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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Identify hazards and potential operability problems.
  2. Assess impact of risk and determine alternative strategies.
  3. Assess risk information against established risk criteria in risk management plan.
  4. Develop a risk register.
  5. Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risk.

Required Skills

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

This unit requires the ability to apply a consistent risk assessment methodology which is appropriate to the workplace being assessed One example of this is the HAZOP methodology but other methodologies may be used

Some understanding of quantitative risk assessment such as HAZAN is also required

The requirements of the relevant OHS act and regulations with regard to risk assessment should be known and followed

Knowledge includes

identification of hazards and how hazard controls may break down

an understanding of risks and how they may be reduced

the modelling and evaluation of a wide range of failure modes

analysis which is auditable repeatable verifiable and usable by other staff

analysis systems appropriate to the system operating in the given domain and appropriate for the particular life cycle phase at which it is to be applied

determining valid results from data of the quality and quantity actually available

use of standard proformas to support the technique

a rational technical base which may include reference to national or international standards defence standards or published reference books

Language literacy and numeracy requirements

This unit requires the ability to interpret process plant descriptions and drawings

Writing is required to the level of making the required reports for the process

Numeracy is required to interpret hazard and probability data and determine risk profiles

Evidence Required

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 this Training Package

Overview of assessment

A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole as defined by the Elements Performance Criteria and skills and knowledge

Assessment will occur by analysing an appropriate industrial site and will be undertaken in a worklike environment

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

It is essential that competence is demonstrated in the knowledge and skills defined in this unit These may include the ability to

know and understand the workplace systems and the importance of critical procedures

apply a working knowledge of all relevant workplace procedures

Consistent performance should be demonstrated For example look to see that the techniques used

enable identification of hazards and how hazard controls may break down

enhance the understanding of risks and how it may be reduced

permit the modelling and evaluation of a wide range of failure modes

enable the analysis to be carried out in a manner that is auditable repeatable and verifiable

are usable by other staff

are appropriate to the system operating in the given domain

give valid results from data of the quality and quantity actually available

are appropriate for the particular lifecycle phase at which it is to be applied

provide standard proformas to support the technique

have a rational technical basis which may include reference to national or international standards defence standards or published reference books

These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarioscase studies and what ifs as the stimulus with a walk through forming part of the response These assessment activities should cover a range of problems including new unusual and extreme situations that may have been generated from the past incident history of the plantequipment incidents on similar plants around the world past hazard analysis activities and similar sources

Assessment method and context

Competence in this unit may be assessed

on an appropriate industrial plantsite

in a situation allowing the generation of evidence of the ability to respond to problems

by using a suitable simulation andor a range of case studiesscenarios

through a combination of these techniques

In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge and theoretical assessment will be combined with appropriate practicalsimulation or similar assessment Assessors need to be aware of any cultural issues that may affect responses to questions

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

Specific resources for assessment

This section should be read in conjunction with the Range Statement for this unit of competency Resources required include suitable access to an operating plant or equipment that allows for appropriate and realistic simulation A bank of case studiesscenarios and questions will also be required to the extent they form part of the assessment method Questioning may take place either in the workplace or in an adjacent quiet facility such as an office or lunchroom No other special resources are required

Access must be provided to appropriate learning andor assessment support when required Where applicable physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities


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. Add any 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.

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

Context

This unit will be completed as a specialist unit (eg by plant technicians) requiring technical knowledge.

The aim of this competency unit is to apply a methodical examination of the system and its elements to identify hazards and the states or conditions where there may be loss of control of the hazard and the resultant consequences The results of the hazard analysis should be expressed clearly and concisely, and include where possible tables and diagrams. Team members would contribute their understanding of the process and particularly the operational aspects, and then carry out whatever tasks are assigned to them by the analysis team.

While this competency aims to enable a person to identify hazards and assess risk through a systematic approach, more than 80% of recommendations can be operability problems and are not, of themselves, hazards. Although hazard identification should be the main focus, operability problems should be identified to the extent that they have the potential to lead to a breakdown in hazard controls resulting in a health, safety or environmental violation or have a negative impact on profitability.

The degree of depth of a checklist should be dependent on the knowledge of the system at the time the study is carried out. This technique can therefore be applied at any stage of the project/process lifecycle.

Screening for deviations includes accessing internal and external data that may provide information about previous incidents or warnings of incidents. Sources of such information may include:

internal hazard and incidents reports, maintenance records, audit reports

reports from similar plants, factories, industry bodies, regulators, journals etc of actual incidents or reports that have relevance to the situation being analysed.

Examples of risk assessment tools may range from relatively simple to more complex HAZOP analyses and other methodologies requiring similar competency.

Procedures

All operations are performed in accordance with procedures.

Procedures include all relevant workplace procedures, work instructions, temporary instructions and relevant industry and government codes and standards.

Hazards

Typical hazards include:

handling chemicals and hazardous materials

chemical and or hazardous materials spillage

gases and liquids under pressure

moving machinery

materials handling

working at heights, in restricted or confined spaces, or environments subjected to heat, noise, dusts or vapours

fire and explosion.

Problems

Typical process and product problems may include:

incidents with a potential for injury

fires, explosions

chemical spills

bomb scares.

Process Parameters

Specific process parameters (primary key words) relevant to the system may include:

flow

temperature

pressure

relief

instrumentation

sampling

addition

safety

reaction

reduce (grind, crush)

absorb

isolate

vent

start-up

composition

phase

level

corrosion

erosion

services

utilities

maintenance/maintain

inserting

purging

contamination

separate (settle, filter, centrifuge)

mix

drain

shutdown.