Engineering and manufacturing
Material processing plant operator - Mobile plant
Operating and maintaining heavy mobile plant equipment like excavators, dumper trucks or construction material production plants
Summary
This occupation is found in various industries processing or producing products. Employers range from small independent businesses to large multi-national corporations.
This is a core and options apprenticeship standard. Apprentices will complete the core requirements, plus one option:
1. Mobile plant
2. Static plant
The broad purpose of this occupation is to process raw material or waste into a high-quality product, often meeting a product specification. This product may be needed to meet global infrastructure requirements or to improve our environment. Material processing plant operators operate either fixed or mobile specialist plant equipment to a high standard, efficiently and safely complying with legislation, company policies and procedures. It is likely they will specialise on one item of plant and will operate that equipment to a high degree of efficiency. However in some cases operatives may go on to learn to operate multiple items of plant equipment in the production process. In this occupation the operative can process a diverse range of products for various end uses and related manufacturing, such as ready mixed concrete, building and construction products, architectural aesthetic products, landscaping products, waste and recycled products, dimensional stone, cut and carved stone, marine aggregates, mortar, asphalt, cement, wood and timber products, precast or prestressed concrete products, ceramics, metallic, non-metallic or ferrous or non-ferrous alloys. Duties include carrying out proactive and routine maintenance inspections of fixed or mobile specialist plant equipment. They are expected to report plant defects, monitor the quality and specification of the products produced, conduct risk assessments and work to safe operating procedures, communicate with all stakeholders in a busy environment, they will be able to demonstrate a good product knowledge and a strong discipline towards safety, overall health, and sustainability. Employers encourage diversity so operators will be expected to promote the business culture towards a diverse workforce, supporting colleagues in all aspects of overall wellbeing. The associated job roles work with specialist plant and equipment that can be fixed or mobile each capable of moving and processing up to several thousands of tonnes of materials every day. Progression routes from this role can lead to team leaders, shift or site supervisors and managers and operation managers.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a team of operatives in various aspects of production or process. The operatives will work mainly in an outdoor environment in all seasons and weathers in a diverse range of environments from urban sites to countryside operations.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for processing materials or producing high quality end products for customers, often meeting a strict specification. Operators can work alone as well as in a team and they will work with a level of autonomy operating expensive equipment. Employees are expected to have a high degree of self-discipline, safety first focussed and be able to constructively challenge anyone who may be acting unsafe.
Typical job titles include
- Asphalt plant operator | Concrete plant operator | Crushing operator | De-barking plant operator | Kiln operator | Locomotive operator | Operations yard operator | Packing plant operator | Process operator | Production plant operator | Quarry operator | Recycling plant operator | Screening operator | Washing plant operator
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
Processing plant incident management - fire, accidents, near misses, dangerous occurrences. Reporting process. Mitigation methods.
K2:
Health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance and impact on role. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH). Fire safety. Hazards and risks. Health and Safety at Work Act. Isolation procedures. Provision and Use of Work Equipment (PUWER). Manual handling. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Safety equipment: guards, signage, fire extinguishers. Risk assessments and safe systems of work. Safety signage. Situational awareness. Slips, trips, and falls. Working in confined spaces. Working at height.
K3:
Impact of the sector on the environment. Efficient use of resources. Recycling, reuse and safe disposal of waste.
K4:
Reporting and escalation procedures.
K5:
Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving information. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them.
K6:
Non-verbal communication techniques: gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, body language.
K7:
Awareness of team working principles.
K8:
Tools and equipment used in materials processing. Purpose and operation.
K9:
The use of manufacturer’s instructions and manuals.
K10:
Awareness of issues and common symptoms and warning signs of stress, anxiety and depression. Where to go for help and the resources available.
K11:
Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and the impact on own work.
K12:
Quality assurance requirements and monitoring processes.
K13:
Documentation methods and requirements - digital and paper based.
K14:
Maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative, predictive and reactive methods and their frequency.
K15:
Stock requirements. Stock considerations: availability, stock levels, stock lead times, stock rotation and stock quality management.
K16:
Raw materials used in materials processing. Where they come from and what they are used for.
K17:
Pre-start checks of plant equipment.
K18:
Post operation checks of plant equipment.
K19:
Learning and development; company policy on identifying learning and development needs and meeting them.
K20:
Handover procedures.
K21:
Hazards and risks of operating mobile plant equipment.
K22:
Operational and technical aspects of mobile plant equipment. Efficient operations, additional cab equipment or operator aids, capabilities of the plant, the correct plant attachment for the task.
K23:
Mobile plant specifications and operating limits.
K24:
The use of mobile equipment and attachments.
K25:
Consumables used in the role.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0144: Material processing plant operator - Mobile plant (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0144A
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £25,282 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 8139 Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 8139/99 Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.
- 8132/99 Mining and quarry workers and related operatives n.e.c.
- 8229/99 Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c.
S1:
Conduct pre-start checks of plant equipment.
S2:
Conduct post operation checks of plant equipment.
S3:
Identify and report environmental issues of work undertaken.
S4:
Conduct maintenance activities such as planned, preventative, predictive or reactive.
S5:
Use materials, fluids or lubricants required for operation and maintenance.
S6:
Monitor stock levels.
S7:
Monitor end product quality and report issues.
S8:
Carry out and record learning and development activities.
S9:
Comply with health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards. Comply with safe systems of work.
S10:
Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
S11:
Lock off and isolate equipment or systems using Lockout, Tag out, Try out (LOTOTO) procedures.
S12:
Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
S13:
Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
S14:
Communicate with others verbally for example colleagues and stakeholders.
S15:
Record or enter information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, risk assessments, equipment service records, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, checklists, pre-start and post operation check records, waste records.
S16:
Identify and take action when observing unsafe practice.
S17:
Carry out risk assessments.
S18:
Applies team working principles.
S19:
Follow handover procedures.
S20:
Use mobile plant equipment to transport materials identified for production.
S21:
Operate mobile plant.
S22:
Select and checks mobile equipment or attachment.
S23:
Identify and report issues with raw materials such as contamination.
S24:
Process products.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0144: Material processing plant operator - Mobile plant (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0144A
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £25,282 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 8139 Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 8139/99 Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.
- 8132/99 Mining and quarry workers and related operatives n.e.c.
- 8229/99 Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c.
B1:
Team-focus to meet work goals.
B2:
Act ethically.
B3:
Seek learning and continuous personal development opportunities.
B4:
Seek opportunities to help and assist colleagues.
B5:
Support an inclusive workplace, for example respectful of different views or beliefs.
B6:
Put health and safety first.
B7:
Considers the environment and sustainability.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0144: Material processing plant operator - Mobile plant (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0144A
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £25,282 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 8139 Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 8139/99 Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.
- 8132/99 Mining and quarry workers and related operatives n.e.c.
- 8229/99 Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c.
