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Simulated workplace
Scenario · Blending and Packing Plant

Run a structured improvement on the packing line

You are the continuous improvement lead reporting to the General Manager.

Advanced5 to 6 hours8 tasks
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The situation

What has happened

The Yatala packing line loses time every week to palletiser misfeeds and to blinded filter bags on the packer dust extraction, which also created a dust exposure event on 2 September. Helen Marchetti has asked for a structured improvement project with data, operator involvement and quality system paperwork so the gains are sustained. Downtime is recorded in the batch and production log notes and in maintenance work orders, but nobody has analysed it. The palletiser sensor upgrade is already on the work order list. The certification body audit is on 6 October and Sanjay Pillai wants any changed procedure controlled before then. The improvement must not increase silica exposure.

Your brief. Measure current packing line performance from the records, map the process with the operators, identify the main causes of downtime and dust escapes, plan and trial an improvement, verify the result and put the procedure, training and monitoring changes in place so that the improvement is sustained.
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Tasks

Deliverables

  • Downtime analysis with Pareto chart
  • Process map with problem points
  • Trial plan and results
  • Draft procedure change and training note
  • Leadership report

Documents to use

Systems to use

Batch and Production Log

Records every blending batch and precast pour with recipe, quantities, times, operator and release status.

Maintenance Work Orders

Plans and tracks preventive and breakdown maintenance on fixed plant, mobile plant and lifting equipment.

Incident and Hazard Register

Logs every injury, near miss, hazard, property damage and environmental event with severity, actions and closure.

For trainers and assessors

Units of competency

Current on training.gov.au for the Manufacturing Training Package as at 10 September 2026.

MSMOPS400Optimise process/plant area
MSMOPS401Trial new process or product
MSMSUP400Develop and monitor quality systems
MSMSUP300Identify and apply process improvements
MSMENV472Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
MSMSUP383Facilitate a team

Qualifications

MSM40116Certificate IV in Process Manufacturing
MSM50316Diploma of Production Management
Assessor notes

What to look for

Evidence guide

Look for a baseline built from the records rather than opinion, a process map produced with the operators, root causes supported by evidence, a trial with a defined measure and an honest comparison with the baseline. The sustainment plan must include a controlled procedure change, a training update and a monitoring measure, and the silica and environmental constraints must be addressed explicitly.

The student's evidence summary lists every record they created or changed in the systems named above, their notes and the tasks they ticked. Verify it against the deliverables and your own assessment tool.