Elements and Performance Criteria

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.
Procedures
All operations are performed in accordance with standard procedures and work instructions
Clay and ceramic products
Clay and ceramic products may include:
bricks
tiles and pipes
ceramic products
crockery
sanitary ware
insulators or thermal ceramics
Equipment and unit operations
This unit includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the kiln system. These may include:
kilns: batch, tunnel, top-hat, shuttle and roller hearth
kilns: oil, gas, electric, coal and wood fired
optical and thermocouple pyrometers
kiln cars, racking or other kiln furniture
PLCs, control panels, control computers
Typical problems
Typical problems may include:
ensuring moisture content of product prior to firing is within specification
furnace temperature profile variations
distribution of product in kiln or on kiln car
correct transition through quartz inversion, as appropriate
distortion of refractories or mechanical failures
Occupational health and safety (OHS)
The identification and control of hazards and the application of OHS are to be in accordance with current, applicable legislation and regulations, and company procedures

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
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.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessment for this unit of competency will be on an operating plant.
It is essential that the equipment be understood and that the importance of critical material properties, settings and readings is known. Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
kiln or kiln car is loaded to requirements
kiln firing is to requirements
temperature rise/fall rates are to specification.
Competence must be demonstrated in the operation of all ancillary equipment to the level required for this unit of competency.

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.
Assessment will occur over a range of situations which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation or case studies/scenarios may be required to allow for timely assessment of parts of this unit of competency. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include 'walk-throughs' of the relevant competency components. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what ifs and questions will be required to probe the reasoning behind observable actions.

Method of assessment
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.
Individual enterprises may choose to add prerequisites and co-requisites relevant to their processes.

Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.