Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
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.
Procedures
All operations are performed in accordance with standard procedures and work instructions
Variations
Variations may include:
nature and type of plant configuration
nature and type of material or product to be autoclaved
safe work practices and the use of protective clothing, hard hats and safety glasses
Checking equipment
Checking equipment includes:
vessel door closing and locking equipment
vessel cars
steam and pressure generation equipment
Use of equipment
Use of equipment includes:
instruments and PLCs but not control panels
measuring and/or recording equipment
communication equipment
Typical problems
Typical problems include:
equipment malfunctions
temperature or pressure fluctuations
product quality variations
material/feed variations
vessel pressure losses
Occupational health and safety (OHS)
All operations are subject to stringent OHS requirements and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and OHS requirements, the OHS requirements take precedence.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
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
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.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
It is essential that the equipment and the process be understood and that the importance of critical settings and readings is known.
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
startup and shutdown procedures are applied without variation
signals and alarms are responded to immediately
isolation procedures for maintenance are followed
all OHS requirements are followed.
Competence must be demonstrated in the operation of all ancillary equipment to the level required for this unit of competency.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment will require access to an operating plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations.
Assessment will occur over a range of situations which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation or case studies/scenarios may be required to allow for timely assessment of parts of this unit of competency. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include 'walk-throughs' of the relevant competency components. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what ifs and questions will be required to probe the reasoning behind observable actions.

Method of assessment
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.
Individual enterprises may choose to add prerequisites and co-requisites relevant to their processes.

Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.