Carrying out maintenance on process control equipment

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This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out corrective maintenance activities to process control equipment, in accordance with approved procedures. This will involve dismantling, removing and replacing faulty peripheral components and process controller units, in line with company policy on process control equipment, such as fixed I/O, rack mount and modular systems. You will also need to be able to load and download process control programs, check them for errors, make authorised edits, and create and maintain back-up copies of completed programs.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the maintenance activities undertaken, and to report any problems with these activities, or with the process control system, tools or equipment used, that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work to instructions, alone or in conjunction with others, taking personal responsibility for your own actions, and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.

Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work, and will enable you to adopt an informed approach to applying maintenance procedures to process control systems. You will have an understanding of dismantling and reassembly methods and procedures, and their application. You will know how the process control system functions and the purpose of individual components, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out any repair or adjustment. In addition, you will have sufficient knowledge of these components to ensure that they are fit for purpose and meet the specifications, thus providing a sound basis for carrying out reassembly. You will also know about the interaction of the other associated integrated technologies, and will have sufficient knowledge to carry out the dismantling and reassembly of the process control system, safely and effectively.

You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the maintenance activities, especially those for isolating the equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. follow the relevant maintenance schedules to carry out the required work
3. carry out the maintenance activities within the limits of your personal authority
4. carry out the maintenance activities in the specified sequence and in an agreed timescale
5. report any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
6. complete relevant maintenance records accurately and pass them on to the appropriate person
7. dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures

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1. the health and safety requirements of the area in which the maintenance activity is to take place, and the responsibility they place on you
2. the isolation and lock-off procedure or permit-to-work procedure that applies to the process control system being worked on
3. the specific health and safety precautions to be applied during the maintenance activity, and their effects on others
4. what constitutes a hazardous voltage and how to recognise victims of electric shock
5. the importance of wearing protective clothing and other appropriate safety equipment (PPE) during the maintenance activities, and where this can be obtained
6. the procedures and precautions to be adopted to eliminate electrostatic discharge (ESD)
7. how to reduce the risks of a phase to earth shock (such as insulated tools, rubber mating and isolating transformers)
8. the hazards associated with carrying out maintenance activities on process control systems (electrical supplies, process controller interface, using damaged or badly maintained tools and equipment, not following laid-down maintenance procedures), and how they can be minimised
9. how to obtain and interpret information from job instructions and other documents needed for the maintenance activities (such as drawings, circuit and physical layouts, charts, specifications, manufacturers' manuals, history/maintenance reports, graphical electrical symbols, BS7671/IET wiring regulations)
10. the basic principles of how the system functions, and its operating sequence
11. the devices and systems for storing programmes
12. how to search the user program within the process controller for specific elements
13. the techniques involved in editing, and the procedure to be followed for on' andoff-line' programming
14. the procedure for obtaining replacement parts, materials and other consumables necessary for the maintenance process
15. the techniques used to dismantle/assemble equipment (release of pressures/force, proof marking to aid assembly, plugging exposed pipe/component openings, dealing with soldered joints, screwed, clamped and crimped connections)
16. methods of attaching identification marks/labels to removed components or cables, to assist with reassembly
17. methods of checking that components are fit for purpose, and the need to replace batteries, boards and other failed items
18. how to check that tools and equipment are free from damage or defects, are in a safe and usable condition, and are configured correctly for their intended purpose
19. the importance of making `off-load' checks before proving the equipment with the electrical supply on
20. the generation of maintenance documentation and/or reports following the maintenance activity
21. the equipment operating and control procedures to be applied during the maintenance activity
22. how to use lifting and handling equipment correctly and safely in the maintenance activity
23. the problems that can occur during the maintenance of the process control system, and how they can be overcome
24. the organisational procedure to be adopted for the safe disposal of waste of all types of materials
25. the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve

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1. Carry out all of the following during the maintenance activities:

   1. undertake the maintenance activities to cause minimal disruption to normal working
   2. use the correct issue of maintenance documentation (such as drawings, manuals, maintenance records, schedules)
   3. adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations
   4. ensure the safe isolation of equipment (such as mechanical, electricity, gas, air or fluids)
   5. ensure that safe access and working arrangements have been provided for the maintenance area
   6. carry out the scheduled maintenance tasks, using appropriate techniques and procedures
   7. re-connect and return the equipment to service on completion of the maintenance activities
   8. dispose of waste items in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner
   9. leave the work area in a safe and tidy condition

2. Carry out maintenance activities on one of the following types of process controller equipment:

   1. fixed input/output (I/O)
   2. modular
   3. rack mount

3. Carry out four of the following program maintenance activities on the process control system:

   1. use appropriate programming devices (such as terminals, hand-held programmers and personal computers)
   2. edit programs by computer-based authoring (to include subroutines)
   3. produce back-ups of completed programs
   4. make approved edits to lines of logic
   5. load, read and save programs
   6. force contacts on and off
   7. carry out on-line monitoring of programs
   8. use 'on' and 'off-line' programming
   9. use single-step mode of operation

4. Carry out all of the following maintenance activities:

   1. take electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions when handling components and circuit boards
   2. proof mark or label removed wires and components
   3. replace peripheral devices (such as sensors, actuators, relays, switches)
   4. replace components (such as power supplies, circuit boards and controller units)
   5. check components for serviceability
   6. use program 'full-run' modes of operation
   7. replace back-up batteries (as appropriate)
   8. functionally test the system

record the results of the maintenance activity

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report or take action with regard to any defects that require immediate attention (such as replacing non-'lifed' components)

5. Maintain process control equipment, in accordance with one of the following:

   1. BS7671/IET wiring regulations
   2. BS, ISO and/or BSEN standards
   3. organisational guidelines and codes of practice
   4. equipment manufacturer's operation range

6. Complete one of the following maintenance records, and pass it to the appropriate person:

   1. job cards
   2. maintenance log and action report
   3. permit to work/formal risk assessment
   4. company-specific documentation

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2

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2018

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Current

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Original

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Semta

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SEMEMI2-28

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Maintenance Fitter

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5223

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Engineering; manufacturing; maintenance; process controller; logic controller; programmes; edit; load; save

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