Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

In a typical scenario an operations technician operates and monitors fixed bed dehydration units and ancillary equipment.

Application of the unit 

This unit includes the operations technician identifying and reporting operational problems, being aware of and contributing to a safe working environment, contributing to the safe and productive operation of the system, and operating, monitoring and maintaining the equipment using relevant procedures.

Generally the operations technician would be part of a team during start up and shut down procedures and would be expected to be capable of demonstrating competence in all parts of this unit. At all times they would be liaising and cooperating with other members of the team.

This unit does not apply to glycol dehydration systems - see PMAOPS326B Produce product using gas absorption 

Pre-requisite 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 work.

1.1. Identify work requirements

1.2. Identify and control hazards

1.3. Coordinate with appropriate personnel

2. Start up dehydration system.

2.1. Check all required equipment is ready for startup

2.2. Start up dehydration systems and bring on line, ensuring all equipment is correctly lined up to procedures

2.3. Monitor dehydration process, ensuring the plant is operating safely and efficiently.

3. Undertake dehydration of product.

3.1. Apply knowledge of hydride formation, absorption and/or adsorption process theories to facilitate safe operation of the process

3.2. Adjust operating parameters and process conditions during dehydration in order to keep product moisture within specification

3.3. Ensure that heating and cooling times during the dehydration and regeneration process are such that the product remains on specification

3.4. Maintain liaison with required personnel throughout the process

3.5. Re-sequence process equipment as required to achieve and maintain required operating criteria

3.6. Monitor operation and take appropriate action.

4. Record process variations and communicate problems.

4.1. Record any product variations, noting the type of variation and action taken to rectify the variation

4.2. Record actions as a reference and for any further investigation

4.3. Arrange maintenance of operational equipment as required and communicate to appropriate personnel

4.4. Isolate identified operational equipment requiring maintenance from the process and purge in accordance with procedures to rectify the problem.

5. Isolate and de-isolate plant.

5.1. Isolate plant

5.2. Make safe for required work

5.3. Check plant is ready to be returned to service

5.4. Prepare plant for return to service.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

Competence includes the ability to isolate the causes of problems to an item of equipment within the dehydration system and to distinguish between causes of problems/alarms/fault indications such as:

• instrument failure/malfunction
• electrical failure/malfunction
• mechanical failure/malfunction
• equipment design deficiencies
• product parameters (temperature, flows, pressure and levels)
• fouling or contamination
• corrosion
• quality measurement inaccuracy, eg from analyser or manual sampling deficiencies

Required knowledge 

The knowledge referred to in the Evidence Guide for this unit includes:

• principles of operation of dehydrator
• product tolerances and specifications
• process control philosophies and strategies
• outside process/production operational knowledge, including columns, furnaces, waste heat recovery and trays
• extraction principles
• other process equipment, including valves
• hydrate formation
• adsorption/desorption
• alarm systems.
• physics and chemistry relevant to the process unit and the materials processed
• process parameters and limits, eg temperature, pressure, flow, pH
• duty of care obligations
• hierarchy of control
• communication protocols, eg radio, phone, computer, paper, permissions/authorities
• routine problems, faults and their resolution
• relevant alarms and actions
• plant process idiosyncrasies
• all items on a schematic of the plant item and the function of each
• correct methods of starting, stopping, operating and controlling process
• corrective action appropriate to the problem cause
• function and troubleshooting of major components and their problems
• types and causes of problems within operator's scope of skill level and responsibility.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Assessment of this unit should include demonstrated competence on actual plant and equipment in a work environment. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations, which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.

Simulation may be required to allow for assessment of parts of this unit. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk-throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios, role plays and 3D virtual reality interactive systems. In the case of evacuation training or training for competencies practised in life threatening situations, simulation may be used for the bulk of the training.

This unit of competency requires an application of the knowledge contained in the use of dehydration and integral equipment, to the level needed to maintain control and recognise and resolve problems. This can be assessed through questioning and the use of what-if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk-throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.

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

Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action. The emphasis should be on the ability to stay out of trouble rather than on recovery from a disaster.

Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:

• early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems are recognised
• the range of possible causes can be identified and analysed and the most likely cause determined
• appropriate action is taken to ensure a timely return to full performance
• obvious problems in related plant areas are recognised and an appropriate contribution made to their solution.

These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs as the stimulus with a walk-through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include a range of problems, including new, unusual and improbable situations, which may have been generated from the past incident history of the plant, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities and similar sources.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment will require access to an operating plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.

Method of assessment 

In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units. Consider co-assessment with:

• PMAOPS223B Operate and monitor valve systems .
• PMAOPS304B Operate and monitor compressor systems and equipment .

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.

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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Codes of practice / standards 

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.

Context 

This unit of competency includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the production/processing system. For your plant this may include (select relevant items):

• vessels
• valves
• compressors
• piping systems
• exchangers
• furnaces
• columns and towers
• cooling and heating systems
• burner management systems
• programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
• filters
• analysers.

Typical problems 

Typical problems for your plant may include:

• variation/loss of feed
• unstable control of pressure, temperature level and flows
• control equipment failure
• process plant trips
• change in atmospheric conditions (rain, temperature, wind, lightning)
• emergency situations
• desiccant contamination
• desiccant damage/bed collapse (overpressuring)
• poor regeneration (flow/heat/cooling).

Appropriate action 

Appropriate action includes:

• determining problems needing action
• determining possible fault causes
• rectifying problem using appropriate solution within area of responsibility
• following through items initiated until final resolution has occurred
• reporting problems outside area of responsibility to designated person.

Procedures 

Procedures may be written, verbal, computer-based or in some other form. They include:

• all work instructions
• standard operating procedures
• formulas/recipes
• batch sheets
• temporary instructions
• any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.

For the purposes of this Training Package, 'procedures' also includes good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (eg Responsible Care) and government regulations.

Health , safety and environment  (HSE )

All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between Performance Criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.

Unit sector 

Operational/technical

Competency field 

Co-requisite units