Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 5:36 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.

Package product/material

Package product/material

Unit of competency
National Code
PMAOPS213B
State Code
W8850
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
089901 - Purchasing, Warehousing And Distribution
Original Release Date
18/12/2008
Nominal Hours
20
Description
This competency is typically performed by operators and covers the operation of a packing line to package materials and products.Typical packing lines included in this competency may dispense liquid products into drums or plastic containers, pack filled containers into cartons or stack filled containers onto pallets.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Isolate and de-isolate plant.
  • 1.1. Isolate plant
  • 1.2. Make safe for required work
  • 1.3. Check plant is ready to be returned to service
  • 1.4. Prepare plant for return to service.
2. Prepare equipment and materials for packaging.
  • 2.1. Identify from documentation the type, quantity and quality of product to be packed
  • 2.2. Identify the range of packaging materials and ancillaries and their specific functions
  • 2.3. Insure packaging materials are available in accordance with documentation
  • 2.4. Select and prepare packaging materials according to compatibility with content, to procedures
  • 2.5. Check packaging materials for correct labels/safety information.
3. Set up line.
  • 3.1. Select appropriate measuring equipment
  • 3.2. Select and fit appropriate dispensing equipment
  • 3.3. Check all parts of line for damage, contamination or blockage
  • 3.4. Clean equipment as required
  • 3.5. Set up line for required quantity of product and labels to procedures
  • 3.6. Start up and shut down line.
4. Package product
  • 4.1. Fill package
  • 4.2. Check that packaged product complies with specifications
  • 4.3. Report as required.
5. Control hazards.
  • 5.1. Identify hazards in work area and with equipment
  • 5.2. Assess risks arising from those hazards
  • 5.3. Take appropriate action to control risks to procedures and duty of care.
6. Respond to packaging plant/process problems.
  • 6.1. Monitor plant frequently and critically throughout shift using measured/indicated data and senses (sight, hearing etc) as appropriate.
  • 6.2. Recognise operational problems
  • 6.3. Analyse cause of operational problems within scope of skill level
  • 6.4. Take timely and appropriate action to solve operational problems.
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 includes all items of equipment and operations which form part of the packaging process. Typically this will include indicative functions such as:
packaging
labelling
palletising
storing
verification of product type, quantity and quality
calculation of actual packaged product against documentation.
Ancillary equipment
This includes labeler, measuring equipment, palletiser, dispensing equipment
Packaged products
Packaged products include:
liquids (such as paint, detergents, chemicals)
solids (powders and pellets)
gases (and liquified gases).
Packaging
Packaging includes:
tins, cans
drums
bags and sacks
semi-bulk (such as bulker boxes and pallecons)
gas cylinders or drums.
Resources
It could also include resources such as:
labelling equipment
packaging materials
documentation
lifting/transporting equipment.
Start up shut down as required
Start up shut down as required includes:
start up and shut down to/from normal operating conditions
start up and shut down to/from isolated, cold, empty
all other conditions experienced on the plant.
ie from any condition to any condition experienced on the plant.
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. For many plants, it might be appropriate for this unit to be assessed with:
PMAOPS203B Handle goods.
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
C5948 PMAOPS213A Package product/material Unit of competency
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
AXN45 PMAOPS213 Package product/material Unit of competency