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The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. |
Codes of practice | Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used |
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements | Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include: Australian and international standards, such as: AS 1678 Emergency procedure guide - Transport AS 1940-2004 Storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids AS 2252 Biological safety cabinets AS 3780-2008 The storage and handling of corrosive substances AS/NZS 1269 Set:2005 Occupational noise management set AS/NZS 1337 Eye protection AS/NZS 2161 Set:2008 Occupational protective gloves set AS/NZS 2210:1994 Occupational protective footwear AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set AS/NZS 2243.1:2005 Safety in laboratories - Planning and operational aspects AS/NZS 2243.3:2002 Safety in laboratories - Microbiological aspects and containment facilities AS/NZS 2243.8:2006 Safety in laboratories - Fume cupboards AS/NZS 2982.1:1997 Laboratory design and construction - General requirements AS/NZS 4452:1997 The storage and handling of toxic substances AS/NZS 4501 Set:2008 Occupational clothing set AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set animal welfare legislation and codes of practice Australian Dangerous Goods Code Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Import Guidelines gene technology regulations Guide to physical containment levels and facility types HB 9-1994 Occupational personal protection National Code of Practice for the labelling of workplace substances (NOHSC:2012 (1994)) permits for wildlife capture and handling principles of good laboratory practice (GLP) |
Hazards | Hazards may include: electric shock microbiological organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products, and human or animal tissue and fluids solar radiation, dust and noise exposure to extreme weather conditions snake, insect and animal bites chemicals, such as acids, heavy metals, pesticides and hydrocarbons aerosols from broken centrifuge tubes and pipetting radiation, such as alpha, beta, gamma and X-ray sharps, broken glassware and hand tools flammable liquids cryogenics, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen fluids under pressure, such as steam, hydrogen in gas liquid chromatography and acetylene in atomic absorption spectrometry sources of ignition high temperature ashing processes disturbance or interruption of services occupational overuse syndrome, slips, trips and falls manual handling, working at heights and working in confined spaces crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery or falling objects vehicle and boat handling |
Hazard control measures | Hazard control measures may include: ensuring access to service shut-off points recognising and observing hazard warnings and safety signs use of material safety data sheets (MSDS) labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials handling and storing hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, MSDS and manufacturer's instructions identifying and reporting operating problems or equipment malfunctions cleaning and decontaminating equipment and work areas regularly using enterprise procedures using personal protective clothing and equipment, such as hats, hearing protection, gloves, safety glasses, coveralls, gowns, body suits, respirators and safety boots applying containment procedures through the use of appropriate equipment, such as biohazard containers, laminar flow cabinets, Class I, II and III biohazard cabinets and Class PCII and PCIII physical containment facilities following established manual handling procedures for tasks involving manual handling reporting abnormal emissions, discharges and airborne contaminants, such as noise, light, solids, liquids, water/waste water, gases, smoke, vapour, fumes, odour and particulates to appropriate personnel |
Risk assessment | Risk assessment includes: analysing the risk identifying factors influencing the risk and the range of potential consequences effectiveness of existing controls likelihood of each consequence considering exposure and hazard level combining these in some way to obtain a level of risk comparison of the determined risk with pre-established criteria for tolerance (or as low as reasonably achievable) and the subsequent ranking of risks requiring control |
Hierarchy of control | Hierarchy of control includes: the preferred order of risk-control measures from most to least preferred, that is: eliminating risk substituting with a lesser hazard isolating personnel from hazard engineering controls applying administrative controls, for example, procedures and training using personal protective equipment |
Typical materials | Typical materials may include: live flora and fauna, such as plant specimens animals, such as rats, bacteria, algae, insects and fungi blood and blood products, human or animal tissue and fluids teaching aids, such as textbooks and videos distilled water, reagents, chemicals, disinfectants, detergents, agar media and plates consumable items, such as syringes, pipette tips and weigh boats oils/lubricants, fuels, industrial gases, cryogenics, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen equipment spares, such as fuses, bulbs and batteries paper and stationery reference samples and standards |
Typical equipment | Typical equipment may include: analytical instruments, such as ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) and atomic absorption spectrometers(AAS) , gas chromatography (GC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) animal cages autoclaves balances blenders, centrifuges and separating equipment cell counters and staining machines dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, ovens, microwave ovens, incubators and water baths fume hoods, biohazard containers and biological safety cabinets gas cylinders glassware (burettes, pipettes), plastic ware, glass, plastic and quartz cuvettes hotplates, mantles, burners and muffle furnaces light and fluorescence microscopes microtomes and tissue processors teaching aids, such as DVD players and computers thermometers, pH meters and ion selective electrodes ultrasonic cleaners |
Incidents and emergencies | Incidents and emergencies may include: workplace injury and accidents biological and chemical spills leakage of radioactivity fire bomb security threats |
Contingencies | Contingencies may include: new information urgent requests modified activities changed situations late instructions from appropriate personnel substitution of reagents |
Sources of materials and equipment | Sources of materials and equipment may include: field trips, including land and sea-based botanic gardens and parks abattoirs commercial suppliers other institutions blood bank shops |
Demonstration of techniques and use of equipment | Demonstration of techniques and use of equipment may involve: teaching staff other technical staff students during practical classes students doing projects or postgraduate studies |
Resource management | Resource management may include: preparation of operational plans schedules and budgets handling of petty cash and reconciliation of bank statements contacting suppliers and completing order requisition forms use of an enterprise credit card |
Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements | OHS and environmental management requirements: all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health |