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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Plan and prepare to handle waste.
  2. Transfer waste to waste carrier.
  3. Transfer waste to disposal unit.
  4. Deliver recyclable materials.
  5. Clean and safety check equipment, and store equipment and chemicals.

Range Statement

This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below.

General waste must include at least two of the following:

drinks

food packaging

manufactured foods

non-recyclable plastics.

Contaminated and biological waste must include at least one of the following:

blood and other bodily fluids

cytotoxic waste

human waste

soiled and disposable linen

syringes and needles.

Recyclable items must include at least one of the following:

cardboard

computer consumables

glass

metal

packaging material

paper

plastic

printing consumables.

Hazards that must be assessed include:

biological and environmental contaminants

chemical exposure via absorption, ingestion and inhalation

chemical reactivity

dust and fibre particulates

electrical

environmental allergens

explosions

fatigue

fire

manual handling

noise

poor ventilation

slips, trips and falls

syringes and sharps

working in confined spaces.

Health and safety requirements must include:

access to communication devices when working alone

compliance with Safe Work Australia regulations and guidelines

electrical equipment test and tag compliance

emergency response procedures

environmental controls

hazard signs and barricades

health and safety induction and refresher training

manual handling techniques

processes for safely dispensing chemicals

risk assessment procedures, including:

hazardous chemicals register

hierarchy of control

job safety analyses (JSA) for low-risk situations

safe work method statements (SWMS) for high-risk situations

incident reporting

SDS

selection and use of required PPE

storage and maintenance of equipment according to manufacturer specifications

use of first aid according to SDS information.

Equipment must include at least three of the following:

bin liners

cleaning cloths

damp wiping kits

litter picker

long-handled dustpans and brooms

microfibre products

nylon pads

pick-up trolleys

scrubbing brushes

sharps kits

spray bottles

wheelie bins.

Cleaning chemicals must include at least one of the following:

acid cleaners

alkaline cleaners

low environmental impact chemicals

neutral cleaners

solvent cleaners.

Personal protective equipment must include at least two of the following:

disposable respirators

eye protection

gloves

high visibility vests

protective clothing

safety shoes

sun protection

tongs.

Rubbish bins must include at least one of the following:

biohazard bags and bins

contaminated waste bins

general purpose bins

sharps disposal units

radioactive waste bins

recycle bins

restroom bins

wet rubbish bins.

Disposal units must include at least one of the following:

compactors

dump masters

open trucks

wheelie bins.


Performance Evidence

A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.

The person must also use safe and efficient methods to remove waste at three different cleaning sites. Across all three sites they must remove both of the following types of waste:

general

contaminated and hazardous biological waste.

In doing the above work, the person must:

identify the different waste types and correct methods for dealing with each, including health and safety requirements

identify site hazards and control risks before handling waste

select and prepare cleaning equipment and chemicals required for the task

identify items for recycling at each site and arrange for their transfer

clean the rubbish bins and surrounds.


Knowledge Evidence

A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:

environmental requirements relating to removing waste and recyclable materials, including:

clean-up, containment and isolation procedures

environmental protection agency requirements relating to using and disposing of chemicals

key requirements of legislation, regulations, codes of practice and industry advisory standards relating to removing waste and recyclable materials, including:

AS/NZ 3831 Waste management – Glossary of terms

industry advisory standards and codes, such as dangerous goods codes

processes for safely handling and treating waste, including:

recyclable materials

used containers

used or contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE)

used or unused chemicals

safe handling techniques for working with hazardous chemicals, including:

emergency chemical spill control measures

routes of entry and potential symptoms of exposure to chemicals

working according to safety data sheets (SDS)

waste transfer procedures, including:

location of disposal units

location of waste pick-up equipment

use of waste handling equipment

use of waste storage receptacles

selection and use of bin liners.