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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Prepare for sampling
  2. Conduct sampling
  3. Finalise sampling
  4. Maintain a safe work environment

Required Skills

Required skills

Required skills include

collecting a variety of samples at a range of sites closely following sampling procedures

collecting samples safely with minimal environmental impact

maintaining the integrity and security of samples

demonstrating enterprise andor legal traceability requirements

liaising with others to access sites and conduct sampling efficiently

recognising own limitations the seeking timely advice

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

key terminology and concepts such as sample contamination traceability integrity and chain of custody

concepts of metrology

the international system of units SI

purpose for which the samples have been collected

the function of key sampling equipmentmaterials and principles of operation

hazards risks and enterprise safety procedures associated with routine sampling undertaken

enterprise procedures dealing with

sampling

waste management clean up and spillage

handling transport and storage of dangerous goods

relevant health safety and environment requirements

Evidence Required

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

correctly follow sampling procedures and plans when collecting samples

collect samples efficiently safely and with minimal environmental impact

maintain the integrity and security of samples following the traceability requirements

recognise limitations and seek timely advice

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 Conduct routine site measurements

MSL972001A Conduct routine site measurements.

Resources may include

variety of sample types

sampling procedures

a selection of sampling containers equipment and documentation

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

review of sampling documentation completed by the candidate

review of the quality of samples collected by the candidate

observation of the candidate collecting a variety of samples at a range of sites

feedback from supervisors and clients that sampling plans were followed

oralwritten questioning about sampling and safety procedures

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

Construction materials testing

A laboratory assistant takes daily tar samples from the companys retort which is used to heat tar to reduce its moisture content The purpose of this sampling program and subsequent testing is to ensure that the water content of the hot tar is at a safe level before the tar is transferred to a road tanker and used for road construction Serious accidents can occur during the transfer or use of tar as high water content can cause an explosion due to escape of steam One day the retort operator was running behind schedule and tried to convince the laboratory assistant that the water content of the tar was the same as yesterday and didnt need to be tested The laboratory assistant was able to explain that a high water content could lead to a serious explosion and burns for the operator

Environmental

A new field assistant was collecting samples of environmental runoff during wet weather To successfully complete the activity the assistant made sure that they included a sample thief pipette or similar to extract the sample a container with a secure lid and an indelible marker to write on the label In addition the assistant remembered to take sealable waterproof plastic bags in which to put the containers once the samples were collected and a spare bag to protect the field notebook from rain damage

Manufacturing

A production operator has been given the task of collecting samples of the recent batches of blended products prior to drumming and customer delivery In addition the operator is required to sample the bulk raw materials stored onsite and the drummed blend ingredients including some powdered pigments

The operator knows that the lab needs the blend samples first and after putting on chemical gloves and safety glasses accesses each sample point on each of the blend tanks Because the products are under pressure in the tank manifold it is important to guard against splashes Some of the products are flammable hydrocarbons so the operator ensures that static leads are connected from the tank to the sample vessel during pouring To sample the drummed product a sample thief is used and again safety glasses and chemical gloves are important The pigments present a dust hazard when being sampled so the operator applies a protective mask over their nose and mouth to prevent ingestion while they use a small purposebuilt shovel to empty the contents into the sample container


Range Statement

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

AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories

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

AS/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set

calibration and maintenance schedules

enterprise recording and reporting procedures

enterprise sampling procedures for specific samples, sites and clients

environmental legislation and regulations

equipment manuals

equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures

industry codes of practice

maps and site plans

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

material, production and product specifications

National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) documents regarding construction materials testing

national measurement regulations and guidelines

occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice

quality manuals

safety procedures

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Site hazards

Site hazards may include:

solar radiation, dust and noise

wildlife, such as snakes, spiders and domestic animals

biohazards, such as micro-organisms and agents associated with soil, air and water

chemicals, such as acids and hydrocarbons

sharps and broken glassware

manual/handling of heavy sample bags and containers

crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery and hand tools

falling objects, uneven surfaces, heights, slopes, wet surfaces, trenches and confined spaces

vehicle handling in rough terrain and boat handling in rough or flowing water

Safety procedures

Safety procedures may include:

use of MSDS

use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, heavy protection, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, faceguards, coveralls, gowns, body suits, respirators and safety boots

correct labelling of hazardous materials

handling and storing hazardous material and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer's instructions and enterprise procedures and regulations

regular cleaning and/or decontamination of equipment

machinery guards

signage, barriers, service isolation tags, traffic control and flashing lights

lockout and tag-out procedures

Types of samples

Types of samples may include:

grab samples

disturbed or undisturbed materials

composite samples, such as time, flow proportioned and horizontal/vertical cross section

quality control samples, such as controls, background, duplicate and blanks

Materials sampled

Materials sampled may include:

gas or air samples

water, wastewater, stormwater, sewage and sludge

soils

construction materials

solid wastes, such as commercial, industrial and mining

raw materials, start, middle, end of production run samples and final products for a wide range of manufactured items, including food and beverages

hazardous materials and/or dangerous goods

Sampling tools and equipment

Sampling tools and equipment may include:

front-end loader, backhoe, excavator and drill rig

shovels, augers and bucket

sampling frames, sampling tubes, dip tubes, spears, flexible bladders and syringes

access valves

sample thief

weighted sample bottles, bottles, plastic/metal containers and disposable buckets

sterile containers, pipettes, inoculating loops and disposable spoons

pumps and stainless steel bailers

Maintenance of integrity of samples

Maintenance of integrity of samples could include:

appropriate containers and lids (e.g. glass, plastic, amber and opaque)

sealing of sample containers

purging of sample lines and bores

decontamination of sampling tools between collection of consecutive samples

use of appropriate preservatives (e.g. sodium azide, toluene or antibiotics)

wrapping container in foil or wet newspaper

temperature control, which may involve prevention of direct contact between the sample and coolant

transfer of sterile sample into sterile container

monitoring of storage conditions

enterprise/legal traceability through appropriate sample labelling and records

Services

Services may include:

water supply, gas and electricity

telecommunications

irrigation, stormwater and drainage systems

production plant

Minimising environmental impacts

Minimising environmental impacts may involve:

replacement of soils and vegetation

driving to minimise soil erosion and damage to fauna and vegetation

disposal of surplus, spent or purged materials

recycling of non-hazardous wastes

appropriate disposal of hazardous waste

cleaning of vehicles to prevent transfer of pests and contaminants

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