Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the outcomes required to prepare and dock material to length with a power driven saw. The unit includes operator maintenance

General workplace legislative and regulatory requirements apply to this unit; however there are no specific licensing or certification requirements at the time of publication

This unit replaces FPICOT2229A Dock material to length

Application of the unit 

The unit involves docking material to length in a forest products factory setting

The skills and knowledge required for competent workplace performance are to be used within the scope of the person's job and authority

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Prepare for cutting

1.1. Applicable occupational health and safety  (OHS), environmental , legislative  and organisational requirements  relevant to docking material  to length are identified and followed

1.2. Work order  is reviewed and clarified with appropriate personnel 

1.3. Equipment  is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer recommendations

1.4. Cutting list is reviewed in line with work order and site procedures

1.5. Material cutting patterns and saw setup sequences  are planned in line with site procedures

1.6. Communication  with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements

2. Cut material to length

2.1. Material is marked and stops are set in preparation for cutting

2.2. Cutting sequence and patterns are followed to produce required quantity

2.3. Cuts are checked  for length within a set tolerance 

2.4. Material with features , incorrect cuts and off-cuts are disposed of  in line with site procedures

2.5. Processing and equipment faults are reported to appropriate personnel

2.6. Material is safely stacked  in a designated location in line with work order requirements

3. Conduct operator maintenance

3.1. Equipment lock-out procedures are followed in line with OHS legislation and site procedures

3.2. Saw blades are checked for blunt or damaged condition in line with site procedures

3.3. Blunt or damaged saws are identified and dealt with  in line with site procedures, manufacturer recommendations and environmental requirements

3.4. Saw area is kept clear of dust, off-cuts and debris in line with OHS and environmental requirements

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Required skills 

• Technical skills sufficient to use and maintain relevant tools, machinery and equipment; efficiently and safely cut material to length and angle
• Communication skills sufficient to use appropriate communication and interpersonal techniques with colleagues and others; locate and report information
• Literacy skills sufficient to follow legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and established safe practices and procedures for cutting timber to length and angle
• Numeracy skills sufficient to measure, estimate and calculate time required to complete a task
• Problem solving skills sufficient to review and identify work requirements; identify problems and equipment faults; demonstrate appropriate response procedures; identify blunt or damaged saw

Required knowledge 

• Applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and established safe practices relevant to the full range of processes for docking material to length
• Environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material (including preservative treated timber), the minimisation of carbon emissions, and the cleaning of plant, tools and equipment
• Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for docking material to length
• Environmental risks and hazards
• Criteria for recycling and re-using material with features, incorrect cuts and off-cuts
• Characteristics of timber and timber features
• Cutting patterns and sequences
• Optimal docking practices
• Methods for assessing condition of saw blades
• Industry standard cross sections and lengths
• Storage systems and labelling procedures
• Established communication channels and protocols
• Problem identification and resolution strategies, and common fault finding techniques
• Types of tools and equipment, and procedures for their safe use and maintenance
• Appropriate mathematical procedures for estimating and measuring, including calculating time to complete tasks
• Procedures for recording and reporting workplace information

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently dock materials to length according to organisational requirements

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to, and satisfy, all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:

• following applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to docking material to length
• following organisational policies and procedures relevant to docking material to length
• cutting material to length in line with the work order and within prescribed organisational tolerances
• conducting operator maintenance on a docking saw
• stacking batches of cut material in line with organisational requirements and OHS regulations

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
• Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
• Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
• Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements
• The following resources should be made available:

• workplace location or simulated workplace
• materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit
• specifications and work instructions

Method of assessment 

• Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package
• Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge
• Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills
• Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge
• Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
• Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
• Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency
• The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
• Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English
• Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
• Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

OHS requirements :

are to be in line with applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:

• personal protective equipment and clothing
• safety equipment
• first aid equipment
• fire fighting equipment
• hazard and risk control
• fatigue management
• elimination of hazardous materials and substances
• safe forest practices, including required actions relating to forest fire
• manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying

Environmental requirements may include :

• legislation
• organisational policies and procedures
• workplace practices

Legislative requirements :

are to be in line with applicable commonwealth, state or territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:

• award and enterprise agreements
• industrial relations
• Australian Standards
• confidentiality and privacy
• OHS
• the environment
• equal opportunity
• anti-discrimination
• relevant industry codes of practice
• duty of care

Organisational requirements  may include:

• legal
• organisational and site guidelines
• policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility
• quality assurance
• procedural manuals
• quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
• OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures
• ethical standards
• recording and reporting requirements
• equipment use, maintenance and storage requirements
• environmental management requirements (waste minimisation and disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)

Material  may include:

• native timber species
• imported timber species
• dressed timber
• in-the-rough timber
• stress and non-stress graded timber
• preservative treated timber
• medium density fibreboard
• laminated veneer
• chipboard
• fibreboard and other manufactured board products
• coated and/or treated timber products
• beams, including laminated beams

Work order  is to include:

• instructions for the cutting and despatch of timber and timber products from the work site

and may include:

• type
• size
• length
• angle
• quantity
• grade
• instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures
• environmental care requirements relevant to the work

Appropriate personnel  may include:

• supervisors
• suppliers
• clients
• colleagues
• managers

Equipment  is to include:

• procedures for saw lock-out, such as protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine from the power source

and may include:

• measuring equipment
• power-operated, manually-controlled docking and trimming saws, where the cutting angle is controlled relative to the board guides and clamps
• saws with adjustable angle
• saws with one blade
• radial arm saws
• table saws
• bench saws
• saws with automatic feed

Cutting patterns and saw setup sequences 

are to be limited to single angles requiring one cutting pass or single vertical cuts

Communication  may include:

• verbal and non-verbal language
• constructive feedback
• active listening
• questioning to clarify and confirm understanding
• use of positive, confident and cooperative language
• use of language and concepts appropriate to individual social and cultural differences
• control of tone of voice

Checking  may include:

• required nominal lengths in conjunction with the grading manual and appropriate Australian Standard

Tolerance 

is a set limit for cutting over or under the required length within a set margin of acceptance usually + or - 0.5 mm or in line with order or organisational requirements

Features  may include:

• warp
• wane
• cupping
• shakes
• insect defects
• knots
• resin pockets

Disposing of  may include:

• recycling material with features, incorrect cuts and off-cuts
• re-using material with features, incorrect cuts and off-cuts
• redirecting material with features, incorrect cuts and off-cuts for energy recovery

Stacking  may include:

• preparing for transport
• categorising in common size
• length and angle
• marking lots in line with work order and site requirements
• locating so as not to block access or passage

Dealing with  may include:

• repairing or sending for repair blunt or damaged saws and saw blades
• recycling blunt or damaged saws and saw blades that cannot be repaired
• sending blunt or damaged saws and saw blades that cannot be repaired to landfill

Competency field 

Common Technical