NVQ's in Blasting Operations available through UIE
07 March 2009
The National Vocational Qualification at Level 3 in Blasting Operations is now available through UIE. It is now a requirement to attain or renew a Shotfiring Licence that the holder can demonstrate competence in the activities undertaken. The NVQ in Blasting Operations is one means of validating the required competence.
National Vocation Qualification in Blasting Operations
The activities of handling explosives, designing and firing quarry blasts are clearly tasks which everyone can recognise the need for competence. When competence is lacking during these activities, at best it may result in poor fragmentation, but it could be catastrophic.
A competent employee is one who conducts their work safely, efficiently and effectively. They do the right things and what they do, they do in the correct manner. This is what all employers seek, so that costs arising from rework, safety related incidents or wastage is eliminated. It is therefore cost effective to have competent personnel. Within our industry, handling high consequence dangerous goods, it is incumbent upon all employers to ensure that persons handling explosives are competent, and remain so throughout their shotfiring / management career. Failure to do so could have serious repercussions.
For personnel to become, or continue to be Shotfirers or Explosives Supervisors within N. Ireland, it will be necessary for them to demonstrate that they are competent across the range of activities that the roles require. Competence will be one element within the Shotfiring Licence application process that all personnel handling explosives must demonstrate.
Competence is a combination of relevant knowledge, training, skills and experience in a particular application. It can be obtained in many ways, but having a structure that can demonstrate that the relevant knowledge, training, skills and experience has been gained is essential in verifying a persons competence. The structure generally adopted within the U.K. for vocational competence is the National Vocational Qualification, which now covers most occupations.
“The National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’s) are work-related, competence-based qualifications. They reflect the skills and knowledge needed to do a job effectively, and show that a candidate is competent in the area of work the NVQ represents.They are based on national occupational standards. These standards are statements of performance that describe what competent people in a particular occupation are expected to be able to do. They cover all the main aspects of an occupation, including current best practice, the ability to adapt to future requirements and the knowledge and understanding that underpin competent performance.
NVQs are achieved through assessment and training. Assessment is normally through on-the-job observation and questioning. Candidates produce evidence to prove they have the competence to meet the NVQ standards. Assessors ‘sign-off’ units when the candidates are ready - the assessor tests candidates’ underpinning knowledge, understanding and work-based performance to make sure they can demonstrate competence in the workplace.
When new candidates start an NVQ, the assessor will usually help them to:
§ identify what they can do already
§ agree on the standard and level they are aiming for
§ analyse what they need to learn
§ choose and agree on activities that would allow them to learn what they need.
At this point, candidates might take a course if that seems the best way to learn what they need. Or they might agree with their employer or supervisor to do slightly different work to gain the evidence of competence they need.
Candidates compare their performance with the standards as they learn. They look at what they have achieved, how much they still need to do and how they should go about it, until they are assessed as competent for a unit or a whole NVQ. The system is right for candidates who already have skills and want to increase them, but also for those who are starting from the beginning. As the system is so flexible, new ways of learning can be used immediately.” (*) There are 5 levels of NVQ’s, ranging from Level 1 to Level 5.
Ulster Industrial Explosives is ideally placed to provide explosives users within N. Ireland with the knowledge, training and skills to become competent in shotfiring and explosives supervision. Knowledge and training can be gained through the EPIC approved Shotfiring and Explosives Supervisor courses scheduled throughout the year. Skills and experience can be further developed in association with employers, while progressing through the NVQ process.
The process begins with candidates initially registering for an NVQ Level 3 in Blasting Operations. Your Assessor then arranges an Induction at a mutually convenient time and place to explain the process. Candidates will then be assessed against the National Standard while undertaking blasting operations. The process is likely to take approximately 12 months, but this is only a guide as it depends upon the standard of candidate and the frequency of blasting.
The Blasting Operations standard comprises of 11 individual units, of which 6 mandatory units must be completed to be awarded the NVQ Level 3.
Mandatory Units to achieve an NVQ Level 3 in Blasting Operations comprise of;
BL1 Contribute to an effective blasting environment
BL2 Contribute to health & safety in the blasting workplace
BL4 Receive and handle explosive materials on-site
BL5 Charge blast holes to specification
BL6 Blast to specification
BL7 Deal with misfires
Additional units may be taken. These should be considered in association with the actual duties individual personnel are required to undertake and the competence required to safely undertake other blasting related tasks;
BL3 Receive, store and issue explosives materials
BL8 Determine the blast requirements
BL9 Design and arrange for authorisation of the blast specification
BL10 Produce profiles of rock faces and landforms
BL11 Supervise the blasting operation
For further information on undertaking a Blasting Operations NVQ, please contact;
Ulster Industrial Explosives Ltd,, Unit 1 Kilroot Business Park, Larne Road, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, BT38 7PR, N. Ireland.
Tel. No. 028 9335 1444
Fax No. 028 9335 1474
e-mail courseadmin@uielimited.com
Website www.uielimited.com
(*) Text reproduced with the kind permission of Qualifications & Curriculum Authority
