Assessor Resource

MSL973004A
Perform aseptic techniques

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit of competency is applicable to laboratory assistants and technicians working in the field or laboratory in the biomedical, biological, food processing and environmental industry sectors.

Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These are found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'.

This unit of competency covers the ability to perform aseptic techniques to maintain the integrity of both the sample source and the sample. It applies to sampling techniques in tissue culture and to generic microbiological procedures.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.




Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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

In particular, assessors should look to see that the candidate:

follows established laboratory procedures, including recording of samples, operation of equipment and cleaning/decontamination

prevents cross-contamination of sample source and sample

manipulates equipment to prevent contamination of culture medium during transfer

sterilises equipment as required to prevent cross-contamination of work area, personnel and environment.

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:

MSL943002A Participate in laboratory/field workplace safety

MSL973003A Prepare culture media.

Resources may include:

standard laboratory with appropriate equipment and materials

enterprise procedures and standard methods

MSDS.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of quality assurance results and examination of samples transferred by the candidate

observation of the candidate successfully transferring a range of samples

written and/or oral questioning to assess underpinning knowledge.

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 studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and show its relevance in a workplace setting.

Food processing

As part of the quality assurance program at an ice-cream manufacturer, six ice-creams were removed from the production line, placed in sterile bags and then stored in a freezer in the microbiology laboratory. Later in the morning, the laboratory assistant removed the samples from the freezer, registered the samples with the date received and test code and signed the register book. She/he then placed the samples in a water bath set at 42(C. While the samples were melting, the laboratory assistant labelled the respective agar plates with the registered codes. Using aseptic techniques she/he carefully transferred 1ml of ice-cream mix into the total plate count agar. The plates were then placed in the incubator. The final results were noted and recorded.

Biomedical

In preparation for antibiotic sensitivity testing and biochemical identification of presumed pathogenic bacteria, a technical assistant was asked to prepare a sterile peptone suspension of a lactose fermenting colony. The colony had been previously identified by the supervisor on a MacConkey's agar plate. The assistant labelled a 5mL tube of peptone broth with the sample number and a code for the identified colony and then donned a pair of disposable gloves. Bringing the labelled tube and the MacConkey's plate near to the Bunsen, she/he took an inoculating loop and sterilised it in the incandescent flame. She/he carefully cooled the loop in a sterile area of the agar and gently scraped off half the colony. With the other hand, and in the vicinity of the heated air of the Bunsen, she/he removed the cover of the peptone tube in her/his crooked finger. In a continuous and coordinated way she/he flamed the lip of the tube and emulsified the colony in the broth. She/he then flamed the lip of the tube and replaced its cover. Finally, the technical assistant re-sterilised the inoculating loop by introducing and holding it in the Bunsen flame to minimise the generation of bacterial aerosols.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

Required skills include:

sterilising equipment such as flasks, loops and pipettes

handling of laboratory equipment and glassware to prevent contamination

streak plating of inoculations

sampling transfers

labelling and storing culture media according to enterprise procedures

recording data accurately

reporting non-compliance, anomalies or outofspecification results

sorting, collecting, treating, recycling or disposing of waste

following enterprise procedures consistently

using appropriate personal protective equipment

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

the relationship between sterile practices, hygiene procedures and the ability to obtain growth free of contamination

cleaning and sanitising requirements of equipment and work areaand effects of physical and chemical agents on microbial growth and death

principles of infection control related to occupational health and safety (OHS), sampling and transfer of materials in microbiological investigations

disinfection and sterilisation procedures used in the collection, processing and safe disposal of samples and materials

importance of pure culture techniques and aseptic transfer to the successful microbiological investigation and correct interpretation of laboratory results

growth requirements of micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoans, viruses and multi-cellular parasites) in terms of their laboratory culture

relevant health, safety and environment requirements

Specific industry

Additional knowledge requirements may apply for different industry sectors. For example:

Food processing:

food spoilage symptoms

food safety principles

beneficial/detrimental organisms relevant to specific food industry sector

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/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set

