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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Recognise there is a problem
   • Compare current performance with expected/historic performance
   • Identify plant/process areas with poor performance
   • Check the impact of routine adjustments to improve performance
   • Identify problems not solved by the routine solutions
2. Define the problem
   • Apply problem isolation techniques to isolate problem to a small part of the plant/process
   • Quantify the effect of the problem in operational terms
   • Postulate possible causes of the problem
   • Identify types of evidence of each possible cause
   • Investigate problem to accumulate evidence of cause type
   • Analyse data to confirm cause of problem
   • Determine the level of severity of the problem and priority of any required action
3. Develop solution
   • Discuss possible solutions to cause with stakeholders and technical experts
   • Determine whether a quick fix is needed
   • Arrange for implementation of quick fix if required
   • Check effectiveness of quick fix and take action to maintain stable, safe operation
   • Agree required final solution with stakeholders and technical experts
   • Arrange for required solution to be undertaken in appropriate timeframe
   • Follow items initiated through until final resolution has occurred
   • Check effectiveness of solution and take action to maintain or improve outcome
   • Complete reports to procedure

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, 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
Problem isolation	Problem isolation uses techniques to isolate the cause of the problem to a specific part of the process or unit operation and uses techniques including one or more of the following: flow charts process logic/process requirements cause and effect diagrams/charts divide and conquer control charts, run charts (Shewhart charts) similarity/difference analysis other structured processes defined by the organisation
Problem analysis	Problem analysis identifies possible causes and examines the evidence for each cause and uses techniques including one or more of the following: Ishikawa/fishbone diagrams/ logic tree histograms/Pareto analysis scatter grams brainstorming control charts, run charts (Shewhart charts) 6 Hats (Edward de Bono) other structured processes defined by the organisation

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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:

recognise signs of variations of plant and process that indicate different types of problems

select and apply problem isolation and analysis techniques to determine the most likely cause of problem

determine and initiate any immediate corrective action (quick fix) required

determine and initiate longer term solution

communicate and negotiate effectively with all stakeholders

follow through to ensure resolution of problems

undertake calculations.

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Knowledge Evidence

Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:

principles of operation and process science for all unit operations within the system/area and the interrelationships between them

cause/effect relationships between plant/process condition and process variable values

indicators of abnormal process situations, and evidence of which cause is responsible for the abnormal situation

impact of variations in plant and process and the distinctive signs of each variation (e.g. lower quality, lower rates, greater variability or greater difficulty in control).

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