This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to heat and cut materials for the rail industry using oxy-LPG equipment.

It includes planning and preparing for work, setting up and testing the equipment, heating and cutting materials, shutting down equipment and completing clean-up activities.

People achieving competence in this unit will need to fulfil applicable state/territory legislated work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements and rail safety requirements, and to comply with relevant codes of practice and/or guidelines.

Work involves heating and cutting steel and includes cutting up waste for salvage; cutting steel, rails and bolts; and cutting holes in plate (with the exception of structural steel members). Heating activities include steel and bolts (excluding structural steel members).

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1 

Plan and prepare for work 

1.1

Work instructions, including plans, specifications, quality requirements and operational details are obtained, confirmed and applied to the scope of work to be performed

1.2

Safety and WHS/OHS requirements are followed in accordance with safety plans and organisational policies

1.3

Signage and barricade requirements are identified and implemented as required

1.4

Plant, tools and equipment consistent with the requirements of the job are selected, checked for serviceability, and faults are rectified or reported prior to commencement

1.5

Materials appropriate to the work application are identified, obtained, prepared, safely handled and located ready for use

1.6

Environmental requirements are identified and work is carried out in accordance with environmental plans, and statutory and legislative authority obligations

2 

Set up and test equipment 

2.1

Appropriate type of fire extinguisher is selected and located to be readily accessible prior to and during operations

2.2

Regulators are attached to oxy-LPG bottles in accordance with manufacturer specifications and WHS/OHS regulations

2.3

Lines are purged to manufacturer recommendations prior to lighting up

2.4

Equipment is tested for leaks and corrective action is undertaken or faults are reported

2.5

Correct pressures and cutting tips are selected in accordance with material to be heated or cut and manufacturer specifications

3 

Heat and cut material 

3.1

Material is accurately marked and secured or clamped ready for cutting

3.2

Torch is lit correctly and safely in accordance with manufacturer specifications

3.3

Setting of flame is adjusted for cutting in accordance with manufacturer recommendations

3.4

Heat is applied to specified material and weakening effects of the heating process are minimised

3.5

Correct cutting position is adopted during cutting to set out mark

3.6

Material is correctly cooled

4 

Shut down equipment and clean up 

4.1

Torch is switched off in accordance with manufacturer specifications

4.2

Gas supply is shut off in accordance with manufacturer specifications

4.3

Work area is cleared and materials disposed of, reused or recycled in accordance with legislation, regulations, codes of practice and job specification

4.4

Plant, tools and equipment are cleaned, checked, maintained and stored in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and organisational policies and procedures

5 

Complete documentation 

5.1

Required documentation procedures and processes are confirmed

5.2

Documentation is filled in legibly and proofread

5.3

Documentation is processed in accordance with workplace procedures

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions can be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and include:

• adapting to differences in equipment in accordance with operating procedures
• applying relevant safeworking system and workplace procedures
• complying with organisational policies and procedures, including quality requirements
• complying with site safety plan and work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation, regulations and codes of practice applicable to workplace operations
• identifying job hazards and taking required action to minimise, control or eliminate identified hazards
• identifying, selecting and effectively using relevant materials and equipment in accordance with safety data sheets (SDSs)/material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and/or manufacturer instructions and workplace procedures
• interpreting and following operational instructions and prioritise work
• locating, interpreting and applying relevant information, standards and specifications
• maintaining equipment to manufacturer specifications
• modifying activities depending on operational contingencies, risk situations and environments
• monitoring work activities in terms of planned schedule
• planning own work, including predicting consequences and identifying improvements
• reading and interpreting relevant instructions, procedures, information and documentation
• reporting and rectifying problems, faults and malfunctions that may occur, in accordance with workplace procedures
• using oxy-LPG equipment to heat and cut materials to manufacturer specification and workplace procedures
• using tools, plant and equipment safely and effectively
• working systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

• characteristics from SDSs/MSDSs and workplace procedures
• correct storage of materials and environmentally friendly waste management
• hazards that may occur and ways of controlling the risks involved
• job safety analysis (JSA) and safe work method statements
• LPG heating and cutting equipment types, characteristics, uses and limitations
• oxy-LPG heating and cutting equipment set-up and operating techniques
• problems that may occur and action that can be taken to resolve these problems
• rail stresses
• regulations relating to heating and cutting materials for the rail industry using oxy-LPG equipment
• relevant rail danger zones
• relevant WHS/OHS and environmental protection procedures and guidelines.

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations or, where this is not available, in simulated workplace operational situations that replicate rail corridor workplace conditions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Resources for assessment include:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• relevant and appropriate materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment currently used in industry
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, rail industry standards, SDSs/MSDSs, codes of practice and operation manuals.