriate financial and administrative resources will be maintained
to enable all necessary activities to be carried out.
Adequate, appropriate and accessible physical resources will be available for
supporting students to meet the required standards.
Criterion 3
Staff selection, appraisal and development
A teaching staff with the necessary knowledge and skills will be maintained through
staff selection, appraisal, and development.
Criterion 4
Student entry
There is a system for establishing and clearly publicising student entry requirements
that include no unreasonable barriers.
Criterion 5
Student guidance and support systems
Students have adequate access to appropriate guidance and support systems.
Criterion 6
Off-site practical or work-based components
There are arrangements for ensuring that any off-site practical or work-based
components are fully integrated into the relevant programmes.
Criterion 7
Assessment
There is a system for ensuring that assessment is fair, valid, and consistent.
Criterion 8
Reporting
There is a system for providing students with fair and regular feedback on progress
and fair reporting on final achievements, with an associated appeals procedure.
There is a reliable system for archiving information on final student achievements.
Industry or sector-specific requirements for accreditation
The Skills Organisation welcomes inquiries from TEOs and schools wishing to
become accredited to assess against unit standards covered by this AMAP.
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Criterion 1
Development and evaluation of teaching programmes
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure:
 links with industry are established and maintained; this may be through an
advisory group;
 there is industry input into the development and review of training programmes;
 the safety of students, tutors, and other people for Power-operated Elevating
Work Platforms, Crane Operation and Port Machinery Operations unit standards,
particularly when cranes, gantries, and Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms
(EWPs) are being used.
Criterion 2
Financial, administrative and physical resources
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure that
students are adequately trained to meet the requirements of health and safety
legislation which includes the safe use of all plant, and where relevant, knowledge of
approved codes of practice which include Approved Code of Practice for Cranes, and
OSH Approved Code of Practice for Load-Lifting Rigging.
Criterion 3
Staff selection, appraisal and development
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure:
 teaching and/or assessing staff have at least 12 months relevant industry
experience, and hold relevant qualification(s) equal to or higher than the level of
the unit standards that they are required to assess against;
 teaching and/or assessing staff have suitable industry technical and commercial
skills, which would be gained, for example, through recent and concurrent
experience in the crane or elevating work platform industries;
 teaching and/or assessor staff keep up to date with current industry trends and
techniques.
Criterion 6
Off-site practical or work-based components
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure a
Memorandum of Understanding or contract with off-site providers exists where
students are required to receive training and assessment in an off-site practical or
work experience situation. The Memorandum of Understanding or contract must
clearly state:
 the nature of the training and/or experience the students are to receive, and how
this is integrated into the programme;
 responsibilities for the health and safety of students;
 responsibilities for carrying out assessment and reporting of credit.
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Non-compliance with accreditation requirements
Where there is evidence of non-compliance with the requirements for accreditation
the QAB (NZQA, ITP Quality, or CUAP) will seek remedial action. In cases where
this action is ineffective and non-compliance continues, or in cases of repeated noncompliance, the QAB will take action that can ultimately lead to the withdrawal of
accreditation.
Implementation
The Skills Organisation is able to provide sufficient trained participants to service the
requirements of accreditation processes.
MODERATION INFORMATION (MI)
A centrally established and directed national moderation system has been set up by
The Skills Organisation.
Introduction
The purpose of the Moderation Information (MI) is to provide details on the national
external moderation system, developed by The Skills Organisation, to ensure that
assessment decisions of accredited TEOs and schools are consistent with the
national standard. All accredited TEOs and schools assessing against the standards
in this Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) must meet the requirements
for moderation outlined in this MI.
Moderation System
Responsibilities of participants in the system
The Skills Organisation coordinate the development of assessment materials and
schedules that promote valid, consistent and fair assessment decisions. These are
available free of charge to accredited organisations. Accredited organisations should
contact The Skills Organisation for copies of assessment materials and schedules.
The Skills Organisation will appoint a Moderation Committee each year. The
Moderation Committee will be responsible for the implementation of the moderation
system. The Skills Organisation will ensure that committee members represent the
specialist areas covered by this AMAP, and the various regions of New Zealand.
The National Moderator will chair the Moderation Committee to monitor the
moderation system. The Moderation Committee will meet as required to organise
and evaluate the moderation process.
The National Moderator will provide advice and direction on moderation activities,
and provide pro forma documentation to support the national external moderation
system.
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The Moderation Committee will organise the pre-assessment and post-assessment
moderation activities.
The Moderation Committee will report to The Skills Organisation on the
implementation of the moderation system.
Accredited organisations will participate in the national external moderation system
by:
 supplying for moderation representative samples of assessment materials and/or
assessed student work when requested by the National Moderator;
 facilitating visits by a member of the Moderation Committee when requested.
