SKILL  KNOWLEDGE  SAFETY

MSAPMPER201A - Monitor and Control Work Permits

Description

 This competency covers the monitoring of the operational conditions in which a permit to work has been issued, and the required activities and functions associated with the production/process of chemical, hydrocarbons, oil, and other process manufactured products. This role may be carried out by the standby person or other appropriately qualified persons. While this competency carries with it high levels of responsibility the role is usually prescribed by the permit process and may be exercised by any competent operator.

Pre-Requisites

 Nil

Application of Unit

This competency applies to personnel who are required to monitor a work situation in which the activity is conducted under the auspices of a permit to work. During this activity the individual will monitor the work situation for conformance to the permit and will immediately intervene if the parameters of the permit are exceeded or work proceeds outside the boundaries set by the permit. It includes:

  • identifying and understanding the requirements of the permit
  • monitoring any changes in the conditions of work under the permit
  • ensuring work sequences are followed as permitted by the permit
  • constantly inspecting the site for changed work or site circumstances
  • reporting any non-conformance with permit conditions
  • withdrawing or causing work to cease outside permit conditions
  • confirming conformance with permit conditions and reporting conclusion of activities.

Performance Criteria

 1. Identify and monitor permit conditions.
1.1 Identify permit requirements.
1.2 Monitor permit holder and conditions to ensure that the work being conducted conforms to the issued permit requirements.
1.3 Identify and communicate changes in the operating conditions or requirements of the permit to permit holders to ensure they are kept aware of any hazards.

2. Monitor work permit systems.
2.1 Control work activities to comply with the organisation or site work permit system and safety procedures.
2.2 Check and verify the permit holder's knowledge of the issued permit and its requirements before allowing any repair or maintenance work to be undertaken on the production/process equipment.
2.3 Undertake site inspections to ensure that the work to be undertaken is in sequence and completed in a safe and coordinated manner.
2.4 Identify hazards, and confirm with those undertaking the permitted work that control measures, as defined in the permit are established.

3. Identify and action non-compliance.
3.1 Identify conditions of active permits.
3.2 Report and record incidents of non-compliance according to procedures.
3.3 Take corrective action upon incidences of non-compliance with permit conditions through the withdrawal or suspension of the issued permit.

4. Confirm compliance with permit.
4.1 Complete checklists in accordance with standard procedures.
4.2 Document and communicate findings to appropriate personnel. 

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.

Context
The application of this unit is defined by the level and area of responsibility.

Legislative and site specific safety procedures and/or requirements, including in hazard identification, assessment and application of control measures, must be met.

Compliance is required with:

legislation/codes:

  • OHS
  • EPA
  • OHS authorities and NOHSC
  • licence and certification requirements
  • other relevant standards
  • workplace specific permit control system.


Monitor means continual personnel presence to observe conditions of the workplace and work practices to ensure compliance with permit conditions. This may include:

  • supervision/monitoring of contractors
  • verification of permits, licences, tests
  • document control
  • compliance with legislation/codes. 


Corrective action may include:

  • ceasing job
  • leaving the job site safe if it is safe and practical to do so
  • report reason for ceasing job and request new permit when safe.


Indicative functions include:

  • supervision/monitoring of contractors
  • verification of permits, licences, tests
  • document control
  • compliance with legislation/codes.


This unit may be applied to either an individual or team related context within the workplace.

Procedures
All operations are performed in accordance with procedures.

Procedures cover all relevant workplace procedures, work instructions, temporary instructions and relevant industry and government codes and standards. These may include:

  • legislation/codes
  • OHS legislation, codes of practice and guidance material
  • EPA
  • National and Australian standards
  • licence and certification requirements
  • internal permit control system.
  • process isolations complete
  • mechanical and electrical isolations in place
  • atmospheric testing complete and atmosphere safe. If it is not safe and cannot be made safe, then appropriate measures are implemented as per SOPs


Relevant personnel informed of work and agree that it is safe and appropriate to proceed.

Tools and equipment
This competency includes use of equipment and tools such as:

  • danger tags and lockouts
  • out of service tags
  • blinds/blanks
  • blind/blank list
  • gas testers and monitors
  • lights
  • ladders
  • cathodic protection bonds
  • barricades
  • signage
  • communications equipment
  • process and equipment drawings.


The types of work permits may include:

  • evacuation
  • clearance
  • hot work
  • vehicle entry
  • confined space
  • minor repairs
  • working at heights
  • other special permits. 


Safety equipment may include:

  • eye protection (eg goggles)
  • ear protection
  • gloves
  • clothing
  • respirators and masks
  • helmets.


