In a typical scenario, an operator needs to undertake an activity on the plant, or related to the plant and uses a schematic as an aid in interpreting the plant and/or the plant systems or as an aid to explaining the plant/plant systems to another person (who may be another operator, technical specialist, member of management, maintenance worker or contractor).

The operator would:

find relevant information from the schematic

mark up a schematic for their own use or the use of another person

sketch a schematic, using relevant symbols, as part of an explanation to another person or as an aide memoir for themselves

This competency covers all general and common symbols and also includes those specific to the relevant plant which is the operator's area of responsibility. It includes those conventions which are applied by their place of work.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Relate schematic to plant.

1.1. Match items on schematic with items in plant

1.2. Determine relevant pipe and flange schedules

1.3. Identify sizes and types of minor equipment

1.4. Locate relevant instrument tapping points and control points

1.5. Identify direction of flow on schematic and in plant.

2. Identify points required to prepare plant.

2.1. Locate isolation and blanking points for any item of the relevant schematic

2.2. Identify drain/vent/purge points for any item on the relevant schematic

2.3. Identify trip system elements

2.4. Use schematic to check/develop work lists.

3. Describe the process with a schematic.

3.1. Use a schematic as the basis of a description of the process

3.2. Describe the process using a manual schematic

3.3. Walk through process identifying all plant items in process order

3.4. Identify key conditions/variables from a relevant schematic.

Required skills

Required skills include:

interpretation of symbols and other drawing elements

communication

problem solving

Required knowledge

Competence includes an understanding of process plant schematics and their application to the actual plant and process. In particular it includes a knowledge of:

symbols used on schematics by that organisation

schematic conventions, eg with particular reference to crossing and branching lines

indications of equipment/pipe specifications

indications of process conditions/limits

cause and effect interpretation as relevant

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

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

Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to apply schematics to plant/process based situations.

Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:

critical process/plant features can be identified from a schematic

main process features can be described using a schematic.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment will require access to a plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.

Method of assessment

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.

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.

Codes of practice/ standards

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.

Items

Items on schematic/in plant includes:

all major plant items such as:

vessels,

columns,

reactors

heat exchangers

minor plant items

Context

Schematics have various names and includes:

P&IDs (piping and instrumentation diagrams)

PFDs (process flow diagrams)

PEFs (Process Engineering Flow)

cause and effect diagrams/matrix

Unless qualified in the unit, 'schematic' means a formally drawn, authorized schematic and may be hard copy or electronic.

Symbols

Symbols and conventions used in the schematics for the relevant plant area should be used. They may be Australian Standards symbols, the organisation's standard symbols or some other standard system:

Minor equipment

Minor equipment includes that equipment commonly described by size and type and includes:

pumps

valves

strainers

filters

instrumentation (local and remote)

It typically would not include items such as vessels, columns, reactors or heat exchangers which would be major plant items.

Plant preparation

Plant preparation entails all that activity which may be required to render the plant safe for non-operational work (which is typically maintenance but may be other work) and includes:

isolations

blank/spade/spectacle blind, breakout spool locations

draining

purging

blanketing

venting

ventilating

locating plant, equipment and services - above ground

locating below ground (or otherwise obscured) pipeline and services.

Key conditions

Key conditions includes:

normal range of process conditions such as

level

pressure

flow

temperature

alarm conditions/values

trip, ESD values

Work lists

Work lists may include:

punch list

tag numbers

spade/blind lists

similar lists

Manual schematic

Manual schematic may include:

a hand drawn sketch of the part of the process of interest

a mark up of a formally drawn schematic

Schematics may be hard copy or electronic.

Appropriate action

Appropriate action includes:

determining problems needing action

determining possible fault causes

rectifying problem using appropriate solution within area of responsibility

following through items initiated until final resolution has occurred

reporting problems outside area of responsibility to designated person.

Procedures

Procedures may be written, verbal, computer-based or in some other form. They include:

all work instructions

standard operating procedures

formulas/recipes

batch sheets

temporary instructions

any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.

For the purposes of this Training Package, 'procedures' also includes good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (eg Responsible Care) and government regulations.

Health, safety and environment (HSE)

All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State 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.

Unit sector

Operational/technical

This unit contains employability skills.