Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 10:56 AM 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.

Provide fluids for utilities and support

Provide fluids for utilities and support

Unit of competency
National Code
PMAOPS224B
State Code
W8857
TGA Status
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
11/11/2010
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
18/12/2008
Field of Education
030717 - Plant And Machine Operations
Original Release Date
18/12/2008
Nominal Hours
30
Description
This unit covers the generation, provision or 'making' of services for use by a plant. While this generally would apply to a remote or off shore plant, it may also be appropriate for other plants.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Prepare for work.
  • 1.1. Identify work requirements
  • 1.2. Identify and control hazards
  • 1.3. Coordinate with appropriate personnel
2. Start up equipment and/or processes.
  • 2.1. Ensure equipment or process is ready to start and not tagged out or subject to work order
  • 2.2. Check all valves, inlets and outlets are in correct positions for start-up
  • 2.3. Check as appropriate for 'clear board' with all indicators 'in the green'
  • 2.4. Inform other plant personnel as appropriate
  • 2.5. Commence start-up to procedures and monitor fluid flows, temperatures and/or pressures
  • 2.6. Confirm all fluids are flowing at correct volume, pressure and/or temperature.
3. Monitor utility and support fluid equipment.
  • 3.1. Determine the required levels of demand for support or utility fluids from a knowledge of the plant/site's process control systems or equipment
  • 3.2. Monitor process equipment and systems, including compressors, pumps, receivers and distribution systems, to meet and maintain the facility utility service requirements
  • 3.3. Monitor and manually adjust flow or ensure correct operation of automatic control valves to control the flow of fluids into the plant/site's process systems and equipment
  • 3.4. Monitor quality of fluids and ensure that they remain within specifications, eg quality and consistency
  • 3.5. Complete routine checks and reports
  • 3.6. Take appropriate action resulting from monitoring and checks.
4. Identify need for maintenance.
  • 4.1. Monitor service records to assist with programmed maintenance scheduling
  • 4.2. Monitor equipment for evidence of maintenance needs outside programmed maintenance
  • 4.3. Advise other site personnel of the need to take equipment off-line for maintenance action
  • 4.4. Identify back-up or auxiliary equipment (where provided) to facilitate maintenance of fluid supplies within the facility
  • 4.5. Ensure equipment can be safely taken off line for maintenance
5. Isolate and de-isolate plant.
  • 5.1. Isolate plant
  • 5.2. Make safe for required work
  • 5.3. Check plant is ready to be returned to service
  • 5.4. Prepare plant for return to service.
6. Respond to emergencies.
  • 6.1. Identify critical out of specification performance of equipment and contact appropriate personnel
  • 6.2. Respond to an emergent situation according to procedures
  • 6.3. Shut down, under instruction, any equipment and associated equipment affected by the emergency situation
  • 6.4. Implement any back-up procedures to ensure the ongoing supply of critical fluids to the remainder of the facility
  • 6.5. Ensure all safety procedures are fully complied with.
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 if 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
This unit of competency includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the utilities/fluids supply system. For your plant this may include (select relevant items):
plant water equipment
high and low pressure steam equipment
flushing oil systems
cryogenic plants
refrigerant systems
filtration equipment
purge systems.
Typical problems
Typical problems for your plant may include:
variation in fluid feed
vibration or surging
control of level, temperature, pressure and flow
blockages or leakage.
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, role plays and 3D virtual reality interactive systems. In the case of evacuation training or training for competencies practised in life threatening situations, simulation may be used for the bulk of the training.
This unit of competency requires an application of the knowledge contained in the use of the equipment, to the level needed to maintain control and recognise and resolve problems. This can 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.

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
C5955 PMAOPS224A Provide fluids for utilities and support Unit of competency
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
AXN38 PMAOPS224 Provide fluids for utilities and support Unit of competency