Required skills

Required skills include

using personal protective clothing equipment and containment facilities as required

following work instructions to complete tasks within the required timeframe

working ethically

working efficiently when alone and with others

maintaining required quality of work outputs

complying with legislative and enterprise requirements in everyday work

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

enterprise objectives product and service range

enterprise structure and reporting lines

role of quality assurance andor scientifictechnical services in the enterprise

own role rights responsibilities and key tasks

workplace procedures that govern personal work health safety and environment

basic ethical values and principles such as respect for the law responsibility courtesy diligence and confidentiality

use and names of equipment materials and other resources relevant to work function

relevant health safety and environment requirements

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

follow workplace procedures to complete tasks within the required timeframe

efficiently organise own daily work

accept responsibility for quality of own work

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

MSLA Record and present data

MSL922001A Record and present data

MSLA Collect routine site samples

MSL952001A Collect routine site samples

MSLA Conduct routine site measurements

MSL972001A Conduct routine site measurements.

Resources may include

relevant documentation such as enterprise SOPs legalregulatory requirements andcodes of practice

organisational charts and flow diagrams showing links between enterprise functions andor production processes

employment training and career information

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

observation of candidate performing a range of scientifictechnical tasks

feedback from peers and supervisors

oral or written questioning to check underpinning knowledge

review of workplace documentation completed by the candidate

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 andor 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

Environmental

At the start of an induction program the supervisor asks two new laboratory assistants to introduce themselves to all the staff individually and find out about three major tasks that each person regularly performs In addition they watch the companys induction video complete the necessary paperwork and are assigned a locker and safety equipment At the end of the day they report back to the supervisor On Day Two the supervisor assigns them to an experienced technician and asks them to shadow himher At the end of the day the new assistants are asked to describe two tests they have observed and outline some of the major safety issues involved with each one On Day Three they begin bench work by helping to conduct routine tests such as titrations of industrial waste water samples under guidance of a technician

Manufacturing

A laboratory assistant was required to complete the companys induction program during their first week of employment The assistant completed the following activities

met with all laboratory staff and discussed their roles and duties

prepared their own organisational flow chart for the laboratory and recorded the contact details and key function of each staff member

talked to the laboratory manager about the companys products and services and the laboratorys role in quality assurance

read through the induction booklets summary of key company policies procedures emergency and risk management plans

talked to the safety officer about OHS risks in the laboratory and the location of key safety equipment and information

prepared a plan of the layout of the company site with location of key buildings and services

shadowed several technicians to observe their daily routines

prepared a weekly work plan in conjunction with the supervisor

Codes of practice

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Business ethics

Enterprise sites

Key functions

Sources of workplace information

Workplace agreements, policies and procedures

Legislative requirements

Sustainable energy principles and work practices

Scientific and technical support

Equipment and resources

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements