The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

plan, monitor and adjust work flow to manage competing client/production priorities

ensure that the robotic sample preparation system operates efficiently and safely to produce outputs that meet the enterprise/client quality requirements

promptly identify/rectify common system problems

work closely with operators to improve safety, efficiency and quality.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

This unit of competency may be assessed with:

MSL944001A Maintain laboratory/field workplace safety

MSL977002A Troubleshoot equipment and/or production processes.

Resources may include:

access to a robotic sample preparation system

a variety of mineral ore samples, sample preparation methods, equipment and reagents

safety equipment

relevant enterprise procedures.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of production logs, quality control, performance and analytical results traceable to samples prepared on shifts supervised by the candidate

review of system records prepared by the candidate

feedback from operators, service/maintenance technicians, clients and laboratory/production managers

written/oral questioning about robotic sample preparation procedures, common problems and their specified corrective actions.

In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.

Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice

Industry representatives have provided the case study below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and show its relevance in a workplace setting.

Mineral processing

An operator observes that the robotic sample preparation system is displaying an 'incorrect weight' error code and informs the shift supervisor. The supervisor notes that although the input weight for the sample being processed was 800g, the indicated output weight is zero. He/she immediately suspects that the sample is stuck in the bowl. He/she switches off the mill and tags it out so that the operator can continue unloading the completed samples. The supervisor checks the mill for a faulty hose but they are all functioning correctly. He/she decides that the problem could be in the grinding vessel and tries to manually discharge the sample with a pendant without success. After opening up the grinding vessel, he/she finds that a 'plastic' sample is stuck in the bowl. He/she replaces the grinding vessel with a new one. As he/she extracts the sample from the bowl, he/she notices a very strong smell of diesel. He/shesubsequently finds that the client's other samples are also contaminated and removes them from the input magazine. He/she deletes the client's worksheets from the robot control program, checks and synchronises the system and then restarts the robot. He/she reports the problem to the laboratory manager and asks him/her to notify the client of the diesel contamination and the laboratory's inability to prepare their batch of samples.

Required skills

Required skills include:

planning and prioritising jobs for a shift

recognising, assessing and controlling hazards associated with samples and system

working safely at all times

interpreting, applying and improving enterprise procedures for operating robotic system

explaining system operation and safe work procedures to operators

recognising and rectifying problems caused by prior sample handling and preparation

interpreting system error codes and taking appropriate corrective actions

troubleshooting and solving common system problems within scope of responsibility

communicating clearly with clients, operators, maintenance/IT technicians and production managers

maintaining system records

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

procedures for sorting, receiving and analysing samples

geological and chemical characteristics of mineral ores

sample preparation processes for a wide range of mineral ore samples

purpose and key steps in routine downstream analytical tests

procedures for preventing contamination

procedures for ensuring security, integrity and traceability of samples

procedures for ensuring confidentiality of results

function of key components and operating procedures for robotic sample preparation system

function of key components of laboratory information management system (LIMS), system software and layout of screens

error codes for system errors, recommended preventative/corrective actions and breakdown procedures

system hazards, control measures and operation of system safety equipment

troubleshooting and problem solving skills relevant to job role

importance of good customer relations, throughput, costs and minimising rework

health, safety and environment requirements relevant to job role

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 2939 Industrial robot systems - Safe design and usage

AS 3988-1991 Copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver ores - Guide to sample preparation for the determination of gold

AS 4433.2-1997 Guide to the sampling of particulate materials - Preparation of samples

AS ISO 1000-1998 The international system of units (SI) and its application

Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP)

enterprise recording and reporting procedures

equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

national measurement regulations and guidelines

principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)

production and laboratory schedules

quality manuals, equipment and procedures manuals

standard operating procedures (SOPs) and published preparation methods

Samples

Samples may include:

solids, such as rocks, minerals, soils, sands and stream sediments

pulverised core and other drill samples (e.g. rotary air blast (RAB), reverse circulation (RC) and aircore)

powder concentrates

dump samples and grab samples

Client requests/documentation

Client requests/documentation may include:

client profile, sample identification, sample receipt, storage and analyses

required preparation method, service charges

Sample preparation methods

Sample preparation methods may include:

sorting, boxing and drying

sieving

milling

primary crushing (e.g. 10 mm, 2 mm)

fine pulverising (e.g. 100 micron, 75 micron)

robotic system parameters such as grind time, crushing time and cleaning cycles to prevent cross-contamination

Sample preparation equipment

Sample preparation equipment may include:

splitters (e.g. riffles and rotary dividers)

mills (e.g. ball, ring and rod)

bowls (e.g. chrome-steel, tungsten-carbide and zirconia) and tumblers

crushers (e.g. cone, jaw and roll), grinders and disc pulverisers

sieves

ovens

sample containers and labels

Hazards

Hazards may include:

dust, silica and fibrous materials

asbestiform minerals

naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM)

samples containing nickel and lead-based compounds

noise and vibration

crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery

impact injuries from contact with robot arms

failure of pneumatic hoses

manual handling of heavy loads, such as sample bags/containers, racks and trolleys

heat exhaustion/stress and fatigue

Safety equipment and procedures

Safety equipment and procedures may include:

ensuring assess to service shut off-points

recognising and observing hazard warnings and safety signs

labelling of samples and hazardous materials

extraction of dust

cages and guards for moving machinery parts

noise insulation

using personal protective equipment, such as masks, heat resistant mittens, boots, goggles, coats, ear muffs, safety boots and heat reflective clothing

following established manual handling procedures

regular cleaning of equipment and work areas in accordance with enterprise procedures

reporting of abnormal emissions and airborne contaminants to appropriate personnel

Common system errors and corrective actions

Common system errors and corrective actions may include:

sample losses:

inspect mill for mechanical problems and worn hoses

inspect balance/load cell, clean and check calibration

check sample for dryness and contamination

collision of sample buckets, transport belt problem:

clear obstruction, cross-check sample, worksheet, job sequence and synchronise belt

loss of air pressure:

check pneumatic lines, compressor and solenoid values

LIMS network connections:

check all parameters are saved in system, if not, unload and reload data and cross-check samples with worksheets

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