SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Plan sampling and analysis 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
115099  Plan sampling and analysis 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Occupational Health and Safety 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services Preventive Health 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular-Fundamental  Level 2  NQF Level 02 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 
2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This Unit Standard requires learners to be able to undertake supervised environmental assessments.

Learners credited with this Unit Standard are capable of:
  • Liaising with relevant persons to make suitable arrangements for sampling and analysis and confirming dates and times for environmental assessments.
  • Gathering information for assessing environmental media to be sampled and analysed.
  • Identifying approved and appropriate sampling and analytical methods, laboratories and procedures.
  • Making effective preparations for environmental sampling and analysis that meet specified requirements. 

  • LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Credits assigned to this Unit Standard are based on the assumption that learners can read, write and communicate in one of the official languages at NQF Level 1, and are mathematically literate at NQF Level 1 or equivalent. 

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    N/A 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Make arrangements for sampling and analysis for environmental assessments. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Arrangements for environmental sampling and analysis are suitable for relevant parties. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Liaising with relevant parties in the modes or oral and written communication is professional and meets requirements of specific contexts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Dates and times for environmental sampling and analysis are confirmed with interested parties. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Confirmation includes written communication. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Assess the environmental media to be sampled and analysed by gathering information. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Contaminants of concern are accurately identified. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The need for screening samples is determined by establishing whether sufficient and reliable evidence of contamination exists. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The environmental media to be sampled and analysed are assessed against specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The environmental media to be sampled and analysed are identified by gathering historical information according to specified requirements. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Identify approved and appropriate sampling and analytical methods, laboratories and procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The number, nature and location of samples to be taken are determined according to specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Approved and appropriate sampling and analytical methods and requirements are identified according to specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Laboratories are identified according to specified requirements. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Prepare for environmental sampling and analysis that meet specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Preparations for environmental sampling and analysis are made according to specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Sampling containers identified and prepared are appropriate for specified sampling. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Sampling containers identified and prepared include appropriate preservatives where necessary. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Numbering for sampling containers is unique. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Field note forms and test sample sheets are appropriate for sampling requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Equipment inspection ensures that it is in good condition and operating. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    In-house calibration of equipment is undertaken where necessary. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8 
    External equipment calibration certificates are checked for currency and validity. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 9 
    Preparation of containerisation for the transportation of samples is approved and appropriate for sampling specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 10 
    Personal protective equipment required for environmental sampling and analysis is identified according to specified requirements. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Assessment of learner achievements takes place at providers accredited by a relevant ETQA (RSA, 1998b) for the provision of programmes that result in the outcomes specified for this Unit Standard. Anyone assessing a learner against this Unit Standard must be registered as an assessor with a relevant ETQA. Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this Unit Standard must be accredited as a provider with a relevant ETQA. The relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures will oversee moderation of assessment and is responsible for moderation of learner achievements of learners who meet the requirements of this Unit Standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Learners are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the learner's performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the Unit Standard.

    Credited learners understand and can explain:
  • Types of detection and measurement methodologies for sampling and analysis data.
  • Limitations of various detection and measuring methodologies.
  • Effects that sampling and analysis data have on the health and safety of people
  • Importance of sampling and analysis data.
  • Circumstances that necessitate evaluating sampling and analysis data.
  • Use of instruments and accessories.
  • Instruments' and their accessories' principle of operation, range, use and limitations.
  • Importance of examining and calibrating instruments.
  • Safe handling and use of specified instruments.
  • Consequences for health, safety and productivity of dealing with defective and used equipment, continuously assessing health and safety hazards and risks, dangers of accessing sites without meeting access requirements, examining and correctly using personal protective equipment, testing for gas according to specified requirements, compliance with exposure levels, dealing with conditions, environmental factors, and limitations that can influence readings, evaluating test results and taking appropriate action.
  • Occupational exposure limits and limits for sampling and analysis data.
  • Action to be taken when sampling and analysis data are encountered outside legal exposure levels.
  • Conditions, environmental factors, and limitations that can influence readings. 

  • UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Solve problems related to the detection, and recording of sampling and analysis data by implementing remedial and preventative measures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as a member of a team/group/organisation/community by accepting, interpreting and delegating instructions correctly, if and when required, in a context-appropriate manner. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively by meeting specified requirements, recording test results in specified formats, and taking appropriate action where necessary. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, organise and critically evaluate information to correct for conditions, environmental factors, and limitations that can influence readings, interpret information obtained, and take appropriate action. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematics and language skills in the modes of oral and written presentations to record and report test results. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically (showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others) to select the appropriate methods and instruments for testing for sampling and analysis data. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by taking appropriate actions based on the evaluation of test results and reporting results to relevant designated persons, confirming that a specific observation, inference, action or decision can have an interrelated effect. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this Unit Standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the learner competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the learner is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this Unit Standard, that the learner can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 

  • REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Legal requirements:

    Specified requirements include legal requirements and are contained in one or more of the following documents:
  • OHS Act and Regulations 85/1993
  • Mine Health and Safety Act and Regulations 29/1996
  • Guideline for mandatory Codes of Practice

    Site-specific requirements:

    Specified requirements include site-specific requirements and are contained in one or more of the following documents:
  • Managerial instructions
  • Codes of Practice
  • Company Standards
  • Standard Task Procedures
  • Health Management Program
  • Risk Assessment Documentation
  • Working Guides
  • Manufacturers' specifications 

  • QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  48804   National Certificate: Occupational Safety, Hygiene and Environment  Level 2  NQF Level 02  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered" 
    2008-11-26  Was HW SETA until Last Date for Achievement 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 



    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.