MSMBLIC001 Licence to operate a standard boiler

Release: 1

MSMBLIC001 Licence to operate a standard boiler

Modification History

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSABLIC001 Licence to operate a standard boiler.

Application

This unit specifies the outcomes required to operate a standard boiler safely. This includes boiler start-up, handover, monitoring, shutdown and storage of a boiler that uses a single fuel source and does not have an air pre-heater, feed water heater, superheater, attempurator or desuperheater, simultaneous dual fuel firing capability or economiser attached.

This unit also covers the preparation for inspection procedures as specified in manufacturer recommendations, identification of maintenance requirements and relevant risk control measures.

This unit is based on the licensing requirements of Part 4.5 of the Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations, High Risk Work, and meets Commonwealth, state and territory high risk work licensing requirements. Any alteration to the unit content or outcomes would result in a unit that is not acceptable to WHS/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulators for the purpose of licensing.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Competency Field

Unit Sector

Boiler operation (licensed)

Elements and Performance Criteria

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	Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs)
1.2	Comply with work health and safety (WHS) requirements at all times
1.3	Identify potential workplace hazards and appropriate risk control measures consistent with appropriate standards to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment
1.4	Locate and review appropriate records to prepare for boiler operation
1.5	Identify the type of boiler and plan boiler operations according to procedures
1.6	Identify appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with SOPs
1.7	Identify suitable communication methods and confirm with appropriate personnel

2	Start up boiler	2.1	Apply risk prevention and risk control measures to the work area according to procedures
2.2	Select communication equipment and inspect for serviceability
2.3	Select all necessary equipment and inspect for operational effectiveness according to procedures, including establishing water level
2.4	Check boiler visually for any damage or defects and report and record any found according to procedures with appropriate action taken
2.5	Vent boiler to atmosphere prior to start-up, as required
2.6	Carry out pre-start up checks on the boiler and bring the boiler online safely according to procedures
2.7	Start up boiler according to procedures
2.8	Identify maintenance requirements and any visual faults and report according to procedures
2.9	Confirm, complete and log all maintenance and/or repairs and associated isolations and make the equipment serviceable

3	Monitor boiler operation	3.1	Diagnose operating status of the boiler
3.2	Maintain operating log clearly and accurately according to procedures
3.3	Monitor boiler, valves, fittings and pressure gauges according to procedures
3.4	Blow boiler water level gauges through both steam and water sides
3.5	Test standby plant and equipment according to procedures
3.6	Conduct boiler water quality tests, where required, and record the results according to procedures
3.7	Adjust boiler water chemicals after tests, where appropriate and required according to procedures and notify downstream users, if necessary
3.8	Activate the automatic blowdown and, where required, boiler is blown down to adjust total dissolved solids (TDS) levels to recommendations
3.9	Communicate handover information regarding boiler status and operation clearly to relevant personnel according to procedures
3.10	Respond immediately to any boiler emergency in accordance with procedures

4	Shut down boiler	4.1	Shut down the boiler for inspection according to procedures, as required
4.2	Identify maintenance requirements and report any visual faults according to procedures
4.3	Complete isolations associated with in-service maintenance according to procedures
4.4	Clean boiler internally and externally to manufacturer recommendations and procedures, where required
4.5	Complete boiler operating log for shutdown

5	Store boiler in shutdown mode	5.1	Identify storage time and condition of storage, where required
5.2	Store boiler in safe condition for access in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and procedures
5.3	Test stored boiler water and chemicals, where required, and handle in accordance with procedures, where storage is for extended periods

