Application
This unit of competency describes the outcomes required to chemically treat timber and to operate the treatment plant to complete treatment cycles. Work is completed in a forest products factory setting.
The unit applies to those who treat timber in a forest products factory setting. Specific job roles can include treatment plant operator, kiln operator or timber products technician.
Copper Chrome Arsenate (CCA) chemical is a restricted chemical product, which means that CCA can only be supplied to and handled by suitably trained and authorised persons.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) advised that as of 1 July 2012, CCA products can only be supplied to, and used by, suitably trained persons authorised under a relevant state or territory law from that date.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit in some states and territories at the time of publication, and may differ according to jurisdiction.
In Victoria, to comply with licence/permit requirements, organisations must ensure that employees working with CCA demonstrate competence in this unit (FWPSAW3201 Treat timber), or that persons working with CCA do so under the direct supervision (sight and sound) of a trained and authorised person.
For regulatory information and details in other states and territories refer to the state or territory licensing body.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. |
1. Prepare for treating timber | 1.1 Review work order and where required check with appropriate personnel. 1.2 Select appropriate personal protective equipment and check for operational effectiveness. 1.3 Obtain chemicals and type and quantity of timber for treatment from storage. 1.4 Plan treating cycles in line with work order. |
2. Use equipment to treat timber | 2.1 Complete pre start-up equipment checks to ensure operational effectiveness. 2.2 Identify water requirements and check to ensure treatment process requirements are met. 2.3 Test moisture content of timber in line with organisational procedures. 2.4 Check, adjust and maintain strength of preservative solution at specified strength and volume. 2.5 Bring treating plant to full operating condition and regularly check operating parameters to ensure optimum output. 2.6 Load timber into treatment vessel and complete treatment cycles. 2.7 Brand treated timber in line with organisational procedures. 2.8 Safely handle treated timber and transfer to storage area. |
3. Complete operator maintenance | 3.1 Follow organisational safety procedures to lock out equipment. 3.2 Check all treatment mechanisms for effective condition. 3.3 Keep machine clear of dust and debris in line with organisational safety procedures. 3.4 Store chemicals in line with organisational safety procedures and report on stock levels. 3.5 Record and report timber treating process and equipment faults to appropriate personnel. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy all of the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit.
complete chemical timber treatment processes in line with an individual work orders prescribing different timber types selected from the following list:
native timber species
imported timber species
dressed timber, stress and non-stress graded timber
in-the-rough timber
sleepers
logs, rounded poles
beams, laminated beams
across the above jobs, check, adjust and maintain the strength and volume types of preservative solutions including:
water-borne solutions
oil-based solutions
solvent-based solutions
at the completion of each of the above jobs, complete operator maintenance, store chemicals and report on stock levels.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person competent in this unit must be able to demonstrate knowledge of:
environmental protection practices for chemically treating timber:
reducing water and energy use
water management strategies
cleaning plant, tools and equipment
disposing of hazardous substances
storage layout and categories for:
raw materials
storing finished boards
chemicals and preservative solutions
purpose of treating timber
characteristics of timber types, effects of the treatment process and appropriate range of temperatures
properties, at a basic level of understanding, of chemicals used to treat timber and their purpose:
water-borne, oil and solvent based preservative solutions with chemical treatments including:
creosote and modified creosote-based
copper chrome arsenate salts (CCA)
compounds of boron and fluoride salts
alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ)
light organic solvent-borne preservative (LOSP)
micronised copper azole (MCA or Tanalith E)
personal safety risks associated with handling and using chemicals and methods used to minimise these
methods used to safely store chemicals
typical work flow processes and techniques for chemically treating timber:
full cell
modified cell
empty cell
immersion
rueping
double vacuum
dip diffusion
vat and sprays
methods used to brand treated timber and range of industry and organisation markings:
burning
hammer impressions
ink
tags
purpose, features and operation of equipment used to chemically treat timber including from the following list:
treatment cylinders
working tanks
mix tanks
concentrate storage tanks
effluent tanks
vacuum pump and seals
organisational procedures specific to chemically treating timber:
workplace health and safety with particular emphasis on equipment lock out, use of personal protective equipment and handling hazardous substances
communication reporting lines
recording and reporting chemical stock levels, processes and equipment faults.
Assessment Conditions
The following resources must be made available:
one or more of the following types of equipment used to chemically treat timber:
treatment cylinders
working tanks
mix tanks
concentrate storage tanks
effluent tanks
branding equipment and consumables
personal protective equipment suitable for chemically treating timber
one or more of the following types of timber to be chemically treated:
native timber species
imported timber species
dressed timber
in-the-rough timber
stress and non-stress graded timber
sleepers
logs
rounded poles
beams
laminated beams
one or more of the following types of preservative solution:
water-borne solutions
oil-based solutions
solvent-based solutions
manufacturers ‘safety data sheets, or equivalent plain English information, for chemicals and preservative solutions
work order with specific instructions for chemical treatment of timber
template documents for recording chemical stock levels, processes and equipment faults
organisational procedures for chemically treating timber
relevant personnel for the purposes of communicating information
a suitably licensed person to monitor and supervise handling of CCA during assessment.
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessor requirements
Assessors must:
hold the appropriate assessor competency standards as outlined in regulations; and
be able to demonstrate vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed; and
be able to demonstrate how they are continuing to develop their VET knowledge and skills as well as maintaining their industry currency and assessor competence.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those core and employment skills that are essential to performance and are not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Numeracy skills to: | identify quantities of required timber within work orders and count numbers for treatment calculate routine solution strengths and retention rates for preservative solutions complete basic measurements of moisture content in timber. |
Oral communication skills to: | ask open and closed probe questions and actively listen to clarify contents of work orders. |
Reading skills to: | interpret: workplace health and safety and other organisational procedures work orders safety data sheets, or equivalent plain English information, for timber treatment chemicals. |
Writing skills to: | complete accurate basic records for chemical stock levels, processes and equipment faults. |
Planning and organising skills to: | efficiently and logically sequence the stages of timber treatment processes using work order to guide activities. |
Range Statement
Not Applicable
Sectors
Sawmilling and Processing