NZQA registered unit standard
8920 version 8
Page 1 of 5
Title
Design blasting layouts and carry out shotfiring in an underground
metalliferous mine
Level
4
Credits
30
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: determine
factors which influence the layout design for blasting; determine
blast design; design shot loading and firing; load and fire shots;
carry out post-shotfiring procedures; and plan for dealing with
deteriorated explosives, in an underground metalliferous mine.
Classification
Metalliferous Mining > Underground Metalliferous Mining
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Unit 21281, Interpret and test for gases in an underground
extraction site, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1
Performance of the outcomes of this unit standard must comply with the following
enactments and codes:
Health and Safety in Employment (HSE) Act 1992;
Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995;
Health and Safety in Employment (Mining Operations and Quarrying Operations)
Regulations 2013;
approved codes of practice issued pursuant to the HSE Act;
WorkSafe New Zealand Act 2013;
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996;
HSNO Regulations 2001 – Hazardous Substances (Classes 1 to 5 Controls),
Hazardous Substances (Identification), Hazardous Substances (Packaging),
Hazardous Substances (Disposal), Hazardous Substances (Emergency
Management), Hazardous Substances (Tracking);
Occupational Safety and Health guidelines, such as those available through
http://www.business.govt.nz/healthandsafetygroup/.
2
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is responsible for assessing and
approving hazardous substances and, where appropriate, setting controls on the way
the substances are used. Any questions relating to the provisions for hazardous
substances should be directed to EPA New Zealand.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
8920 version 8
Page 2 of 5
3
All statutory and authority requirements must include the latest amendments, and
any replacement legislation.
4
Definitions
Site requirements and company procedures mean the documented methods for
performing work activities and include health and safety, operational, environmental,
and quality management requirements. They may refer to manuals, codes of
practice, or policy statements.
Industry best practice refers to those practices which competent practitioners within
the industry recognise as current industry best practice. These may be documented
in management plans, company procedures, managers’ rules, occupational health
and safety policy, industry guidelines, codes of practice, manufacturers’ instructions,
and safe working and/or job procedures (or equivalent).
5
This unit standard is intended for, but is not limited to, workplace assessment.
6
Joint assessment is required for this unit standard, which has been considered as
critical by the NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Incorporated) (MITO)
because of the high degree of risk. Please contact MITO for further information
about the requirements of joint assessment.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Determine factors which influence the layout design for blasting in an underground
metalliferous mine.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Product requirements are determined in accordance with industry best practice.
Range
1.2
Factors involved in producing material to product requirements are determined
and documented in accordance with industry best practice.
Range
1.3
rock type, rock size, rock quantity.
face height, drill type available, muck pile to suit machine, hole
size, burdens and spacing, blasting restrictions, initiation method,
angle or vertical holes, hole depth, explosives, blast-hole pattern.
Ground conditions, rock strength, water, and geological conditions, are
assessed in relation to the layout design for blasting.
Outcome 2
Determine blast design in an underground metalliferous mine.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
8920 version 8
Page 3 of 5
Evidence requirements
2.1
Blast size and initiators to be used are determined in accordance with industry
best practice.
2.2
Blast design is determined in accordance with site requirements and safety
considerations.
2.3
Locations of charge holes in benches are set and documented in accordance
with the blast design requirements.
2.4
Locations of charge holes in faces are determined in relation to the required
blast plan.
2.5
Explosives and initiation are selected in accordance with job requirements, blast
design specifications, geological conditions, and current regulations.
Outcome 3
Design shot loading and firing in an underground metalliferous mine.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Position of charge holes, set out, and drilling are determined in accordance with
the blast design.
Range
3.2
Shot loading is designed in accordance with industry best practice.
Range
3.3
blast-hole diameter, blast-hole pattern, blast-hole depth, spacing,
charge distribution, covering of charges, alignment.
includes but is not limited to – explosive type, wet or dry holes,
powder factors, detonators, drillers’ observations, initiation system;
may include – loading equipment for ANFO (ammonium nitrate
fuel oil), ANE (ammonium nitrate emulsion) pumping.
Shotfiring sequence is determined in accordance with industry best practice and
the desired outcome from the blast round.
Range
initiation sequence, delays, sequence design, inspection of wiring,
size of blast.
3.4
Safety plan for shot loading and firing is determined in accordance with the blast
design.
3.5
Documentation related to blast design is completed in accordance with industry
best practice and/or company procedures.
Outcome 4
Load and fire shots in an underground metalliferous mine.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
8920 version 8
Page 4 of 5
Evidence requirements
4.1
Safety requirements for transportation, storage, and control of explosives are
determined and documented in accordance with HSNO Regulations 2001and
industry best practice.
4.2
Shot holes are checked prior to loading for fractures, closure, and presence of
gases, and defective holes are redrilled.
4.3
Shot holes are loaded in accordance with the blast plan.
Range
may include – prime, load, stem.
4.4
Firing sequence is checked and verified in accordance with the blast plan.
4.5
Area is cleared and final safety procedures are implemented in accordance with
industry best practice.
Range
personnel retired from blast area, warnings, shelter, entry, exits,
blast guards, tag board.
4.6
Shots are initiated in accordance with site blast plan.
4.7
Area is ventilated in accordance with industry best practice.
Range
fans on, smoke cleared, smoke fume hazard identified and
checked, safe to return to area check completed.
Outcome 5
Carry out post-shotfiring procedures in an underground metalliferous mine.
Evidence requirements
5.1
Post-shotfiring safety procedures are carried out in accordance with industry
best practice.
Range
ventilation, gas detection, ground stability, hazards.
5.2
Procedures for misfires, where required, are initiated and carried out in
accordance with industry best practice.
5.3
All clear signal is given in accordance with industry best practice.
5.4
Explosives and initiators are returned and documentation completed in
accordance with industry best practice.
Outcome 6
Plan for dealing with deteriorated explosives in an underground metalliferous mine.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
8920 version 8
Page 5 of 5
Evidence requirements
6.1
A plan for the removal and/or destruction of deteriorated explosives is
determined in accordance with industry best practice.
Planned review date
31 December 2017
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
18 December 1996
31 December 2017
Revision
2
18 December 1998
31 December 2017
Review
3
25 November 2000
31 December 2017
Review
4
19 April 2002
31 December 2017
Review
5
24 November 2005
31 December 2017
Review
6
18 March 2011
31 December 2017
Reinstatement
7
17 October 2013
31 December 2017
Review
8
22 August 2014
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0114
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 NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Incorporated) (MITO)
info@mito.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016