Apprenticeship training course

Mineral and construction product sampling and testing operations (level 2)

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Information about Mineral and construction product sampling and testing operations (level 2)

Collecting and sampling mineral and construction products to ensure they meet customer specifications.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • The risks of activities and equipment both on site and within normal place of work. H&S at Work Act 1974, Manual Handling Operations regulations and COSHH regulations
  • Risk assessments, mineral products and industry related legislation, safe systems of work, site specific hazards
  • The importance of promoting a positive health, safety and environmental culture through situational awareness and by personal example, taking appropriate actions if others are acting unsafely
  • Reporting lines in both day-to-day and emergency situations
  • How to communicate with customers and colleagues (e.g. completing product reports, verbally briefing site manager) and how to develop and maintain working relationships
  • The wider business in which the company operates including personal role within the organisation, ethical practice, policies and procedures
  • Products ranging from clay, aggregates, gypsum, cement, concrete and asphalt. How these are produced from raw and recycled constituents; end uses; production requirements; customer requirements; production process and product specifications.
  • How products are interlinked (e.g. Aggregates are raw material in both concrete and asphalt. Gyspum is a raw material in cement.)
  • Relevant BSEN or EN product standards for each product produced and how they apply in the workplace
  • The implications of sub-standard/out of specification products to customers, end users and the wider business. sampling and testing equipment, processes and procedures. (For example air entrainment testing for external concrete slabs)

  Skills

  • Minimise waste and recycle or dispose of waste in line with business environmental and sustainability policies
  • Comply with risk assessments, safe systems of work, company safety policy and procedures at all times
  • Sample product either on production site or on customers site using the appropriate equipment for the product. For example, asphalt testing would include tests such as: organoleptic analysis, binder content, grading analysis, temperature, bulk density, % refusal density, insitu density and texture depth “ when thinking of asphalt testing “ assessing whether the material correct and whether it been laid correctly
  • Plan and perform tasks following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and safe systems of work
  • Produce reliable and accurate reports
  • Follow industry guidance when completing sampling tasks and and record progress against them
  • Diagnose faults with sampling and testing equipment and take appropriate actions
  • Identify deficiencies in both product and the placement of the product. (e.g. concrete being poured into foundations which are holding rain water)
  • Analyse, interpret and evaluate data and identify results requiring further investigation (non-conformance) seeking advice from colleagues as appropriate
  • Deal with issues calmly and diffuse difficult situations
  • Provide courteous and attentive customer service in every aspect of the role, this includes preparing clear written reports and listening and speaking to customers politely, explaining issues factually and clearly
  • Communicate information, including the use of information management systems, either digital or paper based
  • Communicate with people at all levels effectively ensuring accurate information is passed clearly and promptly
  • Work within the company rules and regulations
  • Use IT software and systems in line with company policy and procedures. This will include using test data entry, analysis and reporting systems

  Behaviours

  • Work within own level of competence or limits of responsibility and judge when to seek advice from line manager or colleagues
  • Identify own development needs and take action to meet those needs
  • Use own knowledge and expertise to help others
  • Proactively participate in continuous personal development
  • Maintain a professional, courteous, polite and friendly approach at all times
  • Take responsibility for own behaviours, actions and standards of work
  • Work well in a team
  • Strive to work efficiently, meet deadlines whilst maintaining accuracy
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Engineering and manufacturing
• Qualification level: 2; Equal to GCSE
• Course duration: 14 months
• Maximum funding: £9,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.

View more information about Mineral and construction product sampling and testing operations (level 2) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.