Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the outcomes required to distribute woodchips 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 distribute woodchips in the pulp and paper industry. This work typically involves complex integrated equipment and continuous operations

This unit generally applies to those who:

• plan woodchip distribution
• start up transfer equipment and chip distributor, and
• distribute woodchips to storage facility

to meet safety, quality and productivity requirements

It does not include receiving or unloading materials, preparing and operating the woodchip production system or troubleshooting and rectifying primary resource 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. Plan woodchip distribution

1.1. Woodchip distribution is planned within Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations, environmental and safe working requirements/practices, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and housekeeping requirements

1.2. Future storage size requirement is estimated from production and distribution schedules

1.3. Filling or distribution patterns are planned to enable maximum woodchip storage

1.4. Requirements for specific sequences in filling deposit areas are identified

1.5. Direction and extent for distribution and contraction is planned and confirmed with relevant personnel

1.6. Chip distribution requirements are estimated considering the reach and limitations of the chip slinging and chip moving equipment

2. Start up transfer equipment and chip distributor

2.1. Transfer equipment and chip distributer is started up within OHS regulations, environmental and safe working requirements/practices, SOP, and housekeeping requirements

2.2. Pre-startup checks are completed for conveyors, chip distributor, and wheeled or tracked vehicles

2.3. Isolations are removed

2.4. Deposit areas are checked to ensure clearance for startup

2.5. Other operators are informed of impending startup

2.6. Conveyors and chip spreading processes are started and correct transfer of woodchips is confirmed

3. Distribute woodchips to storage facility

3.1. Woodchips are distributed to storage facility within OHS regulations, environmental and safe working requirements/practices, SOP, and housekeeping requirements

3.2. Equipment is prepared for distribution of woodchips

3.3. Storage is inspected to identify hazards within the vehicle operational area

3.4. Notice of impending operation is communicated to relevant personnel

3.5. Woodchip distribution is manoeuvred to enable filling or distribution over required area

3.6. Woodchips are distributed to storage facilities

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• Uses required forms of communication for distributing woodchips
• 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
• Monitors and controls process control points
• Maintains situational awareness in the work area
• Identifies wood types and grades
• Selects and directs woodchips to appropriate area
• Implements procedures for the distribution of woodchips
• Implements isolation procedures
• Operates high risk (and non-high risk) load shifting equipment as required
• Operates plant and equipment
• Uses measuring equipment as required
• Analyses and uses sensory information to alter work sequence to maintain 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 distributing woodchips 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
• Equipment fault identification and corrective action
• Working knowledge of woodchip distribution area layout and associated services including operating parameters, variation and associated adjustments within level of responsibility
• Woodchip pile segregation purpose and techniques
• Machine and plant maintenance requirements and procedures
• 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 woodchip distribution processes, 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 distributing woodchips

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 distributing woodchips

Access to the full range of equipment involved in distributing woodchips 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

Materials and supplies may include:

• woodchips

Equipment may include:

• chip spreaders and slingers,
• silos
• hopper and storage systems
• trailer or tipper
• articulated loader
• tracked dozer and front end loader
• video monitoring
• electronic weighing and measuring equipment
• computer systems
• electronic screens and alarms
• process control systems
• analogue and digital instrumentation
• fully automated, semi-automated, manually operated plant and equipment appropriate to woodchip distribution

Accessories may include:

• protective and high visibility safety clothing and equipment
• break down tools and equipment
• electronic communication equipment

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

Documentation, procedures and reports may include:

• SOP
• quality procedures
• environmental sustainability requirements/practices
• plant manufacturing operating manuals
• oil or chemical spills and disposal guidelines
• plant isolation documentation
• safe work documentation e.g. plant clearance, job safety analysis, permit systems
• enterprise policy, procedures and guidelines
• weighbridge dockets
• work orders
• tally sheets
• truck delivery dockets
• invoices
• non-conformance reports
• log sheets (production/equipment)
• equipment performance data
• tonnage, input and conversion
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
• pile survey documents
• process and instrument diagrams

Maintenance may include:

• operator level maintenance as per site agreement
• operator maintenance schedules
• 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/external customers and suppliers
• work area personnel
• maintenance services
• team members
• production/service co-ordinator
• 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 communication 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