Accredited organisations will supply the Moderation Committee with an Annual
Assessment Plan by the end of February each year, setting out the unit standards
they intend to assess against. The Moderation Committee will select unit standards
for moderation and advise accredited organisations by providing a Moderation
Schedule for the year during the first quarter of the year.
The following will be taken into consideration when selecting standards for
moderation:



all critical standards, e.g. those standards that are identified as having an impact
on health and safety;
a spread of domains, levels and high use unit standards;
unit standards that have previously been the subject of moderation concerns.
Pre-assessment moderation
Accredited organisations are encouraged to use assessment materials supplied by
The Skills Organisation.
If accredited organisations choose to design their own assessment materials, then
these must be submitted to The Skills Organisation for pre-assessment moderation
and approval prior to use. The National Moderator will check whether the
assessment material will enable assessment decisions that are consistent with the
national standard and supply a report to the accredited organisation. If there is any
doubt as to the suitability of the assessment material, the National Moderator may
arrange a visit free of charge to the accredited organisation to provide guidance for
changes required, and to provide support in the development of suitable assessment
material, or amendments to existing material. Following an unsuitable submission
the amended material must be resubmitted to The Skills Organisation for checking
and approval.
Where the National Moderator has provided support in the
development of suitable assessment material it will be checked by another member
of the Moderation Committee. The time taken for checking will be charged to the
accredited organisation at $100 plus GST per hour.
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Post-assessment moderation
In situations where The Skills Organisation considers an accredited organisation has
a history of good national external moderation results, The Skills Organisation may
consider reducing the post-assessment moderation requirements outlined below.
Approximately 20% of the unit standards the accredited organisation has assessed
against will be moderated by mail or by a site visit. Accredited organisations will be
requested to submit assessment samples for each unit standard selected for
moderation by mail. Details regarding the assessment samples that are required to
be submitted for moderation will be contained in the annual moderation schedule. A
site visit is required to verify/moderate assessment against the practical unit
standards. Accredited organisations will be advised in advance of the requirements
for this verification. The cost of the site visit will be paid for by The Skills
Organisation.
A moderation report will be provided to the accredited organisation at the completion
of all moderation activities. The report is a compilation of the individual reports for
each standard moderated by mail or site visit, and a summary of all findings. If any
issues are identified assistance will be provided by The Skills Organisation to remedy
the issues.
Reporting
The Skills Organisation is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of its national
external moderation system, and for providing an annual report to NZQA.
The National Moderator will produce a report annually for the Board of The Skills
Organisation on the national external moderation system. The report will include an
evaluation of the operation and effectiveness of the moderation system. Individual
accredited organisations may be invited to contribute written submissions to the
National Moderator for this report. This report may include recommendations for
improvements to the system.
Funding
Moderation activities will be funded by the national moderation transfer from NZQA,
industry contributions, and any fees charged (see ‘pre-assessment moderation’).
Non-compliance with moderation requirements
Non-compliance in meeting the requirements of this moderation system will result in
further action by The Skills Organisation. Ongoing unresolved non-compliance will
be referred to the appropriate QAB (NZQA, ITP Quality, or CUAP). Ultimately the
QAB may withdraw accreditation.
Information on non-compliance in meeting the requirements of this moderation
system may come from a variety of sources including National Moderator reports.
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Non-compliance will be dealt with initially by the Moderation Committee which will
seek to clarify the nature and extent of the non-compliance. This may require a site
visit.
Once the extent of non-compliance is determined, the Moderation Committee will
specify in writing actions to be taken for the accredited organisation to become
compliant and the time frame by which this is to be achieved. The Skills
Organisation may increase the number of unit standards, and/or evidence, required
for moderation until compliance is achieved.
Ongoing non-compliance will result in the non-compliance being reported to the
Board of The Skills Organisation.
Appeals
Should an accredited organisation wish to appeal a moderation decision it must
lodge the complaint in writing with the Chief Executive of The Skills Organisation
within 10 working days of receipt of the decision in dispute, clearly stating the
grounds for appeal.
The Chief Executive will pass the information to the Convenor of the Appeals
Committee within five working days of receipt of the appeal.
The Appeals Committee will consider the complaint and make a decision supporting
or overturning the moderation outcome within 20 working days after receipt of the
information from the Chief Executive.
The Appeals Committee’s response will be conveyed in writing to the appellant.
Should the Appeals Committee be unable to arrive at a consensus, the Board of The
Skills Organisation will arrange for an independent arbiter. The arbiter’s decision will
be final and binding to all parties.
NQF Registration Information
Process
Registration
Revision
Review
Review
Review
Version
1
2
3
4
5
Date
April 1995
May 1998
March 2000
November 2006
May 2009
The next AMAP review is planned to take place during 2014.
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