Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required for the issuing and auditing of any and all permits across multiple plant areas or an entire site. It covers both the issuing of permits directly and also the coordination of permits issued by others. It focuses on potential conflicts between work being undertaken as well as checking that the permit system is being used correctly.
This unit of competency requires the application of detailed operational and process knowledge which is applied to coordinating permits, overseeing plant preparations and testing for permit work.
This competency is typically performed by a senior process technician. This may be a routine job, a role in part of a job or a temporary role in a shut down or similar.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element | ||
1 | Assess planned work for conflicts | 1.1 | Identify all work planned for a time period |
1.2 | Determine the scope and health safety and environment (HSE) impacts of each planned job | ||
1.3 | Confirm hazard analysis and controls for each planned job | ||
1.4 | Compare hazard profiles for each planned job | ||
1.5 | Identify conflicts between planned jobs | ||
1.6 | Negotiate a solution between conflicts | ||
1.7 | Communicate results of negotiations to relevant stakeholders | ||
2 | Issue required permits | 2.1 | List those jobs which will be allowed to proceed in the time period |
2.2 | Confirm hazard controls required for these jobs | ||
2.3 | Identify jobs which have impacts across plant areas | ||
2.4 | Ensure controls and communications are adequate | ||
2.5 | Issue/cause to be issued required permits | ||
2.6 | Report as required by procedures |
3 | Audit live permits | 3.1 | Audit plant preparations. |
3.2 | Audit permit issuing process | ||
3.3 | Check appropriate controls have been specified | ||
3.4 | Audit handover/sign-on process | ||
3.5 | Audit work in progress for conformance to permit conditions | ||
3.6 | Audit work completion and hand back/close out process | ||
3.7 | Audit deisolation and return to work preparations | ||
3.8 | Take immediate and appropriate action on any problems found | ||
3.9 | Report on audit as required by procedures |
4 | Audit past permits | 4.1 | Obtain relevant paper work |
4.2 | Check for conformance to procedures | ||
4.3 | Check for appropriateness of specified hazard controls | ||
4.4 | Identify any non-conformance | ||
4.5 | Identify systemic non-conformances | ||
4.6 | Take any immediate action which is appropriate | ||
4.7 | Report on audit as required by procedures |
5 | Analyse audit findings | 5.1 | Identify improvements to the permit system |
5.2 | Identify improvements to the implementation of the permit system | ||
5.3 | Suggest improvements to the permit system as appropriate | ||
5.4 | Suggest improvements to hazard analysis processes | ||
5.5 | Suggest improvements to the plant preparation/return to operations processes | ||
5.6 | Suggest improvements to hazard controls | ||
5.7 | Suggest training required as appropriate |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and demonstrate the ability to:
prepare and issue at least one (1) permit from three (3) different permit types
analyse and resolve two (2) or more jobs with the potential to have conflict
prepare at least one (1) audit report on live permits and one (1) on past permits, including the analysis of the audit findings
analyse all current and proposed work to determine hazard controls and permit requirements
coordinate the issue of permits for planned jobs
ensure that issued permits specify appropriate conditions
plan and undertake audits of live and past permits
analyse audit results and identify improvements
identify non-conformances and take appropriate action
communicate effectively with team/work group and other personnel.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
organisation work control system procedures
the operations of the plant and each major unit in it
hazards that may arise in plant materials, processes and process conditions, including:
their possible causes
potential consequences
appropriate risk controls
hierarchy of control
plant preparation and isolation procedures
auditing principles.
Assessment Conditions
The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.
The collection of performance evidence:
should provide evidence of the ability to perform over the range of situations which might be expected to be encountered, including typical disruptions to normal, smooth work conditions
may use industry-based simulation particularly where safety, lack of opportunity or significant cost is an issue.
Off-the-job assessment must sufficiently reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Assessment in a simulated environment should use evidence collected from one or more of:
walk-throughs
demonstration of skills
industry based case studies/scenarios
‘what ifs’.
Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence (provided a record is kept) or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
The regulatory framework will be reflected in workplace policies and procedures and is not required to be independently assessed.
Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 assessor requirements.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
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 Dangerous Goods regulations Hazardous substances regulations Hazardous Substances Information System AS 2865 2009 Confined spaces AS 1674 Set-2007, Safety in welding and allied processes (covers all hot work) AS 4024.1-2014 Series - Safety of machinery AS/NZ 1715:2009 Selection use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment National Standard for Plant [NOHSC:1010 (1994)] National exposure standards for atmospheric contaminants in the occupational environment [NOHSC:1003 (1995)] All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent 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, and include one or more of the following: permit control system emergency procedures work instructions standard operating procedures (SOPs) safe work method statements (SWMS) temporary instructions any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant |
Work permits | Work permits include one or more of the following: cold work excavation vehicle entry minor repairs working at heights hot work confined space electrical increased hazard other relevant permits |
The work permit system | The work permit system includes: types of permits legislative/regulatory/standards framework roles and responsibilities of parties under the permit system specifications for undertaking the work covered by a permit alternative ways of conducting a job Under a work permit system a 'competent person' is a person who has, through a combination of training, education or experience, acquired knowledge and skills enabling that person to correctly perform a specified task. |
Work specifications | Work specifications include: any requirements for testing of atmospheric conditions and ventilation safety structures and control measures communication incident response equipment which can and cannot be used re-authorisation/reissue requirements revalidation requirements |
Safety structures and control measures | Safety structures and control measures include one or more of the following: isolation barriers lockout/tag out signs and procedures automatic plant shutdown buttons cords/lanyards alarms barriers guards earth leakage devices warning lights |
Live permits | Live permits are permits that apply to work currently being done |
Past permits | Past permits are permits that have been handed back/closed out |
Audit permits | Auditing of permits requires one or more of the following: selecting an individual permit and following it through spot checking key aspects of permits intensively checking one aspect of the process with all permits on issue |
Sectors
Competency Field
Work control systems