Assessor Resource

PMASUP444A
Plan plant preparation and isolation

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


This unit applies to a person who has the responsibility for planning to isolate and prepare plant. This is probably part of their work role, although it could be a full time secondment for a major shutdown. The type of people to whom this unit may apply include (but are not limited to):

operators and maintainers

supervisors

maintenance planners

maintenance personnel

authorised permit issuers, coordinators or similar.

While this unit is written to apply to an individual they will rarely if ever complete this competency as a lone individual and will usually do so in liaison with relevant experts and stakeholders.

This unit applies:

after the work scope has been agreed

before the isolation and preparation commences.

This unit has a strong relationship with the relevant ‘permit’ units (e.g. MSAPMPER300C Issue work permits) as well as HAZOP (e.g. PMASUP445A Participate in HAZOP studies) and decommissioning/recommissioning units (e.g. PMASUP440B Commission/recommission plant and PMASUP441C Decommission plant). Where relevant, these units should also be accessed.

This unit requires a detailed knowledge of the plant to be prepared and isolated, such as might be obtained from the relevant technical units covering this plant. Hands-on operating competency, however, is not necessarily required.

This unit does not include the actual isolation and preparation of plant – see PMASUP244A Prepare and isolate plant.

This unit has been written with the preparation and isolation of hazardous plant, such as a major hazard facility in mind. However, it should also be applicable to the preparation and isolation of lower hazard plants and mobile plant with appropriate contextualisation.

Much of this unit is iterative and the text below should not be taken as specifying necessary sequence.

This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge needed to undertake the planning and organisation needed before plant is isolated and prepared for subsequent work, typically maintenance of some sort. It also includes the planning to prepare for the plant’s return to service.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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

This unit should be assessed as holistically as is practical and will generally be assessed using a workplace project as a significant assessment activity.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

develop an appropriate isolation philosophy for the work on a significant item of equipment or plant area

manage relevant hazards

develop an appropriate plan for the required isolations and preparation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of performance must be undertaken in a workplace.

Access may be required to:

workplace procedures and plans relevant to work area

specifications and documentation relating to planned work

documentation relating to the plant, process and materials

any other materials which would normally be available in the workplace while conducting this activity.

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.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills include:

Ability to:

read and interpret technical documentation and drawings/graphics

interpret material safety data sheets (MSDS)

use appropriate risk assessment tools/risk effect matrices

calculate vessel inventory

calculate purging/ventilation times

calculate required volumes for purging

calculate required times for ventilation (e.g. to achieve a specified number of turns/volumes)

Required knowledge includes:

Knowledge of:

work control system for site and organisation

regulations and other external controls relevant to the proposed work

isolation philosophy or organisation

hierarchy of isolations

fluid hydraulics as applied to draining and purging of vessels

types of purging and ventilation media and their uses and limitations

methods and equipment used for purging and ventilation

physical properties of process materials (e.g. density and viscosity)

hazardous properties of relevant materials (e.g. process, purging and ventilation materials)

as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) concept and methods of achieving it

vessel chilling causes and controls

appropriate rates of change for pressure and temperature for vessels and other plant

organisation’s authorisation procedures

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.

Isolation

Isolation is a process for ensuring no energy or material can enter the isolated area

Preparation

Preparation is a process for ensuring that plant and equipment is in a safe and appropriate condition for the required work. Preparation may include, but is not limited to:

draining

purging

inerting

decontaminating

cleaning

ventilating

controlling atmosphere (e.g. to ensure it is breathable, and is not within the flammable range)

adjusting temperature to make a workable environment

adjusting pressure (usually to atmospheric)

ensuring adequate access and egress

Scope of work

Scope of work includes, but may not be limited to:

what work is to be done

where the work will be done

who will be doing the work

when the work needs to be done

why the work is to be done

how the work will be undertaken (tools and techniques)

frequency with which this work is/will be required

duration of work (from beginning of shutdown to back to normal operations)

Relevant isolation philosophy/ strategy

Relevant isolation philosophy/strategy will normally be that of the organisation for which the isolations are being done although they could include regulatory or similar requirements and may include, but are not limited to:

types of isolations allowed (e.g. positive, double block and bleed), removal of item (e.g. fuse and spool piece), and single block isolations

lock out/tag out

preparation strategies

types of equipment to be used

purging or other preparation fluids/techniques

Strategy will be consistent with relevant external standards, such as:

Government of Western Australia, Department of Commerce, Guidance note – Isolation of plant, 2010

National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA) requirements

Major Hazard Facility (MHF) Licence to Operate

Hazards

Hazards will include:

hazards to people, environment and plant

other hazards as relevant to the organisation/facility

Implications of isolation

Implications of isolation apply to both the area of the work as well as upstream and downstream implications and may include, but are not limited to:

upstream and downstream process implications

ability to prepare plant once isolated

integrity of plant once isolated and prepared

Controlling releases

Controlling releases to the environment may include, but is not limited to:

preventing any release

containing any release

recovery and reuse or disposal of any release

Physical limits of plant

Physical limits of plant may include, but are not limited to:

temperature/pressure limits of plant and equipment

limits on rates of change of temperature/pressure

suitable steam pressures/temperatures

Strategies for isolation and preparation

Strategies for isolation and preparation may include, but are not limited to:

sequence of isolations and preparations

type of isolation, based on hierarchy of isolations

type of preparations to be used

Hierarchy of isolations

Isolations may be categorised according to a hierarchy of:

positive

proven

unproven

Estimating preparation durations

Estimating preparation durations may include, but is not limited to:

determining inventory in plant to be drained/purged

establishing safe rates of change, such as:

pressurisation

depressurisation

draining

flushing

cooling

heating

calculating required volumes and pressures of flushing/purging venting materials

calculating the time required to drain, flush, purge, depressure, pressure, cool and heat

Isolation procedure

Isolation procedure may include, but is not limited to:

isolation processes

isolation list

multiple isolations

temporary lifting of isolations, when and if required

interlocks

and will include consideration of:

isolation alternatives

conflicts of isolation

Verifying procedures

Verifying procedures may include, but is not limited to:

checking existing documents which have been used are accurate, current and complete

checking planned isolation points do exist, are accessible, and are suitable for the isolation planned

having a history of providing the isolation desired

Relevant drawings

Relevant drawings may include, but are not limited to:

piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs)

process flow diagrams (PFDs)

process flow sheets (PFSs)

process engineering flow sheets (PEFs)

Required prework

Required prework may include, but is not limited to:

scaffolding

building up/depletion of inventories/work in progress (WIP)

obtaining of supplies

identification tags

lock out kits

Competencies required

Competencies required for isolation and preparation may include, but are not limited to:

electrical (normal)

electrical high voltage and hazardous area

electrical isolation/deisolation

radiation

heights

mobile plant

plumbing

mechanical fitting

permit preparation

Required documentation

Required documentation may include, but is not limited to:

drawings

procedures

marking up existing documents

punch lists

vendor documents/engineering specifications

documentation required by the site work control system (e.g. permits)

Documents will conform to the site requirements and document control systems

Documents may be:

paper, electronic or other approved form

Authority to execute

Authority to execute includes both the authorisation to proceed and the timing of that execution. Authority will be obtained through the channels required by the organisation/facility.

The level of authority required will vary for different types of work, different types of isolation and different plants/facilities

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Examine identified work scope 
Confirm purpose of identified work 
Identify plant and equipment involved 
Negotiate any conflicts/inconsistencies with relevant stakeholders 
Identify possible need for temporary lifting of any isolations 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

PMASUP444A - Plan plant preparation and isolation
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

PMASUP444A - Plan plant preparation and isolation

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: