Qualifications for Blasting Competence

Since the 1980s the United Kingdom has developed a comprehensive range of qualifications based on National Occupational Standards (NOS).

NOS are statements of the standards of performance individuals niust achieve when carrying out functions in the workplace, together with specifications of the underpinning knowledge and understanding. NOS therefore describe what an individual needs to do, know and understand in order to carry out a particular job role or function competently. NOS are developed by the industry in which they are to be used through a process of analysis and consultation.

The first NOS-based competence qualifications, National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and their Scottish equivalents (SVQs) were in effect the NOS with an assessment system added that required individuals to show their competence on real work, in the place of work, observed and judged by an occupational competent and qualified assessor.

The quarrying industry developed its first blasting competence qualifications in 1996 with an NVQ for Shotfirers. The standards and qualifications were subsequently added for explosives storage, face profiling, bulk explosive truck operations, blast design and explosives supervision. These became well established and widely accepted, including an acceptance that they met the requirements for competence demanded by the Quarry Regulations 1999. When standards and qualifications were developed for mining it was found that the same standards could be applied, although assessed in the mining context.

However, the last Labour Government decided to refresh the qualifications systems, making it more flexible and introduce a new system for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to be known as the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). Scotland chose to keep SVQs but put them into a new framework, known as The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). The target date for the replacement of NVQs was set as December 2010.

What is the QCF?

The QCF is a framework for qualifications; it is not a qualification in itself although qualifications within it will show they are part of the framework by the inclusion of (QCF) at the end of the title. It is intended to include all types of qualifications, both academic and vocational.

Each qualification is given a level within the framework, the level being determined by the relative demand, complexity and depth of the achievement, and the degree of autonomy of the learner in demonstrating that achievement. The higher the level, the greater the achievement.

The concept of level is of course familiar to anyone associated with NVQs. However there are more levels in the QCF. The method of determining level has changed but there is an approximate equivalence as shown in the table.

Credit and qualification titles

A new feature in the QCF is the introduction of "credit". QCF qualifications are, like NVQs made up of units, and each unit is given a credit value. Credit is based on an estimate of how long an average learner will take to achieve the unit; 1 credit for each 10 hours of time taken.

For a competence qualification unit it therefore has to include not only the time taken to learn the skills and knowledge, but also the time taken practicing the skills until they can be carried out safely, effectively, efficiently and consistently to the standard. The credit is fixed; the unit counts the same number of credits no matter how quickly or how slowly the learner takes to complete it.
On completion of a unit the learner is entitled to a Unit Certificate of credit.

The credit value of a qualification is the total of the credits in the units within the qualification. The credit value of the qualification then leads to its title:

The title of the qualification in full should therefore give the prospective learner an idea of the subject, degree of difficulty and the time and effort required to achieve it.

So what about blasting NVQs?

Being the awarding organisation for the blasting qualifications the Minerals Products Qualifications Council (mpqc) had to redesign its blasting qualifications to match the QCF design principles. This was done in co-operation with Proskills; the employer led Sector Skills Council responsible for ensuring the Extractives Industry has the standards, qualifications and training appropriate to its specific needs.

When redesigning the qualifications mpqc was tasked to ensure that the new QCF qualifications fully covered the NOS and would be assessed to at least the same standard and rigor as the NVQs they replaced. This was achieved, so that the Extractives Industries have a range of new QCF competence qualifications:

• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Shotfiring for the Extractive and Minerals Processing Industries (QCF)
• Level 2 NVQ Award in Explosives Storage for the Extractive and Minerals Processing Industries (QCF)
• Level 5 NVQ Certificate in Blast Design for the Extractive and Minerals Processing Industries (QCF)
• Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Face Profiling for the Extractive and Minerals Processing Industries (QCF)
• Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Shotfiring Supervision for the
  Extractive and Minerals Processing Industries (QCF)
• Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Bulk Explosive Truck Operations (QCF)
• Level 3 Diploma in Shotfiring in Mining Operations

Construction blasting

BAM Nuttall Ltd works in both the extractives and construction industries and is a highly proactive in the development and delivery of training and qualifications. When undertaking blasting work for the Glendoe hydro-electric scheme tunnels they realised that there were no specific competence
qualifications, but that there was much in common between tunnel blasting and quarry blasting. They therefore approached mpqc to see if suitable qualifications could be developed, based on those BAM Nuttall already used for their quarry blasting personnel. mpqc agreed and a development group was set up amongst contacts known to mpqc and BAM Nuttall. Those attending included representatives from TunnelSkills, ConstructionSkills, Proskills, Institute of Explosives Engineers, Mines Rescue Services and SPG Safety.

The meeting agreed that blasting qualifications for construction were required; even though numbers employed in this field were small, it is a highly specialised safety-critical function where demonstrable competence is essential. On reviewing the existing standards used in extractives it was also agreed that these were suitable for construction, with the addition of construction specific safe working units that were also already available.
With agreement the development was carried in consultation with the interested parties and industry support resulting in new competence qualifications being approved covering blasting operations in tunnelling, demolition and construction diving:

• Level 2 Diploma for Bulk Explosive Truck Operations in a Tunnelling Environment (QCF)
• Level 3 Diploma for Shotfiring In Construction (QCF)
• Level 2 Certificate in Explosives Storage for Construction (QCF)
• Level 5 Diploma in Shotfiring Supervision for Construction (QCF)
• Level 3 Diploma in Blast Design for Construction (QCF)
  
  
  

Article courtesy of Explosives Engineering September 2011