Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 7:32 AM AWST

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Break down logs

Break down logs

Unit of competency
National Code
FPISAW3203B
State Code
D6059
TGA Status
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
20/05/2011
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
25/06/2012
Field of Education
030111 - Wood MacHining And Turning
Original Release Date
25/06/2012
Nominal Hours
40
Description
This unit describes the outcomes required to prepare logs for sawing, to set up the processing of logs, to break down the logs and maintain the production flowGeneral workplace legislative and regulatory requirements apply to this unit; however there are no specific licensing or certification requirements at the time of publication
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Prepare for sawing
  • 1.1. Applicable Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), environmental, legislative and organisational requirements relevant to breaking down logs are identified and followed
  • 1.2. Work order is reviewed and checked with appropriate personnel
  • 1.3. Equipment is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer's recommendations
  • 1.4. Sawing process is planned in line with site procedures and to optimise volume and quality of sawnrecovery
  • 1.5. Communication with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements
2. Break down logs
  • 2.1. Pre start-up checks are carried out on equipment in line with site requirements
  • 2.2. Logs are secured with dogs minimising damage and aligned with the saw
  • 2.3. Logs are cleared of foreign matter and fed into the saw at the feed rate prescribed by organisational requirements
  • 2.4. Break down process is regularly checked and adjusted to maintain the desired quality and output
  • 2.5. Break down process and equipment faults are recorded and reported to the appropriate personnel
  • 2.6. Sub-standard material from the break down process is rejected and disposed of in line with site procedures and environmental requirements
  • 2.7. Processed logs are safely directed to the next stage of processing or storage in a designated location in line with work order requirements
3. Conduct operator maintenance
  • 3.1. Equipment lock-out procedures are followed in line with OHS legislation and site procedures
  • 3.2. Saw and saw blades are checked for blunt or damaged condition
  • 3.3. Blunt or damaged saws and saw blades are identified and dealt with in line with site procedures, manufacturer's recommendations and environmental requirements
  • 3.4. Machine area is kept clear of dust and debris in line with OHS requirements
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.
OHS requirements:
are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:
personal protective equipment and clothing
safety equipment
first aid equipment
fire fighting equipment
hazard and risk control
fatigue management
elimination of hazardous materials and substances
safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire
manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying
machine isolation and guarding
Environmental requirements may include:
legislation
organisational policies and procedures
workplace practices
Legislative requirements:
are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:
award and enterprise agreements
industrial relations
Australian Standards
confidentiality and privacy
OHS
the environment
equal opportunity
anti-discrimination
relevant industry codes of practice
duty of care
Organisational requirements may include:
legal
organisational and site guidelines
policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility
quality assurance
procedural manuals
quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures
ethical standards
recording and reporting requirements
equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements
environmental management requirements (waste minimisation and disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)
Breaking down logs
is the process of cutting a log into flitches, cants or slabs, taking into account the characteristics of the log, such as regrowth logs, and processing requirements
and may include:
assessment of diameter range
curvature
faults
species
Work order is to include:
instructions for the sawing logs and despatch of flitches or cants from the work site to down-stream processing
and may include:
treating
species
diameter
length
quantity
grade
instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures
environmental care requirements relevant to the work
Appropriate personnel may include:
supervisors
suppliers
clients
colleagues
managers
Equipment may include:
circular saws
bench saws
overhead frame saws or band saws (single, twin, single edges and twin edges)
mechanical feed
conveyors
standard three headed dog carriages
flat top carriages with head rigs
and is to include:
procedures for machine lock-out, i.e. protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine from the power source
Optimising includes:
planning the cutting of a log to achieve the most from it
ensuring environmental requirements are central to this planning process
Sawn recovery
is the volume of timber sawn from a resource compared to the volume of that resource
is expressed as a percentage - sawn timber volume/initial log volume x 100
maximises the value of the resource
Communication may include:
verbal and non-verbal language
constructive feedback
active listening
questioning to clarify and confirm understanding
use of positive, confident and cooperative language
use of language and concepts appropriate to individual social and cultural differences
control of tone of voice
body language
Pre start-up checks
are conducted to ensure:
saw has been set-up correctly
blades are installed accurately
machinery is operating to optimum performance
Dogs
are the carriage devices which clamp logs during break down
Feed rate is to include:
rate of speed the material is passed through the machine affecting the sharpness of the blades
finish of the material
production output
Records and reports may include:
the sawing procedures
product type
size
inspection
grading and labelling outcomes
storage locations
quality outcomes
hazards
incidents
equipment malfunctions
and may be:
manual
using a computer-based system or another appropriate organisational communication system
Disposing of may include:
recycling sub-standard material
re-using sub-standard material
Dealing with may include:
repairing blunt or damaged saws and saw blades
disposing of saws and saw blades that cannot be repaired
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
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently break down logs within organisational requirements
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to, and satisfy, all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:
following applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to breaking down logs
following organisational policies and procedures relevant to breaking down logs
breaking down logs to produce sections in line with the work order and within prescribed organisational specifications
conducting operator maintenance on saw machinery
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements
The following resources should be made available:
workplace location or simulated workplace
materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit
specifications and work instructions
Method of assessment
Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package
Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge
Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills
Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge
Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency
The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English
Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
AXK05 FWPSAW3203 Break down logs Unit of competency
State Code National Code Title Type
J467 FPI30311 Certificate III in Sawmilling and Processing Qualification