Required skills

Required skills include

safely cleaning work preparation areas and equipment using appropriate cleaning agents equipment and techniques

safely removing spillages and disposing of wastes

minimising the exposure to hazards of self others and the laboratory

safely storing equipment and materials using enterprise procedures relevant codes and guidelines

monitoring and reporting stock levels and the condition of laboratory materials and equipment

keeping accurate uptodate records

reporting potential hazards and maintenance issues using enterprise procedures

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

enterprise procedures for the cleaning of work preparation areas materials and equipment

storage requirements for specific materials and equipment

enterprise procedures for minimisation and disposal of waste

enterprise procedures for monitoring of laboratory stocks

information contained in material safety data sheets MSDS for materials handled regularly during the performance of maintenance tasks

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 enterprise procedures relevant codes and guidelines when maintaining the laboratoryfield workplace

work safely and minimise exposure of hazards to self others and the laboratory

keep accurate uptodate records and report potential hazards and maintenance issues

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 Participate in laboratoryfield workplace safety

MSL943002A Participate in laboratory/field workplace safety.

Resources may include

access to work preparation areas stocks materials and equipment

cleaning decontamination andor disinfection agents and equipment

personal protective equipment

stock order firms labels and recordsforms

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

observation of the candidates techniques for cleaning andor removal of spillages and waste disposal

review of stock records completed by the candidate

feedback from supervisors and peers

questioning to assess underpinning knowledge of regulations and procedures where direct observation is difficult such as dealing with hazards and choice of materials and equipment

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

Manufacturing

On receipt of a bulk container of cleaning or sanitising agent a laboratory assistant always attached to the container a description of its method of use The assistant also attached a list of the surfaces apparatus utensils and machines that could be safely treated with that chemical agent as outlined in the companys quality manual This practice reduced the likelihood of misuse of the chemical wastage damage to equipment and inadequate cleaning and sanitation

Biomedical and environmental

Laboratory assistants and technical officers routinely examine fluids for microorganisms using a microscope They examine fluids such as urine seawater chlorinated pool water water from catchment areas and bottled water To maintain microscopes in working order they thoroughly clean the stage oculars and each objective after use and sometimes between samples The X objective requires particular care since this is the oil immersion objective The oil is slightly acidic and will slowly corrode the objective if it is not cleaned thoroughly and regularly After using the X objective they also take care not to drag the other objectives through the oil

Food processing

A laboratory assistant regularly uses standard pH solutions to calibrate the laboratorys pH meters The assistant is aware from the label that the shelf life of these solutions after opening is two months and records the opening and disposal dates on the container The assistant is also aware that the shelf life of unopened buffer solutions is twelve months from the date of manufacture and monitors this by noting the production date on the bottle Requests for stock replacement take into account the normal rate of use of these buffer solutions so that unopened bottles have not reached their expiry date before use

Codes of practice

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Equipment, material procedures and facilities

Typical materials

Maintenance

Cleaning requirements

Preparation areas

Agents for cleaning

Spillages

Wastes

Stock records

Communication

Maintenance issues

Hazards

Established safe work practices

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements