Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the outcomes required to co-ordinate and implement pulping plant shutdowns in the pulp and paper industry

General legislation, regulatory, licensing and certification requirements applicable to this unit are detailed in the range statement

Specific high risk (and non-high risk) load shifting licensing requirements for this unit may be applicable and are to be met separately and prior to the achievement of this unit

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to operators who co-ordinate and implement pulping plant shutdowns in the pulp and paper industry. This work typically involves complex integrated equipment and continuous operations

This unit generally applies to those who:

• assess causes and effects of shutdown
• implement shutdown procedures, and
• record and report shutdown information

to meet safety, quality and productivity requirements

It does not include starting up, monitoring, controlling or troubleshooting and rectifying pulping plant operations

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. Assess causes and effects of shutdown

1.1. Causes and effects of shutdown operations are assess within Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations, environmental and safe working requirements/practices, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and housekeeping requirements

1.2. Work area instructions or maintenance schedules are used to co-ordinate a planned shutdown

1.3. Cause of unplanned shutdown is identified and located

1.4. Effects of unplanned shutdown are assessed to determine impact on operations

1.5. Unplanned shutdown is communicated as required

2. Implement shutdown procedures

2.1. Shutdown procedures are implemented within OHS regulations, environmental and safe working requirements/practices, SOP, and housekeeping requirements

2.2. Planned shutdown is implemented

2.3. Unplanned shutdown is responded to and rectified

2.4. Isolation requirements are implemented as required

2.5. Shutdown information is communicated to relevant personnel as required

3. Record and report shutdown information

3.1. Shutdown information is recorded and reported within OHS regulations, environmental and safe working requirements/practices, SOP, and housekeeping requirements

3.2. Shutdown information is recorded, including corrective action as required

3.3. Shutdown information is reported to relevant personnel

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• Uses required forms of communication in co-ordinating and implementing a pulping plant shutdown
• Reads and interprets required documentation, procedures and reports
• Accesses, navigates and enters computer-based information
• Interprets instruments, gauges and data recording equipment
• Identifies and actions problems within level of responsibility
• Identifies and responds appropriately to shutdown causes
• Respond to problems associated with plant shutdown and unplanned shutdown to ensure safety quality and productivity
• Coordinates and plans shutdown activity
• Identifies and monitors process control points
• Maintains situational awareness in work area
• Uses measuring equipment as required
• Operates manual or materials handling equipment
• Operates high risk (and non-high risk) load shifting equipment as required
• Analyses and uses sensory information to adjust process to maintain and co-ordinate safety, quality and productivity
• Uses electronic and other control systems to control equipment and processes as required

Required knowledge 

• Procedures, regulations and legislative requirements relevant to pulping plant operations including OHS, environmental including relevant sustainability requirements/practices, SOP, isolation procedures, safe working requirements, risks and hazard identification and housekeeping
• Relevant forms of communication
• Basic problem-solving techniques consistent with level of responsibility
• Causes and effects of system faults and rectification requirements
• Impact of inappropriate responses
• Working knowledge of pulping plant, processes, layout and associated services sufficient to carry out shutdown activities within level of responsibility
• Types, causes and effects of pulping plant shutdowns
• Required responses to all unplanned shutdowns (e.g. power outage, mechanical breakdown, blockages, jamming, air supply, control system failure) to ensure safety quality and productivity
• Process and procedures for plant shutdowns and unplanned shutdowns
• Plant and machinery functions and operations
• Emergency procedures and responses
• Application of high risk (and non-high risk) load shifting equipment as required
• Sensory information that indicates a deviation from standard operating parameters
• Sufficient knowledge of electronic and other control systems, operation and application to make appropriate adjustments that control the pulping operations, within level of responsibility

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 

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

Evidence should be relevant to the work. It should satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include consideration of:

• the required knowledge and skills tailored to the needs of the specific workplace
• applicable OHS regulations, environmental and safe working requirements/practices, SOP and housekeeping requirements
• applicable aspects of the range statement
• practical workplace demonstration of skills in co-ordinating and implementing pulping plant shutdowns

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

A workplace assessment must be used to assess:

• the application of required knowledge on the job
• the application of skills on the job, over time and under a range of typical conditions that may be experienced in pulping operations.

