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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare for work
   • Receive and give shift handover
   • Identify work requirements
   • Identify and control hazards
   • Coordinate with appropriate personnel
   • Check for recent work undertaken on plant units being controlled
   • Note any outstanding/incomplete work
   • Check operational status of plant units being controlled
2. Interface with the control panel
   • Monitor the process using the operator interfaces and keep appropriate personnel informed on developments
   • Select appropriate controller modes to ensure the effective control of the process
   • Undertake required set point/output changes to optimise plant and process requirements
   • Access historical data and information
   • Acknowledge messages and alarms
3. Control the process using the local control system
   • Obtain relevant data and information from the control system by applying systems knowledge
   • Identify the status of individual pieces of equipment from the control panel and use information to identify potential faults
   • Interpret alarms and prioritise steps to ensure control of system is maintained
   • Minimise fluctuations and variations in process through the interpretation of existing trends and control schematics
   • Make required set point/output changes to meet plant and process requirements
   • Take other appropriate action as required
   • Record process variations/irregularities in accordance with procedures
4. Facilitate planned and unplanned process start-ups and shutdowns
   • Respond to all alarms and take appropriate action
   • Maintain coordination with all outside services and operations in order to assist in the correct identification and reporting of faults
   • Conduct planned start-up and shutdown processes to procedures
   • Conduct unplanned start-up and shutdown processes to procedures
   • Communicate with all operational areas and personnel affected by unplanned events to ensure safety is maintained during the process
   • Implement all required and stated emergency responses and ensure the outcomes of these responses are communicated to all affected areas
   • Log all required information for further action to provide a historical record of all events

Range Statement

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.
Regulatory framework	The latest version of all legislation, regulations, industry codes of practice and Australian/international standards, or the version specified by the local regulatory authority, must be used, and include one or more of the following: legislative requirements, including work health and safety (WHS) industry codes of practice and guidelines environmental regulations and guidelines Australian and other standards licence and certification requirements All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory 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.
Procedures	All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, and include one or more of the following: emergency procedures work instructions standard operating procedures (SOPs) safe work method statements (SWMS) formulas/recipes batch sheets temporary instructions any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.
Hazards	Hazards include one or more of the following: electricity gas gases and liquids under pressure structural hazards structural collapse equipment failures industrial (machinery, equipment and product) equipment or product mass noise, rotational equipment or vibration plant services (steam, condensate and cooling water) working at heights, in restricted or confined spaces, or in environments subjected to heat, noise, dusts or vapours flammability and explosivity hazardous products and materials unauthorised personnel sharp edges, protrusions or obstructions slippery surfaces, spills or leaks extreme weather other hazards that might arise
Routine problems	Routine problems must be resolved by applying known solutions. Routine problems are predictable and include one or more of the following: 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 and lightning) emergency situations loss of power/utilities Known solutions are drawn from one or more of the following: procedures training remembered experience Non-routine problems must be reported according to according to relevant procedures.
Operate	Operate is to monitor, adjust/change the plant item/unit/system to meet specifications, by: using local controller in the plant
Operator interfaces	Operator interfaces include one or more of the following: keyboards/key pads track ball/mouse touch screen monitor standalone devices
Equipment	This unit includes all items of equipment which form part of the production/processing system. Equipment will be selected as required from the following: plant items requiring only simple control programmable logic controllers (PLCs) hard wired control and alarm panels analogue control systems personal computers printers fire and gas detection/protection systems emergency shutdown systems communications systems
Appropriate action	Appropriate action includes the following: 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
Start up/shut down	Start-up/shut down includes the following: start up and shut down to/from normal operating conditions start up and shut down to/from isolated, cold or empty start up and shut down to/from all other conditions experienced on the plant (i.e. from any condition to any condition experienced on the plant)

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Performance Evidence

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

identify job requirements

obtain and interpret data from the control system

monitor and control individual items of equipment to meet specifications

conduct planned and unplanned start-ups and shutdowns according to procedures

recognise early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems

determine the most likely cause of routine problems

take appropriate action to ensure a timely return to full performance

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)

identify hazards and apply hazard control procedures

complete workplace forms

communicate with team and supervisors.

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Knowledge Evidence

Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:

all items on a schematic of the controller and the function of each

principles of operation and location of the process/production equipment

specific plant process operations

product specifications and tolerances

systems operating parameters

basis of control for the process

emergency shutdown procedures

process-specific science (physics, chemistry and biochemistry) to the level required to recognise and resolve routine problems

mathematics to the level required to interpret control data, recognise trends and take appropriate action

process drawings, e.g. piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID), process flow diagram (PFD) and cause and effect

instrumentation and control systems, e.g. relevant primary sensing devices, final control elements, transducers/transmitters

simple control loops, including proportional integral derivative (PID) control, set points, controlled variable and indicated variable

organisation procedures

hazards that may arise in the job/work environment, and:

their possible causes

potential consequences

appropriate risk controls.

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