Apprenticeship training course

Material processing plant operator (level 2)

There are 9 training providers who offer this course. Check if a training provider can deliver this training in the apprentice's work location.

Information about Material processing plant operator (level 2)

Operating and maintaining heavy mobile plant equipment like excavators, dumper trucks or construction material production plants

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • Processing plant incident management - fire, accidents, near misses, dangerous occurrences. Reporting process. Mitigation methods.
  • 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.
  • Impact of the sector on the environment. Efficient use of resources. Recycling, reuse and safe disposal of waste.
  • Reporting and escalation procedures.
  • Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving information. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them.
  • Non-verbal communication techniques: gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, body language.
  • Awareness of team working principles.
  • Tools and equipment used in materials processing. Purpose and operation.
  • The use of manufacturer’s instructions and manuals.
  • Awareness of issues and common symptoms and warning signs of stress, anxiety and depression. Where to go for help and the resources available.
  • Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and the impact on own work.
  • Quality assurance requirements and monitoring processes.
  • Documentation methods and requirements - digital and paper based.
  • Maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative, predictive and reactive methods and their frequency.
  • Stock requirements. Stock considerations: availability, stock levels, stock lead times, stock rotation and stock quality management.
  • Raw materials used in materials processing. Where they come from and what they are used for.
  • Pre-start checks of plant equipment.
  • Post operation checks of plant equipment.
  • Learning and development; company policy on identifying learning and development needs and meeting them.
  • Handover procedures.
  • Hazards and risks of operating mobile plant equipment.
  • 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.
  • Mobile plant specifications and operating limits.
  • The use of mobile equipment and attachments.
  • Consumables used in the role.
  • Processing plant incident management - fire, accidents, near misses, dangerous occurrences. Reporting process. Mitigation methods.
  • 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.
  • Impact of the sector on the environment. Efficient use of resources. Recycling, reuse and safe disposal of waste.
  • Reporting and escalation procedures.
  • Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving information. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them.
  • Non-verbal communication techniques: gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, body language.
  • Awareness of team working principles.
  • Tools and equipment used in materials processing. Purpose and operation.
  • The use of manufacturer’s instructions and manuals.
  • Awareness of issues and common symptoms and warning signs of stress, anxiety and depression. Where to go for help and the resources available.
  • Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and the impact on own work.
  • Quality assurance requirements and monitoring processes.
  • Documentation methods and requirements - digital and paper based.
  • Maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative, predictive and reactive methods and their frequency.
  • Stock requirements. Stock considerations: availability, stock levels, stock lead times, stock rotation and stock quality management.
  • Raw materials used in materials processing. Where they come from and what they are used for.
  • Pre-start checks of plant equipment.
  • Post operation checks of plant equipment.
  • Learning and development; company policy on identifying learning and development needs and meeting them.
  • Handover procedures.
  • Hazards and risks of operating static plant equipment.
  • Operational and technical aspects of fixed plant equipment. Efficient operating processes, capacities, and capabilities of the plant, adjustments of the processes to maintain quality and specification of the product.
  • Manufactured products and product specifications.
  • Principles of inspection of raw materials to be used as part of the processing operation.
  • Emergency stop procedures.

  Skills

  • Conduct pre-start checks of plant equipment.
  • Conduct post operation checks of plant equipment.
  • Identify and report environmental issues of work undertaken.
  • Conduct maintenance activities such as planned, preventative, predictive or reactive.
  • Use materials, fluids or lubricants required for operation and maintenance.
  • Monitor stock levels.
  • Monitor end product quality and report issues.
  • Carry out and record learning and development activities.
  • Comply with health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards. Comply with safe systems of work.
  • Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
  • Lock off and isolate equipment or systems using Lockout, Tag out, Try out (LOTOTO) procedures.
  • Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
  • Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
  • Communicate with others verbally for example colleagues and stakeholders.
  • 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.
  • Identify and take action when observing unsafe practice.
  • Carry out risk assessments.
  • Applies team working principles.
  • Follow handover procedures.
  • Use mobile plant equipment to transport materials identified for production.
  • Operate mobile plant.
  • Select and checks mobile equipment or attachment.
  • Identify and report issues with raw materials such as contamination.
  • Process products.
  • Conduct pre-start checks of plant equipment.
  • Conduct post operation checks of plant equipment.
  • Identify and report environmental issues of work undertaken.
  • Conduct maintenance activities such as planned, preventative, predictive or reactive.
  • Use materials, fluids or lubricants required for operation and maintenance.
  • Monitor stock levels.
  • Monitor end product quality and report issues.
  • Carry out and record learning and development activities.
  • Comply with health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards. Comply with safe systems of work.
  • Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
  • Lock off and isolate equipment or systems using Lockout, Tag out, Try out (LOTOTO) procedures.
  • Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
  • Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
  • Communicate with others verbally for example colleagues and stakeholders.
  • 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.
  • Identify and take action when observing unsafe practice.
  • Carry out risk assessments.
  • Applies team working principles.
  • Follow handover procedures.
  • Operate static plant to produce a manufactured product.
  • Complete inspection of raw materials.
  • Monitor static plant processing and adjust tolerances.
  • Follow emergency stop procedures.
  • Calibrate equipment prior to use.
  • Check and confirm raw materials into the correct location.

  Behaviours

  • Team-focus to meet work goals.
  • Act ethically.
  • Seek learning and continuous personal development opportunities.
  • Seek opportunities to help and assist colleagues.
  • Support an inclusive workplace, for example respectful of different views or beliefs.
  • Put health and safety first.
  • Considers the environment and sustainability.
  • Team-focus to meet work goals.
  • Act ethically.
  • Seek learning and continuous personal development opportunities.
  • Seek opportunities to help and assist colleagues.
  • Support an inclusive workplace, for example respectful of different views or beliefs.
  • Put health and safety first.
  • Considers the environment and sustainability.
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Engineering and manufacturing
• Qualification level: 2; Equal to GCSE
• Course duration: 18 months
• Maximum funding: £13,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• 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

View more information about Material processing plant operator (level 2) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.