Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 6:26 PM AWST

Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.

Manage plant shutdown and restart

Manage plant shutdown and restart

Unit of competency
National Code
PMAOPS411B
State Code
W8891
TGA Status
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
11/11/2010
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
29/05/2014
Field of Education
030717 - Plant And Machine Operations
Original Release Date
29/05/2014
Nominal Hours
40
Description
This unit covers the co-ordination of the shutdown and restarting of a production process in a safe and efficient manner due to a planned or an unplanned shutdown or emergency situation. It does not apply to individual plant operators shutting down individual production units or following directions during a shutdown, as this is included in the normal unit of competency for operating that production unit.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Manage shutdown sequence.
  • 1.1. Check and verify safety systems to ensure that the unit has been made safe
  • 1.2. Identify the reason for, or cause of the shutdown by troubleshooting the system and by utilising all available data and information systems
  • 1.3. Obtain confirmation of the identified shutdown from field based operators to verify both the nature and the reliability of the shutdown
  • 1.4. Rectify or initiate procedures to rectify the fault or shutdown cause through either repair of the operational fault or readjustment before returning the system to start-up status.
2. Conduct start-up process.
  • 2.1. Satisfy all start-up permissives prior to start- up process being commenced
  • 2.2. Conduct start-up according to procedures and in a safe and efficient manner, ensuring a return to steady state operation is achieved.
3. Document shutdown and start-up process.
  • 3.1. Complete all logs and workplace documentation relating to the shutdown/start-up process, ensuring all details, actions and responses are accurately recorded
  • 3.2. Record any further ongoing production problems and report to appropriate persons or authority.
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. Add any 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.
Codes of practice/ standards
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.
Context
Causes of shutdown may be:
planned, eg for maintenance or other planned work
unplanned, eg in response to a plant upset or equipment failure
emergency, eg in response to an automatic shutdown sequence or plant trip.
The shutdown may be:
shutdown 'to cold', eg complete plant shutdown and purging of all process materials from equipment
short shutdown to allow minor work 'warm shutdown', eg partial shutdown, with retention of some or all of process materials
managing a plant trip and restart 'hot shutdown', eg short duration shutdown in response to a plant upset or trip
This competency also includes:
coordinating the shift team
implementing emergency procedures
using the permit to work system (for repairs required).
This competency may apply to:
panel technicians
outside technicians
technicians seconded to a shut down role
other relevant personnel
All operations are performed according to procedures.
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.
EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Assessment of this unit should include demonstrated competence on actual plant and equipment in a work environment. 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. Assessment will occur over a range of situations which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for assessment of parts of this unit. 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 for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
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:
early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems are recognised
the range of possible causes can be identified and analysed and the most likely cause determined
appropriate action is taken to ensure a timely return to full performance
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.
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. 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
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:
MSAPMOHS200A Work safely.
The person undertaking this competency is expected to be able to work under and manage situations of high pressure, in order to ensure the safe and efficient management of the control room production process and the safety of plant employees.
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.
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
C5984 PMAOPS411A Manage plant shutdown and restart Unit of competency
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
AXM83 PMAOPS411 Manage plant shutdown and restart Unit of competency