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range of Conditions

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.
Boiler includes:	Fixed and modulating combustion controls and a single heat source. Operation includes a battery of boilers and boilers that have a single thermal or solar heat source. Note: Boilers meeting the definition of ‘advanced boiler’ are excluded.
Standard boiler includes:	vessel or an arrangement of vessels and interconnecting parts in which steam and vapour is generated or in which water or other liquid is heated above that of the atmospheric pressure by the application of: fire the products of combustion electrical power similar means fixed and modulating combustion controls, fixed and modulated air supply, a single fuel source and will have: boiler piping supports mountings valves gauges fittings controls boiler settings and directly associated equipment
Type of boiler includes one or more of the following:	fire tube water tube once through boilers waste heat electrically heated novel or unique
Hazards include one or more of the following:	asbestos lagging chemical hazards thermal hazards manual handling hazards machinery guard requirements hot exposed steam pipe leakage of steam leakage of fuel odour of gas fumes from a liquid chemical spill faulty/broken ladder or hand rail working at heights flammable liquids fire and explosion electrical hazards work area, including: illumination excessive noise from machinery spillage of oil rubbish and combustibles obstruction
Risk control methods include:	Risk control methods refer to the systematic process of eliminating or reducing the risk to personnel and property through the application of controls. It includes the application of the hierarchy of control: elimination substitution isolation engineering controls administrative controls personal protective equipment (PPE)
Appropriate standards include one or more of the following:	legislation codes of practice manufacturer specifications Australian Standards technical standards (International) industry standards (where applicable)
Procedures include one or more of the following:	manufacturer guidelines (e.g. instructions, specifications or checklists) industry operating procedures workplace procedures (e.g. work instructions, operating procedures or checklists)
Equipment includes one or more of the following:	gas monitoring equipment water testing equipment fire-fighting equipment workplace first aid equipment work platform and associated gear, including walkways
Communication methods include one or more of the following:	verbal and non-verbal language written instructions signage hand signals listening questioning to confirm understanding appropriate worksite protocol
Appropriate personnel includes one or more of the following:	production workers maintenance workers supervisors and managers other boiler operators suppliers colleagues
Records include one or more of the following:	operating log books maintenance records records of faults and potential faults isolation procedures safe operating procedures daily operating inspections repairs carried out according to manufacturer recommendations and operating procedures workplace record keeping requirements details of any daily or periodic maintenance work details of yearly programmed or additional maintenance work
Risk control measures include one or more of the following:	barricades and controls machine guarding fall prevention pedestrian controls adequate illumination noise controls signage PPE
PPE includes one or more of the following:	thermally insulated gloves hard hat protection ear protection (muffs or plugs) chemical resistant gloves and apron respiratory devices eye protection working protective gloves whole body fire-resistant clothing
Communication equipment includes one or more of the following:	two-way radios mobile phones intercoms landline telephones pagers satellite phones computers
Pre-start up checks include:	testing warning lamps or visual warning indicators control panel checks checks of feedwater supply system fuel supply/heat source system operation and position of boiler valves combustion air supply system boiler water level essential fittings and gauges selection of PPE inspection and location of inspection and explosion doors (where applicable) identification of hazards and management of risks and maintenance problems fire-fighting equipment manufacturer recommendations and checklists relevant records and logs
Start-up includes:	purge boiler furnace heat input warm-up reticulation system venting the boiler of air, where required steam traps and steam line purge system operations reticulation line pressure steam usage and supply
Maintenance includes:	leaking steam pipe pressure gauge accuracy exposed electrical wiring defective illumination in the workplace leaking fuel pump gland leaks in high pressure feed line leaking gauge glass mounting leaking safety valve isolation procedures, hardware and equipment
Faults include one or more of the following:	abnormal operating conditions boiler tube failure feedwater supply and/or other major auxiliary loss wet steam high dissolved oxygen pH of water high conductivity actuator or valve mechanical or electrical fault/failure instrument failure steam leak
Diagnosed includes one or more of the following:	senses, including: audio smell touch visual remote or local indicators and recorders computers and alarms, including: visible audible
Operating log includes:	date and time of checking each check, examination and results printed and signed name of person who performed the checks date and time of any lockout or equipment malfunction results of tests on boiler or feedwater changes in operation
Valves and fittings include one or more of the following:	safety valves gauge glasses main steam stop valve feedwater stop valve feed check valve blowdown valve steam side/line drain valves flame failure detection device water level controller boiler steam pressure gauge
Monitored includes:	water supply system checks of steam reticulation line pressure usage and supply of steam quality of steam combustion/heat source system and management feedwater system fuel system combustion air supply water level boiler steam pressure boiler and steam manifold valves (where fitted) soot blowers (where fitted) operation of control/safety devices, including control panels
Tested includes one or more of the following:	response checks standby plant ‘cut in’ tests valve operating checks hydrostatic tests performance tests alarm and protection tests
Tests include one or more of the following:	pH levels conductivity oxygen TDS hardness other contaminants
Chemicals include one or more of the following:	oxygen scavenger feedwater additives other chemicals hardness condensate chemicals pH buffers
Handover includes:	previous load requirements maintenance issue, including equipment isolated for maintenance operational incidences read operating log general inspection of boiler to detect any defects accept responsibility of boiler noted equipment malfunctions required equipment tests
Emergencies include one or more of the following:	tube failure loss of water level power failure inadequate housekeeping explosion fire bomb threat terrorism personal accidents chemical spills major steam leaks major water leaks and flooding natural disasters oil spills
Appropriate emergency response measures include one or more of the following:	identification of emergency isolation of heat source selection and application of appropriate fire-fighting equipment and PPE notification of downstream users operation of boiler only when safe to do so notification of appropriate regulatory authorities, including Commonwealth, state, territory and boiler manufacturer
Shutdown includes:	checks of water level cooling down process valve settings equipment isolation boiler pressure/vacuum fuel/heat source isolation in accordance with manufacturer recommendations boiler post-purge
Storage mode includes:	wet and dry storing open or closed position

Unit Mapping Information

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSABLIC001 Licence to operate a standard boiler.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=d1287d36-dff4-4e9f-ad2c-9d6270054027