Course details

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for people who are new to process operations as well as employers looking to upskill, refresh or standardise the skills of their existing operator workforce.

No previous process experience or formal qualifications are required.

Course Content

Over the five-day programme, learners will develop knowledge and practical experience across:

• Process plant fundamentals and common process equipment
• Understanding process flow and interpreting P&IDs
• Health, safety and environmental requirements
• Safe Systems of Work (SSOW)
• Risk assessments and method statements
• Permit-to-Work systems and different permit types
• Isolation principles and hazardous energy sources
• Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) procedures
• Pre-start inspections and equipment checks
• Safe plant start-up, operation and shutdown
• Monitoring pressure, temperature, flow and levels
• Process alarms and abnormal operating conditions
• Basic fault finding and troubleshooting
• Shift handovers, toolbox talks and operational communication
• Completing permits, logs and operational documentation
• Equipment reinstatement following isolation

Practical, Scenario-Based Learning

This isn't a course built around five days in a classroom.

Learning is largely practical and scenario based, allowing delegates to apply their knowledge to realistic process operations in a safe training environment. Learners will undertake practical activities including plant walkdowns, equipment identification, completing permits and risk assessments, start-up and shutdown exercises, responding to process faults and alarms, LOTO exercises and carrying out process isolations.

By the end of the programme, learners will have experienced the types of decisions, documentation and safe working practices expected of an operator in an industrial process environment.

Train on HETA's Process Rig

At the heart of the programme is HETA's fully functioning water distribution and treatment process rig and control room.

Learners can operate pumps, agitators and valves while monitoring key process variables including temperature and vessel levels. The system incorporates a diaphragm pump with full recirculation, manual and automated valve control, heating and filtration functions.

From the control room, learners can monitor and control the process while gaining practical experience of permits, operating procedures and handover logs.

Rather than learning individual components in isolation, the rig allows delegates to see how equipment, control systems, documentation and operator decisions work together as part of a complete process.

What Will I Learn?

By the end of the course, learners will have developed the knowledge and practical skills to:

• Work safely in accordance with Safe Systems of Work
• Recognise common process equipment and understand process flow
• Interpret basic P&IDs and process documentation
• Apply Permit-to-Work and LOTO principles
• Carry out and verify process and mechanical isolations
• Complete pre-start checks and safely start up and shut down process equipment
• Monitor process conditions and respond to alarms and deviations
• Identify and respond to common operational faults
• Complete operational documentation and shift handovers accurately
• Communicate effectively as part of an operational team

Certification

On successful completion of the five-day programme, learners will receive a HETA Certificate of Completion.