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Operate a planing system in wood manufacturing

Level / 3
Credits / 15

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard are able to: manage safety and hazards when operating and monitoring a planing system; demonstrate knowledge of the operation and operating principles of a planing system; prepare to operate a planing system; operate a planing system; and monitor a planing system.

Subfield / Solid Wood Manufacturing
Domain / Timber Machining
Status / Registered
Status date / 18 December 2006
Date version published / 18 December 2006
Planned review date / 31 December 2011
Entry information / Open.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Competenz
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0173

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1The following apply to the performance of all elements of this unit standard:

aAll work practices must meet recognised codes of practice and documented worksite health and safety and environmental procedures (where these exceed the code) for personal, product, and worksite health and safety, and must meet the obligations required under current legislation, including the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, the Resource Management Act 1991, and their subsequent amendments.

bAll work practices must meet documented worksite operating procedures. This includes the recording (by electronic or non-electronic means) of activities, events, and decisions.

cAll evidence of communications gathered in relation to this unit standard must be in accordance with worksite procedures for content, recipient, timing, and method.

2Definition

Worksite documentation refers to instructions to staff on policy and procedures (including the application of legislation to worksite situations) which are formally documented, and are available for reference at the worksite. Examples are standard operating procedures, specifications, manuals, and manufacturer's information.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Manage safety and hazards when operating and monitoring a planing system.

Performance criteria

1.1Hazards associated with operating and monitoring a planing system are identified and actions to be taken to isolate, minimise, or eliminate the hazard are described in accordance with worksite documentation.

Rangehazards include but are not limited to – moving equipment, lifting, noise.

1.2Safe working practices associated with operating and monitoring a planing system are identified and used in accordance with worksite documentation and legislative requirements.

Rangepractices may include but are not limited to – isolation procedures, lockouts, emergency stops, machine guarding, wearing appropriate safety equipment.

Element 2

Demonstrate knowledge of the operation and operating principles of a planing system.

Performance criteria

2.1The role of the planing system in the wood manufacturing process is described.

2.2Roles and responsibilities of the planing system operator are described in accordance with worksite documentation.

2.3Operating parameters and capability of the planing system are identified.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – minimum and maximum dimensions of input material, feed speed rates, revs per minute (rpm), motor horsepower/kilowatts.

2.4Operating components of the planing system are identified.

Rangeprocess control and monitoring systems, in-feed and out-feed systems, planer, lubrication systems, hydraulic systems, extraction system.

2.5Safety procedures for operating a planing system are explained in accordance with worksite documentation.

Rangepreventing and clearing blockages, preparing to rectify equipment breakdowns, leaving equipment at the end of shift.

Element 3

Prepare to operate a planing system.

Performance criteria

3.1Start-up checks are completed in accordance with worksite documentation.

3.2Product schedules are interpreted, and limitations of the schedules based on size and grade, input material quality, and machinery capabilities are described.

3.3Input timber checks are completed to ensure timber meets specification and production run expectations, and corrective actions are taken in accordance with worksite documentation.

3.4Supplies of materials to sustain production requirements are prepared in accordance with worksite documentation.

3.5Checks ensure that upstream and downstream processing stages are ready for production.

Element 4

Operate a planing system.

Performance criteria

4.1In-feed and out-feed system components are aligned to prevent product de-grade.

4.2The planing system is started, operated, and shut down in accordance with worksite documentation.

Rangestart, stop, safety, maintenance.

4.3Setting and adjustment of the planing system enables production requirements to be achieved in accordance with worksite documentation.

Rangeproduction requirements include – product quality, production rates.

4.4Equipment faults and malfunctions are identified and corrective action is taken in accordance with worksite documentation.

Rangeequipment faults may include but are not limited to – electrical, mechanical, hydraulic.

Element 5

Monitor a planing system.

Performance criteria

5.1Output product quality is monitored, and planing system adjustments are made to correct product quality issues identified, in accordance with worksite documentation.

5.2Supplies of timber to operate the planing system are monitored and maintained in accordance with worksite documentation.

5.3Product documentation, production, and maintenance reporting are completed in accordance with worksite documentation.

5.4Preventative maintenance and cleaning schedules for monitoring a timber handling system are carried out in accordance with worksite documentation.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the Competenz at if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2019