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  1. #1
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    Default SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    I have a few questions or concerns regarding legal standing regarding a SAQA Accredited Unit Standard based trained Range Officer Unit Standard 123516 and Supervise the Operation of a Shooting Range Unit Standard 123517 versus association based trained range officer running a shooting range and also their accreditation requirements to NCRS and SAPS. If an incident occurs on a range will a accredited associations own range officer training course pass legal requirements faced with possible criminal or civil action? Or is SAQA accredited range officers only for business based training etc and associations based training for their individual associates excercises?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    Unit Standard 123516
    PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD This unit standard applies to all persons who will need to supervise the operation of a shooting range or shooting exercises for business or sport purposes. This supervision must ultimately lead to the safe use of a shooting range as a primary objective of this unit standard.

  3. #3

    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    I would recommend doing the unit standard training rather than some un accredited training when you are ultimately responsible for not just your safety but other people as well. I did my 123516 last year and you carry quite a weight when when you are on the line. Not sure what the associations legal standing is but when the shit hits the fan you will be standing in front of the judge explaining what happened. My advise is get the real deal with some backing when you need it.

    On a side note, its well worth it and so much fun running the line you won't regret it

  4. #4
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    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    Thanks for your input, I have done both unit standards 123516 and 123517, but my concern is with association based range officers. What my research has shown is that above unit standards are a requirement for unit standard accredited training, whereas the association based training is for their specific disciplines. The big BUT is what is the requirement of training for the responsible person in terms of NCRS and SAPS accreditation of a Shooting range.

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    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    SANS 10353 (2009) (English): Small arms shooting
    ranges
    Annex F
    (normative)
    Duties of the range officer
    F.1 One or more range officers shall be responsible for supervising the conduct of most of the
    shooting at ranges. Only shooting by experienced shooters is excluded. In such instances the
    shooters should appoint one of their shooters to undertake the duties of the range officer.
    NOTE The range officer's responsibility is safety, not whether shooting is carried out in accordance with the
    rules of a particular shooting discipline or competition.
    F.2 The range officer shall be a responsible for the following:
    a) to ensure that all the shooters are acquainted with the provisions of the range rules;
    b) to ensure that the range safety rules are observed at all times;
    c) constantly supervising the shooters whilst they are at the firing points;
    d) for controlling or operating any barrier, warning or signalling systems at the commencement of,
    during, and at the conclusion of shooting activities;
    e) for managing and supervising ancillary staff such as target operators, etc.;
    f) for deciding when shooting is to commence, interrupted and ceased;
    g) to ensure that all firearms in use on the range are holstered or put down unloaded before anyone
    is allowed to proceed in front of the firing point, for example to change targets;
    h) be empowered to exclude from the shooting range persons who disrupt operations or pose a
    threat to safety, and also persons perceptibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
    i) to ensure that all spent cartridge cases and litter are removed from the range; and
    j) to ensure that all shooting exercises are carried out in accordance with the shooting instructions
    for that particular range

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    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    Gleock, thanks for input, but again, what is the minimum set requirements for the range officer? Accredited SAQA training or association based training?

  7. #7
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Marc05 View Post
    Gleock, thanks for input, but again, what is the minimum set requirements for the range officer? Accredited SAQA training or association based training?
    The fact that the SANS quote above makes provision for an experienced shooter to perform the duties of a range officerz I'd argue that no formal training is required...

  8. #8
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    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    Quote Originally Posted by Marc05 View Post
    Gleock, thanks for input, but again, what is the minimum set requirements for the range officer? Accredited SAQA training or association based training?
    7.3 The shooting needs to be supervised by a person competent to do so and who is able to give
    his or her full attention to the safety aspects without the distraction of trying to shoot at the same
    time. Such a supervisor is known as the “range officer”.

    The above is the closest I have seen to a legislated requirement for training of range officers, given that they allow experienced shooters to range themselves and make a distinction here, I would say the SAQA unit standard would be the minimum for a public range, as that would be the easiest way to prove competence in the event of an accident.

    I don't believe the accreditation of range officers by sporting bodies would be sufficient as that training is unregulated/moderated.
    I know for a fact that NCRS and SAPS do not require a trained range officers in order to accredit private/sporting ranges that are not open to the public, they only require a responsible person.

  9. #9

    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    We are going overboard with formal qualifications to no benefit that I can see. Several years ago I and other ROs of Somerset West Pistol Club got ourselves qualified by ITA via classroom and range examinations. Whether ITA is same as or equal to SAQUA I wouldn't know. Maybe it shows on my certificate but I don't know where that is in the pile of paper in my store room. All I remember is that it is No 398. It was noticed by no-one on our range and no extra credit was given to us over the "ordinary" club trained ROs. In fact I doubt if any of our members knows which of us is formally qualified. Not unreasonably I'd say, because there is no apparent difference in competence. The ITA course was padded out just to make it look like it had more content than it really had. It was nothing more than window dressing to make it seem that we were better than our "untrained" colleagues. The RO training and experience I got from my club was much better. Some of the material was downright ridiculous. For example, it said that fired brass must be cleaned off the range because of risk of mercury contamination. To start with, I doubt if anyone has ever suffered ill effects from mercury primed ammo, but in any case there hasn't been any mercuric primed ammo manufactured since WW2. I don't see any benefit from SAQUA whatsoever - we run our range effectively and safely without it and would rather keep it that way.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: SAQA Acredited Range Officer v Associations Range Officer

    Hmmm and where does the SAIRO & I , RO courses fit in, I can't remember any unit standards or stuff like that (maybe I was taking a nap or a leak at that time, LoL).
    And if you go further where does the IROA quantification fit in the SA standards?

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