Range of VariablesThe Range of Variables explains the range of contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment may depend on the work contexts |
What OHS hazards apply to this standard? | Amongst the risks are operating and maintaining machinery and equipment, including hydraulics and exposed moving parts, noise, organic and other dusts, working with, transporting and storing hazardous substances (such as pesticides), using fumigants, working at heights, and working on the bulk material mass. |
What actions could be taken to eliminate or minimise OHS risk? | The range of actions are both systemic and at an operational level. These are listed below.Systems should be in place to ensure the safe operation and maintenance of machinery and equipment. Precautions should also be in place to minimise exposure to noise and organic and other dusts. Systems and procedures for handling and storing bulk material, as well as working with and around electricity, should also be in place. |
| Fixtures should be in place in all silos and storage sheds, including appropriate access ladders, hand rails and ladder cages.Personal protective equipment should be selected, used and maintained.Environmental conditions should be controlled. For example, keeping moisture levels as low as possible will reduce the likelihood of fire and silo collapse.Procedures should be in place and used for working on top of stored bulk material, working with bulk material mass movement and stability, working within confined working spaces, moving vehicles, and working at height.Record keeping should ensure that requirements in relation to properly observing and using product labels and MSDS sheets, instruction manuals and written organisational procedures. |
What personal protective clothing and equipment may be relevant to this standard? | Boots, hat/hard hat, overalls, gloves, protective eyewear, hearing protection, respirator or face mask, and sun protection (sun hat, sun screen). |
What equipment is likely to be used for the cleaning and maintenance work? | Cleaning equipment for hand use, air compressors, vacuum cleaners, mobile load handling plant, mowers/slashers, loading and unloading equipment, tractors, and portable augers. |
What kind of preparation is required for cleaning and mobile equipment? | Site cleaning and mobile equipment use includes pre-operational checks, start-up, shutdown, and minor servicing to organisation requirements. |
What bulk materials may be stored at the site? | Bulk materials stored may include the entire range produced or used by the organisation and may include grains (cereals, legumes, pulses, oilseeds, or pasture seeds), animal feed (e.g. meal), flour and fertilizers. |
What storage facilities and surroundings might be subject to maintenance and cleaning? | They may be permanent and/or temporary storages, fixed and/or portable commodity handling equipment, the surrounding areas, entry, exit and site roads. |
What areas are subject to the cleaning activities? | They are the handling of equipment, storage facilities, buildings and surrounding grounds. |
What cleaning and maintenance will be involved? | On the storage site, it will be aspects of site tidiness and cleanliness, weed control, and cleaning of spilled materials and rubbish. |
What might be identified in the storage area that will need to be cleaned up, maintained, or repaired? | The presence of water or water damage, presence and activity of pests including insects, moulds, birds and rodents, dead vertebrate pest in storage, breakdown of storage security and integrity, e.g. holes, cracks, poor sealing or general physical deterioration, storm damage, and/or level of hygiene will need to be seen to. |
What workplace information is likely to be recorded? | Records may include environmental parameters, date of maintenance work, and what has been checked/maintained. |
What type of waste may be collected? | Waste may include left over treatments, unused containers, general debris, or discarded components. |
What are the implications for the external environment when undertaking this work? | Environmental implications may include the contamination of off-site ground water or soils from solids, debris, nutrients or chemicals. |
What might the organisations and statutory instructions include? | They might be those relating to health and safety, quality control, administrative reporting, commodity storage and movement control, residual fumigants and confined space entry. |
Potential emergency situations may include. | Inclement weather during operations, machinery breakdowns, and storm damage to equipment and site. |
For more information on contexts, environment and variables for training and assessment, refer to the Sector Booklet. |
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