Elements and Performance Criteria

Context
This competency unit includes the functions of:
liaison with manufacturers, engineering personnel, designers, maintenance personnel
participation in hazard and operability studies (HAZOP) and hazard analysis studies (HAZAN)
removal of plant and equipment from service, which may include:
'mothballing'
storage
disassembly
demolition
decontamination of equipment
disposal of equipment and waste.

This competency unit includes the understanding and application of:
OHS regulations especially those related to plant
codes of practice
disposal procedures and regulations.

All operations are performed in accordance with standard operating procedures

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.

Assessment context and methods
Assessment for this unit of competency will be related to a plant/pipeline. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency.

Simulation may be required to allow for timely assessment of this unit of competency. It is possible that a simulation will be required to ensure that the technician is competent before taking a significant role in a decommissioning activity. Decommissioning is an infrequent activity and so it may not be practical or equitable to wait for an actual decommissioning to occur to use this as the basis for assessment. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/ scenarios and role plays.

This unit of competency requires a significant body of knowledge which will be assessed through questioning and the use of what if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.

Critical aspects
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action. The emphasis should be on the ability to stay out of trouble rather than on recovery from a disaster.

Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
potential problems are recognised
the range of possible causes can be identified and analysed and the most likely cause determined
appropriate, timely action is taken
obvious problems in related plant areas are recognised and an appropriate contribution made to their solution.

These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/what ifs as the stimulus with a walk through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include a range of problems, including new, unusual and improbable situations which may have been generated from the past incident history of the plant, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities and similar sources.

Resource implications
Assessment will require access to a plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating 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.

Other assessment advice
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.

In a major hazard facility, it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with:
PMAOHS200 - Participate in workplace safety procedures
PMAOHS300 - Implement and monitor OHS policies and procedures for a work group
PMAOHS401 - Assess risk

Essential knowledge
Competence to include the ability to apply and explain
chemistry of materials involved
principles of operation of the process
principles of operation of the equipment involved
HAZOP study process and the interpretation of findings
results and impact of a HAZAN study
hazardous substances legislation
the process of hazard identification, risk assessment and control
sources of hazard information (such as Material Safety Data Sheets)
safe disposal methods of materials and equipment
decontamination processes.