Elements and Performance Criteria

Context
This competency unit includes all such items of equipment and unit operations, which form part of the reaction system. Typically this will include:
pumps
valves
mixers and
heat exchangers/jackets/coils,
and may also include other equipment as well as the reaction vessel itself.

Typical problems include:
variations in catalyst activity
control of exotherm/endotherm
adjustments to meet product specifications
variations in feed rates/quality.

All operations are performed in accordance with procedures.

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.

Plant technicians should be able to determine safe working practice using the relevant materials safety data sheets (MSDSs).

Assessment context and methods
Assessment for this unit of competency will be on an operating plant. 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 timely assessment of parts of this unit of competency (e.g. elements 1,5 and 6). 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
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.

Resource implications
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.

Other assessment advice
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:
PMAOHS200 - Participate in workplace safety procedures.

Essential knowledge
Competence includes an understanding of the reaction system and its integral equipment to the level needed to control the system and recognise and resolve problems. In particular it includes the ability to:
identify all items on a schematic of the reaction system and describe the function of each
distinguish between elements, compounds and mixtures in their raw materials and products
describe the nature/condition of materials at each stage of the reaction, the changes which have occurred in that stage and why they have occurred
describe reaction in chemical terms, including the effect of changing reaction variables (e.g. temperature, pressure, catalyst, concentration, pH)
state the type of reactor(s) used and their characteristics (advantages and limitations)
describe the methods of controlling the reaction (including rate and yield)
describe the causes and remedies of common problems such as those selected in the range of variables.

Competence also includes the ability to isolate the causes of problems to an item of equipment within the reaction system and to distinguish between causes of problems/alarm/fault indications such as:
raw materials variations
instrument failure/wrong reading
equipment failure (electrical/mechanical)
mechanical failure
operational problems,
as is relevant to the practical operation of equipment at that job level.

This knowledge is required of all major items of equipment, which comprise the reaction system.