AS/NZS 2982.1:1997 Laboratory design and construction - General requirements

AS/NZS 4187:2003 Cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment and maintenance of associated environments in health care facilities

AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set

HB 9-1994 Occupational personal protection

Australia New Zealand Food Standards (ANZFS) Code

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

Australian Dangerous Goods Code

client and product specifications

manufacturer's instructions or verbal direction from laboratory manager, supervisor or senior technician

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

National Code of Practice for the labelling of workplace substances [NOHSC:2012 (1994)]

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines

OHS national standards and codes of practice

operation and maintenance manuals for automated media preparation equipment

principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)

production schedules and instructions

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Personal protective equipment

Personal protective equipment may include:

gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls, gowns, body suits and respirators

biohazard containers and laminar flow cabinets

Sample pot and transfer media and the subculturing and/or passaging of culture

Sample pot and transfer media and the subculturing and/or passaging of culture to:

sterile broth

media for isolation of colony

tissue culture media

media for continuous culture systems

Samples

Samples may include:

body fluids and liquids

water and soil

sterile pharmaceuticals

yeasts and moulds

milk and yoghurt

swabs and smears

propagation tissue

plant material

fermented foods and beverages

Equipment

Equipment may include:

transfer equipment, such as inoculating loops, pipettes (quantitative and qualitative), flasks, tubes and spatulas

Bunsen burners and bench incinerators

anaerobic jars

incubators, water baths, refrigerators, freezers and possibly dry ice and liquid nitrogen cylinders

laminar flow units and biohazard cabinets

autoclave or pressure cooker

swabs

continuous culture systems

The range of material

The range of material may involve:

solid and/or liquid media

supplied media, such as media manufactured in the enterprise or raw material supplies for media

disinfecting and sterilising agents and materials, such as methylated spirits, ethanol and ether

disposable equipment and clothing

tissue culture media

growth media in broths, plates, deeps or slopes

receptacles for safe disposal of wastes and for processing of reusable materials

bar coding material and labels

Sterilisation techniques

Sterilisation techniques may include:

autoclaving

flaming

steam and membrane filtration

boiling

microwaving

radiation

high temperature

high pressure steam

gas and chemical treatments

Quality control checks

Quality control checks may include:

streaking out of cultures to a single colony

lawn cultures

Hazards

Hazards may include:

accessing the sample from difficult or dangerous areas

dry ice and liquid nitrogen vapour

ultraviolet (UV) light sources

heat from Bunsen burners

molten agar

sharps

hazardous substances and/or infectious agents

Workplace information

Workplace information may include:

SOPs

specifications for safe waste disposal of bio-hazardous materials

production schedules and instructions

work notes

MSDS

manufacturer's instructions

verbal instructions from laboratory manager, supervisor or senior technician

guidelines for small scale genetic manipulation work

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

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Ensure that any sampling procedure conforms with the requirements of the sampling plan 
Use specified personal protective clothing and equipment 
Prepare the work area for safe and effective sample transfer 
Select equipment and materials specified by the procedure 
Organise equipment to minimise contamination during manipulations 
Label containers for clear identification 
Record details in relevant log or database 
Protect the integrity of the sample source by sterilising the sampling site and the mouth of transport or culture vessel 
Sterilise inoculating loops and/or pipette where used to prevent contamination 
Perform transfer while minimising opportunities for contamination and cross-infection 
After transfer, and before sealing the transport or culture vessel, flame the vessel mouth to maintain sterility 
Re-sterilise inoculating loops, minimising the generation of aerosols 
Perform quality control checks, if required 
Label transport or culture vessels for clear identification 
Place disposable and reusable items into relevant receptacles 
Clean and disinfect work area and equipment after use 
Transport disposable and reusable contaminated materials to relevant areas for disinfection, sterilisation and cleaning or disposal 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSL973004A - Perform aseptic techniques
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

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Assessor name:

Signature:

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Assessment Record Sheet

MSL973004A - Perform aseptic techniques

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: