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. |
Isolation | Isolation is a process for ensuring no energy or material can enter the isolated area |
Preparation | Preparation is a process for ensuring that plant and equipment is in a safe and appropriate condition for the required work. Preparation may include, but is not limited to: draining purging inerting decontaminating cleaning ventilating controlling atmosphere (e.g. to ensure it is breathable, and is not within the flammable range) adjusting temperature to make a workable environment adjusting pressure (usually to atmospheric) ensuring adequate access and egress |
Scope of work | Scope of work includes, but may not be limited to: what work is to be done where the work will be done who will be doing the work when the work needs to be done why the work is to be done how the work will be undertaken (tools and techniques) frequency with which this work is/will be required duration of work (from beginning of shutdown to back to normal operations) |
Relevant isolation philosophy/ strategy | Relevant isolation philosophy/strategy will normally be that of the organisation for which the isolations are being done although they could include regulatory or similar requirements and may include, but are not limited to: types of isolations allowed (e.g. positive, double block and bleed), removal of item (e.g. fuse and spool piece), and single block isolations lock out/tag out preparation strategies types of equipment to be used purging or other preparation fluids/techniques Strategy will be consistent with relevant external standards, such as: Government of Western Australia, Department of Commerce, Guidance note – Isolation of plant, 2010 National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA) requirements Major Hazard Facility (MHF) Licence to Operate |
Hazards | Hazards will include: hazards to people, environment and plant other hazards as relevant to the organisation/facility |
Implications of isolation | Implications of isolation apply to both the area of the work as well as upstream and downstream implications and may include, but are not limited to: upstream and downstream process implications ability to prepare plant once isolated integrity of plant once isolated and prepared |
Controlling releases | Controlling releases to the environment may include, but is not limited to: preventing any release containing any release recovery and reuse or disposal of any release |
Physical limits of plant | Physical limits of plant may include, but are not limited to: temperature/pressure limits of plant and equipment limits on rates of change of temperature/pressure suitable steam pressures/temperatures |
Strategies for isolation and preparation | Strategies for isolation and preparation may include, but are not limited to: sequence of isolations and preparations type of isolation, based on hierarchy of isolations type of preparations to be used |
Hierarchy of isolations | Isolations may be categorised according to a hierarchy of: positive proven unproven |
Estimating preparation durations | Estimating preparation durations may include, but is not limited to: determining inventory in plant to be drained/purged establishing safe rates of change, such as: pressurisation depressurisation draining flushing cooling heating calculating required volumes and pressures of flushing/purging venting materials calculating the time required to drain, flush, purge, depressure, pressure, cool and heat |
Isolation procedure | Isolation procedure may include, but is not limited to: isolation processes isolation list multiple isolations temporary lifting of isolations, when and if required interlocks and will include consideration of: isolation alternatives conflicts of isolation |
Verifying procedures | Verifying procedures may include, but is not limited to: checking existing documents which have been used are accurate, current and complete checking planned isolation points do exist, are accessible, and are suitable for the isolation planned having a history of providing the isolation desired |
Relevant drawings | Relevant drawings may include, but are not limited to: piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) process flow diagrams (PFDs) process flow sheets (PFSs) process engineering flow sheets (PEFs) |
Required prework | Required prework may include, but is not limited to: scaffolding building up/depletion of inventories/work in progress (WIP) obtaining of supplies identification tags lock out kits |
Competencies required | Competencies required for isolation and preparation may include, but are not limited to: electrical (normal) electrical high voltage and hazardous area electrical isolation/deisolation radiation heights mobile plant plumbing mechanical fitting permit preparation |
Required documentation | Required documentation may include, but is not limited to: drawings procedures marking up existing documents punch lists vendor documents/engineering specifications documentation required by the site work control system (e.g. permits) Documents will conform to the site requirements and document control systems Documents may be: paper, electronic or other approved form |
Authority to execute | Authority to execute includes both the authorisation to proceed and the timing of that execution. Authority will be obtained through the channels required by the organisation/facility. The level of authority required will vary for different types of work, different types of isolation and different plants/facilities |