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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 reactor unit
   • Note any outstanding/incomplete work
   • Check operational status of reactor unit
2. Operate reactor unit in accordance with procedures
   • Describe the type of reactor unit, the component plant items and their duties
   • Complete routine checks, logs and paperwork taking action on unexpected readings
   • Change rate, grade or specification smoothly
   • Manage transitions smoothly and in a timely manner to minimise scrap/off grade as a result of a transition
   • Adjust reactor unit and its component plant items as appropriate to their type and duty to maximise performance
   • Charge/discharge reactor, if appropriate
   • Monitor condition of catalyst, if appropriate, and take action to maintain production schedule and quality
   • Monitor materials and stock levels of fees and take action to maintain production schedule and quality.
3. Diagnose and take action on abnormal situations
   • Monitor reactor unit and its component plant items frequently and critically throughout shift using measured/indicated data and senses
   • Describe impacts of any changes upstream and downstream
   • Recognise actual and developing situations which may require action
   • Apply operational knowledge to resolve problems
   • Take actions on abnormal situations which cannot be resolved during the shift to ensure safety and the resolution of the situation
   • Follow through items initiated until final resolution has occurred
4. Isolate and de-isolate reactor unit and its component plant items
   • Complete any required pre-start checks
   • Start up/shut down reactor unit according to the reactor type and duty in liaison with other personnel
   • Start up/shut down/changeover component plant items within unit according to their type and duty in liaison with other personnel
   • Build reaction rate steadily and stabilise reaction system to produce in specification product at specified rates within minimum time
   • Isolate entire reactor unit and/or any component plant item
   • Make safe for required work
   • Check reactor unit/plant item is ready to be returned to service
   • De-isolate and prepare reactor unit/plant item for return to service
5. Clean reactors/vessels in accordance with procedures
   • Identify cleaning requirements
   • Clean to requirements

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.
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
Situations requiring action	Situations requiring action include one or more of the following: variations in catalyst activity control of exotherm/endotherm adjustments to meet product specifications variations in feed rates/quality raw materials variations instrument failure/wrong reading equipment failure (electrical/mechanical) mechanical failure operational problems Actions on abnormal situations includes the following: determine problems needing action determine possible fault causes develop solutions to problems which do not have a known solution follow through items initiated until final resolution has occurred report problems outside area of responsibility to designated person Operational knowledge includes one or more of the following: procedures training technical information such as journals, engineering specifications remembered experience relevant knowledge obtained from appropriate people
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 other conditions/situations experienced on the plant
Procedures	All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, 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
Operate	Operate is to monitor, adjust/make change to the production unit and/or its component items to meet specifications, by one or more of the following: manually in the plant using local controller in the plant
Product	Product includes anything produced by a process step and so includes: intermediate products, such as the product from one process step, which then becomes the feed for another

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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 include the ability to:

use data and own senses to monitor plant and maximise performance

perform pre-start checks, start-up/shutdown and cleaning procedures, and isolations and de-isolations

predict impact of a change in one unit/area on other plant units/areas and take appropriate action

identify hazards and risks and apply risk control procedures

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

resolve routine and non-routine problems

use schematics and data to monitor plant and optimise performance

identify hazards and risks and apply risk control procedures.

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Knowledge Evidence

Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:

all items on a schematic of the production unit and functions, and troubleshooting of major components and their problems

principles of operation of plant/equipment:

basis of the process used in the production unit to cause chemical reaction

methods of controlling the reaction rate and yield and the advantages and disadvantages of each

impact of external factors (e.g. variations in weather and feed)

interactions between plant items/processes

process-specific science (physics, chemistry and biochemistry) to the level of being able to interpret the science and extract factors controlling the process and product and by-product production rate and quality (e.g. for chemistry interpret the equation for factors controlling rate and yield and also interfering reactions, such as salts and hydrates)

the nature/condition of materials at each stage of the reaction, the changes which have occurred in that stage and why they have occurred

the reaction in chemical terms and equations, including the effect of changing reaction variables (e.g. temperature, pressure, catalyst, concentration and pH)

systems’ operating parameters and integrity limits, including temperature, pressure, flow and pH

product specifications and tolerances

routine and non-routine problems that may arise, the range of possible causes and processes to develop solutions

hierarchy of control

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

their possible causes

potential consequences

appropriate risk controls.

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