PROWFP2 - Produce wood fuel in a plant or mill 

 

Overview

This standard covers the skills and knowledge required to produce wood fuel.  Wood fuel could include wood chip (including hog fuel), wood pellets, wood briquettes or firewood.  This involves maintaining sufficient quantities of raw material during production, following instructions and safety requirements, ensuring wood fuel meets specification and troubleshooting and fixing problems. 

It also applies to operating machinery to prepare raw materials prior to wood fuel production.

 

Outcomes


Performance Criteria


You must be able to:   

1.         comply with health and safety requirements and procedures at all times 

2.         check and confirm that wood of the specified quality and amount are available for wood fuel production

3.         ensure work area is ventilated to levels appropriate for wood fuel production

4.         control dust to acceptable levels

5.         load materials into machinery as specified in instructions

6.         adjust equipment to produce required particle size for wood fuel

7.         set up, use and shut down machinery and equipment following manufacturers instructions

8.         monitor t processes and ensure machinery is working correctly

9.         maintain raw material levels during production

10.       process appropriate amounts of wood to produce required amounts of wood fuel

11.       monitor particle size to ensure end product meets specification

12.       produce required quantities of wood fuel on time

13.       deal with any problems with equipment, machinery and materials safely and effectively    

14.       shut down and isolate equipment safely and according to instructions

15.       remove residual and waste materials into suitable storage, handling them safely to avoid loss and contamination

16.       clear and clean machinery or equipment and visually check it has no faults or defects when closing it down

            

Knowledge & Understanding


You need to know and understand:

1.         legal duties for health and safety in the workplace and legislation covering your job role

2.         what happens to the wood during each stage of wood fuel production

3.         materials used in the different stages of wood fuel production

4.         where to obtain and how to interpret the specification for wood fuel production 

5.         how to judge the quality of the raw material and the end product being produced

6.         different binding agents and their appropriateness for reclaimed and virgin wood

7.         the importance of controlling moisture in wood fuel production

8.         benefits and drawbacks of air drying, solar drying, forced drying and kiln drying for wood fuel production

9.         effects of different drying techniques on cost, time and quantity 

10.       acceptable particle sizes for wood fuel

11.       hazards to people and the environment that could arise from using machinery and equipment for wood fuel production

12.       problems that can occur when producing wood fuel and the early warning signs 

13.       hazards to people and the environment may arise from storing fuel

14.       levels of dust that can cause auto ignition or respiratory problems

15.       relationship between rewetting, decomposition and fungal spores in wood fuel

16.       why it is important to monitor carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions and how to do so

17.       interventions applied, and by whom

18.       how to set up equipment and machinery to produce wood fuel

19.       start-up checks carried out to make sure equipment and system are fit for use and there are no faults or defects

20.       procedures to follow to shut down a wood fuel production process

21.       parts of a system and its services that may require to be isolated 

22.       safety standards 

23.       safety, health and environmental procedures for wood fuel production 

24.       risks associated with the working environment

25.       risk control measures in place and how to comply with them 

26.       personal protective equipment required for wood fuel production

27.       appropriate storage facilities for raw materials and wood fuel and how storage facilities can affect quality