Access to the full range of equipment involved in integrated continuous manufacturing of pulping plant operations in a pulp or paper mill is required

Method of assessment 

A combination of assessment methods should be used. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• observation of applied skills and knowledge on the job
• workplace demonstrations via a mock-up or simulation that replicate part/s of the job
• answers to written or verbal questions about specific skills and knowledge
• third-party reports from relevant and skilled personnel
• written evidence e.g. log sheet entries, checklist entries, test results

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and in keeping with the language and literacy capacity of the learner and the work being performed. This includes conducting an assessment in a manner that allows thoughts to be conveyed verbally so that the learner can both understand and be understood by the assessor (e.g. use plain English and terminology used on the job)

A holistic assessment with other units relevant to the pulp and paper industry, mill and job role is recommended

Additional information on approaches to assessment for the pulp and paper industry is provided in the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package

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.

Productivity requirements may include:

• energy efficiency
• waste minimisation
• evaporation minimisation, including landfill and waste water reduction
• environmentally safe waste disposal
• consideration of resource utilisation, including fibre efficiency
• minimising delays
• chemical recovery maximisation
• meeting key performance indicators
• line speed
• handovers
• quality checks
• meeting output targets i.e. net tonnes per employee per annum
• machine/process time availability i.e. time the machine or process is making product
• machine/process production rate

Operational parameters may include:

• flows
• temperatures
• pressures
• through put
• consistencies
• amps
• set points
• valve settings
• levels
• interlocks

Storage levels may include:

• vats
• chests
• silos
• tanks
• bins
• piles

Pulping processes - chemical, mechanical and semi-chemical pulping may include:

• bleaching plant operations
• refining
• chip preparation
• cleaning or washing systems
• chemical preparation and treatment
• pulp lapping production
• stock distribution and storage
• digester operations
• mechanical pulping systems

Products of these processes may include:

• bleached or unbleached pulp
• fluff pulp
• crumbed pulp
• baled, rolled or sheet pulp
• slushed pulp

Materials and supplies may include:

• woodchips
• pulp
• steam
• water
• chemicals
• power

Equipment may include:

• power and steam systems
• hydraulic and electrical systems
• chemical delivery and processing
• conveyors and pump distribution equipment
• pneumatic systems
• process plant
• materials handling equipment
• hand and power tools
• computer systems
• electronic screens and alarms
• process control systems
• analogue and digital instruments
• fully automated, semi-automated, manually operated plant and equipment appropriate to pulping operations

Electronic control systems may include:

• Digital Control System (DCS)
• touch screens
• robotics

Legislation, regulatory, licensing and certification requirements may include:

• OHS and environmental requirements (local, state and commonwealth)
• activity or task specific high risk (and non-high risk) load shifting licensing requirements
• relevant endorsed licences
• hazardous chemical handling
• air and gas discharges
• safety instructions

Documentation, procedures and reports may include:

• SOP
• work instructions or purchase orders
• environmental sustainability requirements/practices
• plant manufacturing operating manuals
• quality procedures
• oil or chemical spills and disposal guidelines
• plant isolation documentation
• safe work documentation e.g. plant clearance, job safety analysis, permit systems
• log sheets and shift reports
• work orders
• delivery or distribution documentation
• tally or production records
• incident reports
• Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
• process and instrumentation diagrams

Maintenance may include:

• operator level maintenance as per site agreement
• operator maintenance schedules
• calibrating test equipment
• maintenance systems
• maintenance suppliers
• proactive maintenance strategies e.g. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM)

Actions may include:

• process adjustments
• reporting to authorised person
• rectifying problem within level of responsibility

Communications may include

interaction with:

• internal or external
• customers and suppliers
• team members
• maintenance services
• operational management
• statutory authorities

Situational awareness may include

awareness of:

• traffic
• pedestrians
• location of equipment
• product
• hazards
• obstruction
• unexpected movement

Sensory information may include:

• visual
• sound
• feel
• touch
• smell
• vibration
• temperature

Forms of communications may include:

• written e.g. log books, emails, incident and other reports, run sheets, data entry
• reading and interpreting documentation e.g. SOP, manuals, checklists, drawings
• verbal e.g. radio skills, telephone, face to face, handover
• non-verbal e.g. hand signals, alarms, observations
• signage e.g. safety, access