Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the outcomes required to operate specialist equipment to produce wood fibre in readiness for the production of medium density fireboard, while monitoring and maintaining the flow of operation. The unit includes assessment of chips and set-up of equipment

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 FPIWPP3203A Produce fibre from chips

Application of the unit 

The unit involves producing fibre from chips in a forest products factory

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

Prerequisite units 

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 fibre production

1.1. Applicable Occupational Health and Safety  (OHS), environmental , legislative  and organisational requirements  relevant to producing fibre  from chips  are identified and followed

1.2. Work order  is reviewed and checked with appropriate personnel 

1.3. Type and quantity of chips are assessed  and acquired from the stockpile 

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

1.5. Defibrator  process is planned in line with site procedures

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

2. Produce fibre

3. Conduct operator maintenance

3.1. Pre start -up checks  are carried out on equipment in line with site requirements

3.2. Defibrator and feed systems  are started and adjusted to produce fibre size in line with organisational requirements

3.3. Fibre production is regularly checked to ensure it conforms with organisational requirements

3.4. Chip flow and pulp  out-feed are monitored to ensure optimal production rate and prevent blockages

3.5. Output of fibre is directed to storage bins in line with prescribed fill levels

3.6. Faults requiring emergency shutdown  are detected and action taken to rectify the problem

3.7. Sub-standard fibre is rejected and disposed of  in line with site procedures and environmental requirements

3.8. Processing and equipment faults are recorded and reported  to the appropriate personnel

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

3.10. Defibrator blades are checked for blunt or damaged condition in line with site procedures

3.11. Defibrator components are cleaned in line with manufacturer's recommendations

3.12. Machine area is kept clear of dust and debris in line with OHS 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 produce fibre from chips
• Communication skills and interpersonal techniques sufficient to interact appropriately with colleagues and others in the workplace
• Literacy skills sufficient to accurately record and report workplace information, and maintain documentation
• Numeracy skills sufficient to estimate, measure and calculate time required to complete a task
• Problem solving skills sufficient to identify problems and equipment faults and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

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 producing fibre from chips
• Environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material and the cleaning of plant, tools and equipment
• Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for producing fibre from chips
• Environmental risks and hazards
• Characteristics of wood chips and stock levels
• Fibre production process
• Storage systems and labelling
• Established communication channels and protocols
• Problem identification and resolution strategies and common fault finding techniques
• Types of tools and equipment and procedures for their use, operation 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 produce fibre from chips within 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 producing fibre from chips
• following organisational policies and procedures relevant to producing fibre from chips
• producing fibre from chips in line with the work order and within prescribed organisational requirements
• conducting operator maintenance on a defibrator
• storing produced fibre 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 and maintenance and storage requirements
• environmental management requirements (waste minimisation and disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)

Fibre 

is the output product as a result of smashing wood chips into fibrous material which is then used to produce medium density fibreboard

Chips 

• are the raw product used to produce fibre
• are an output of breaking down logs into wood chips approximately the size of a 50 cent coin

Work order  is to include:

• instructions for the assessment of chips and the fibre grade

and may include:

• feed rate and quantity
• 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

Assessing chips  is to include:

• species
• size
• moisture content
• contamination issues

Stockpile 

is the piles of available chips ready for conversion to fibre, classified in size and species

Equipment  is to include:

• procedures for equipment lock-out, i.e. protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine from the power source

Defibrator 

is the machine used to convert wood chips to fibre for the production of medium density fibreboard

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
• body language

Pre start-up checks 

are conducted to ensure:

• machine has been set-up correctly
• systems are performing accurately
• machinery is operating to optimum performance

Feed systems  are to include:

• filtrate
• white water
• stock level
• fibre consistency
• feed level
• steam flow
• raw water
• noise
• metal detectors
• power consumption

Pulp 

is the unwanted waste by-product from producing fibre

Emergency shutdown 

is the immediate shutting off of the equipment to prevent an accident or prevent damage to the machine or product

Disposing of  may include:

• recycling sub-standard fibre
• re-using sub-standard fibre

Records and reports  may include:

• product type
• size
• profile
• inspection
• grading and labelling outcomes
• storage locations
• quality outcomes
• hazards
• incidents
• equipment malfunctions

and may be:

• manual
• using a computer-based system or other appropriate organisational communication system

Unit sector 

No sector assigned

Co-requisite units 

Competency field 

Wood Panel Products