FPISAW2203B
Sort boards mechanically

This unit describes the outcomes required to set up, operate and maintain a mechanical sorting machine to process boards of varying sizesGeneral workplace legislative and regulatory requirements apply to this unit; however there are no specific licensing or certification requirements at the time of publicationThis unit replaces FPISAW2203A Sort boards mechanically

Application

The unit involves sorting boards mechanically in a forest products factory setting

The skills and knowledge required for competent workplace performance are to be used within the scope of the person's job and authority


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Prepare for sorting

1.1. Applicable Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), environmental, legislative and organisational requirements relevant to sorting boards mechanically are identified and followed

1.2. Work order is reviewed and checked with appropriate personnel

1.3. Type and quantity of boards to be sorted are assessed and acquired from the storage location

1.4. Equipment is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer's recommendations

1.5. Sorting process is planned in line with site procedures

1.6. Communication with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements

2. Sort boards

2.1. Pre start-up checks are carried out on equipment in line with site requirements

2.2. Board cross-sections, lengths and grades to be sorted are identified, size discriminations set and timber flow to the machine planned

2.3. Program linking board sizes to storage bins or trays is selected, entered and adjusted to optimise storage space and ensure an efficient operation

2.4. Sorting process is conducted automatically and correct operation of the machine, gates, conveyors and bins checked

2.5. Flow of material is maintained and boards are directed to subsequent operations in line with size and grade

2.6. Machine performance is monitored to ensure board sizes are consistent with machine settings and visual inspection

2.7. Boards rejected during the automatic sorting process or visual inspection are disposed of in line with site procedures and environmental requirements

2.8. Sorting process and equipment faults are recorded and reported to the appropriate personnel

3. Conduct operator maintenance

3.1. Equipment lock-out procedures are followed in line with OHS legislation and site procedures

3.2. Photo electric cells and reflectors or other switching systems are regularly cleaned and checked

3.3. Sorting machine size identification mechanisms are checked, maintained and cleaned

3.4. Sorting area is kept clear of dust, off-cuts and debris in line with OHS requirements

Required Skills

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

Required skills

Technical skills sufficient to use and maintain relevant tools, machinery and equipment; efficiently and safely operate sorting equipment

Communication skills and interpersonal techniques sufficient to interact appropriately with colleagues and others in the workplace

Literacy skills sufficient to accurately locate, record and report information

Numeracy skills sufficient to estimate, measure and calculate time required to complete a task

Problem solving skills sufficient to review and accurately identify work requirements; identify problems and equipment faults and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Required knowledge

Applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and established safe practices relevant to the full range of processes for sorting boards mechanically

Environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material, minimising carbon emissions and the cleaning of plant, tools and equipment

Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for sorting boards mechanically

Environmental risks and hazards

Sorting procedures and mechanical sorting techniques

Grading markings and quality standards

Storage systems and labelling

Established communication channels and protocols

Problem identification and resolution strategies and common fault finding techniques

Types of tools and equipment and procedures for their safe use, operation and maintenance

Appropriate mathematical procedures for estimating and measuring, including calculating time to complete tasks

Procedures for recording and reporting workplace information

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely operate mechanical sorting equipment in line with organisational requirements

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to, and satisfy, all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:

following applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to sorting boards mechanically

following with organisational policies and procedures relevant to sorting boards mechanically

operating mechanical sorting equipment in readiness for allocation of timber to storage or downstream operations

accurately setting mechanical sorting equipment parameters

conducting operator maintenance on mechanical sorting equipment

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace

Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints

Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context

Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements

The following resources should be made available:

workplace location or simulated workplace

materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit

specifications and work instructions

Method of assessment

Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package

Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge

Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills

Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge

Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process

Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances

Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English

Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment

Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role


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. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.

OHS requirements:

are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:

personal protective equipment and clothing

safety equipment

first aid equipment

fire fighting equipment

hazard and risk control

fatigue management

elimination of hazardous materials and substances

manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying

machine isolation and guarding

Environmental requirements may include:

legislation

organisational policies and procedures

workplace practices

Legislative requirements:

are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:

award and enterprise agreements

industrial relations

Australian Standards

confidentiality and privacy

OHS

the environment

equal opportunity

anti-discrimination

relevant industry codes of practice

duty of care

Organisational requirements may include:

legal

organisational and site guidelines

policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility

quality assurance

procedural manuals

quality and continuous improvement processes and standards

OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures

ethical standards

recording and reporting requirements

equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements

environmental management requirements (waste minimisation and disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)

Work order is to include:

instructions for the mechanical sorting of timber

and may include:

type

width

length

thickness

quantity

and may also include:

instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures

environmental care requirements relevant to the work

Appropriate personnel may include:

supervisors

suppliers

clients

colleagues

managers

Boards may include:

native timber species

imported timber species

dressed timber

in-the-rough timber

stress and non-stress graded timber

preservative treated timber

Sorting may include:

classifying timber into lots consisting of the same size and grade dependent on:

length

width

thickness

quality of board

or sorting for other production lines or waste

Storage locations may include:

storage racks

storage bays

bins

stacks

pallet boxes

modularised storage components

temporary stacking bays (stand, frame or ground)

and may be divided into:

standard product classification

product designation

size

dimension

stack number

weight

grade

shelf life

stock rotation position

Equipment is to include:

mechanical sorting machines

and may include:

drop sorters

waterfalls

unscramblers

tray sorters

and is to include:

procedures for equipment lock-out such as protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine from the power source

Communication may include:

verbal and non-verbal language

constructive feedback

active listening

questioning to clarify and confirm understanding

use of positive, confident and cooperative language

use of language and concepts appropriate to individual social and cultural differences

control of tone of voice

body language

Pre start-up checks

are conducted to ensure:

equipment has been set-up correctly

systems are performing accurately

equipment is operating to optimum performance

Grading

is the process of:

visually evaluating material characteristics and defects for classification into varying strength and appearance grades

inspecting timber to classify quality of individual boards

Size discrimination

is the settings on the mechanical sorting machine which identify and classify the size of boards, determining their allocation to a size category

Program

is the computer based program which determines sorting of varying sized boards to their allocated storage area

Visual inspection is to include:

the assessment of timber to determine:

finish quality

faults

Disposing of may include:

recycling rejected boards

re-using rejected boards

Records and reports may include:

automatic sorting requirements

product type

size

inspection

grading and marking outcomes

storage locations

quality outcomes

hazards

incidents

equipment malfunctions

and may be:

manual

using a computer-based system or other appropriate organisational communication system

Photo electric cells and reflectors

are sensory devices which calculate size and tell the computer where to direct the board


Sectors

Unit sector

No sector assigned


Competency Field

Sawmilling and Processing


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills


Licensing Information

Refer to Unit Descriptor