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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Use operator interface
   • Use keyboards, track ball and monitor and/or stand-alone controllers to access control system/panel
   • Monitor the process using the operator interfaces
   • Select appropriate controller modes
   • Access historical data and information
   • Acknowledge messages and alarms
   • Access advanced control features as appropriate
2. Access control information
   • 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
   • Minimise fluctuations and variations in process through the interpretation of existing trends and control schematics
   • Determine the overall operating effectiveness of the plant area related to the required targets for the area
   • Record process variations/irregularities to procedures
3. Control process variations and monitor operations
   • Monitor process using all information available in the control room
   • Use historical data to assist the identification of problems
   • Process available information to identify potential faults
   • Undertake required set point/output changes to meet plant area and process requirements
   • Adjust production in response to test results and control panel information
   • Monitor key process and environmental variables and take action to achieve required outcomes
   • Adjust controller settings in accordance with procedures
   • Use advanced control features as appropriate
   • Turn controller features on and off to meet process and control needs
   • Optimise operation of entire plant area in accordance with guidelines
   • Undertake calibration operations in accordance with procedures.
   • Coordinate with stakeholders external to the plant area in accordance with procedures
   • Record adjustments and variations to specifications/schedules
   • Communicate to appropriate personnel as required
4. Facilitate planned and unplanned process start-ups and shutdowns
   • Select and apply procedures to planned start-up and shutdown processes.
   • Select and apply procedures to unplanned shutdown processes
   • Implement all required emergency responses
   • Communicate necessary information to all personnel affected by events
   • Log all required information
5. Respond to alarms or out-of-specification conditions
   • Identify system(s) affected by the alarm or condition
   • Interpret alarms and prioritise actions to be taken
   • Respond to the alarm or incident by following procedures
   • Deal with any out-of-specification material in accordance with procedures
   • Communicate the problem/solution to appropriate personnel
   • Record the information as required
   • Provide details of the alarm and action taken to the next shift at changeover
   • Follow up on the incident to see that appropriate action has been taken
6. Control hazards
   • Identify hazards/changes in hazards in the production/processing work area
   • Assess the risks arising from those hazards
   • Implement measures to control risks in line with procedures and duty of care
   • Communicate hazards and hazard controls to affected personnel
7. Resolve other problems within scope of responsibility
   • Identify possible problems in equipment, control systems or process
   • Determine problems needing action
   • Determine possible fault causes
   • Rectify problem using appropriate solution within area of responsibility
   • Follow initiated items through until final resolution has occurred
   • Report problems outside area of responsibility to designated person

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 gases and liquids under pressure equipment failures 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, 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
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
Routine problems	Routine problems are predictable problems with known solutions and include one or more of the following: operating without advanced control features loss of power/utilities analysing failure modes 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 control function problems
Non-routine problems	Non-routine problems are unexpected problems, or variations of previous problems and must be resolved by applying operational knowledge to develop new solutions, either individually or in collaboration with relevant experts, to: 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 and engineering specifications remembered experience relevant knowledge obtained from appropriate people
Alarms or abnormal conditions	Alarms or other abnormal conditions include the following: emergency, including emergency shutdown (ESD) partial or complete controller failure

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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:

interpret and respond to panel messages and alarms

obtain and interpret data from the control system to minimise variation and maximise performance

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

select and apply procedures for planned and unplanned start-up/shutdown

identify hazards and risks and apply risk control procedures

communicate and negotiate effectively with all stakeholders

isolate the causes of problems and distinguish between causes of problems/alarm/fault indications, including:

instrument failure/malfunction

electrical failure/malfunction

mechanical failure/malfunction

equipment design deficiencies

product parameters (temperature, flows, pressure and levels)

process control system malfunction

power/utility failures

software problems

multitasking.

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Knowledge Evidence

Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:

advanced control features

interactions between control loops

interactions between plant units within the entire plant

the architecture and location of the process/production equipment

specific plant process operations

interactions between plant items/processes

product specifications and tolerances, systems operating parameters and system integrity limits

process control philosophies and strategies

emergency shutdown (ESD) procedures

relevant science of the process (e.g. physics, chemistry and biochemistry) to the level of identifying and manipulating factors controlling process rate and product properties, and identifying and resolving potential problems

basic science of upstream and downstream processes

interactions between plant area and other value stream members

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

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

basis of control for the plant

instrumentation and control systems, including feed forward, feed-back and open control

instrumentation and control system components (e.g. relevant primary sensing devices, final control elements and transducers/transmitters)

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

interaction between multiple control loops (including cascade control)

impacts of changing controller settings and the limits within which changes can be made

effective communication techniques

organisation procedures

uninterrupt power supply (UPS) and its applications and use

duty of care obligations

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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