Hazards
Typical hazards include:

  • heat, smoke, dust or other atmospheric hazards
  • sharp edges, protrusions or obstructions
  • limited head spaces or overhangs
  • equipment or product mass
  • slippery surfaces, spills or leaks
  • noise, rotational equipment or vibration.


Problems
'Respond to routine problems' means 'apply known solutions to a limited range of predictable problems'. Typical process and product problems may include:

  • provision of the wrong permit
  • incorrect information being supplied with the permit
  • errors being made in the understanding of permit data
  • failure to correctly correspond to the requirements of the permit
  • failure to seek clarification when anomalies occur.


Variables
Key variables to be monitored include:

  • sites under which permit activities must be applied
  • type of permit to be executed
  • types of tools and equipment to be employed
  • size of work team
  • scope and urgency of work

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, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment
Assessment will occur using industrial equipment and will be undertaken in a work like environment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to distinguish between situations requiring the major types of permit and to list the major requirements of each type of permit. The emphasis should be on the ability to stay out of trouble rather than on recovery from a disaster.

It is essential that competence is demonstrated in the knowledge and skills defined in this unit.

These may include the ability to:

 

  • provide reasons for a permit system
  • recognise the importance of different work permits
  • comply with permit conditions including the wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • take appropriate action to resolve faults or report faults to appropriate personnel
  • explain and implement incident response procedures. 


Consistent performance should be demonstrated. For example, look to see that:

  • communications are timely and effective
  • deviations from permit conditions are recognised, reported, corrected and re-authorisation arranged
  • action specified in the permit/standard procedures is carried out
  • all safety procedures are followed.


Assessment method and context
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 may include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the Elements, Performance Criteria and skills and knowledge.

Competence in this unit may be assessed:

  • on an operating plant over an extended period
  • by using a suitable simulation based on the actual plant and including walk throughs of the relevant competency components and/or a range of case studies/scenarios and role plays
  • by questioning and using 'what if' scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant
  • through a combination of these techniques.

These aspects may be best assessed using a range of simulations/scenarios/case studies and '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 or unusual 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.

In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge and theoretical assessment will be combined with appropriate practical/simulation or similar assessment. Assessors need to be aware of any cultural issues that may affect responses to questions.

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. In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.

Specific resources for assessment
This section should be read in conjunction with the Range Statement for this unit of competency. Resources required include suitable access to an operating plant or equipment that allows for appropriate and realistic simulation. A bank of case studies/scenarios and questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions will also be required to the extent that they form part of the assessment method. Questioning may take place either in the workplace, or in an adjacent, quiet facility such as an office or lunchroom. No other special resources are required.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.


Required skills
Language, literacy and numeracy requirements

This unit requires the ability to:

  • read and correctly interpret complex P&IDs
  • speak clearly and unambiguously in English
  • explain, describe and verify sometimes complex needs and issues.


Writing is required to the level of completing workplace forms and producing reports.

Numeracy is required to the level of being able to correctly differentiate between high and low pressures and temperatures, voltages or masses.

Required knowledge
Knowledge and understanding of permit requirements sufficient to distinguish between situations requiring permits and then implementing the appropriate corrective action where required.

Knowledge of the organisation standard procedures and work instructions and relevant regulatory requirements, along with the ability to implement them within appropriate time constraints and in a manner relevant to the job.

Competence includes the ability to apply and/or explain:

  • an awareness of hazards associated with the permit
  • Australian Standard AS2865 - Safe working in a confined space and relevant legislation
  • identification of container and goods coding and HAZCHEM markings
  • production workflow sequences and requirements for working in confined spaces
  • focus of operation of work systems and equipment
  • application of relevant agreements, codes of practice and other legislative requirements
  • hazards of the materials and process and appropriate hazard control procedures
  • identification and correct use of equipment, processes and procedures
  • planning own work including predicting consequences and identifying improvements; as is relevant to the practical completion of the job. 


Demonstration of competence in this unit should include knowledge of the following as appropriate to the process:

  • blank/blind lists and P&IDs
  • tagging procedures
  • isolation procedures
  • incident response procedures, including evacuation
  • gas types, toxicity and explosivity and limits of each
  • oxygen levels
  • area knowledge including plant and processes
  • permit types and limitations
  • product tolerances and specifications
  • static electricity and cathodic protection
  • environmental hazards
  • hot work protective measures
  • columns
  • vessels
  • fire fighting equipment
  • blinds/blanks
  • pumps
  • compressors
  • prime movers
  • valves.


An understanding of alarm and communication systems is required.

The regulatory framework to include:

  • OHS
  • EPA
  • OHS authorities and NOHSC
  • licence and certification requirements
  • company policy and permit control systems.














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