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Range Statement

This field allows for different 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.

Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements

Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements include the latest version of one or more of:

Australian and international standards covering the requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, laboratory safety, quality management and environmental management

Australian standards covering the requirements for occupational personal protection; cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment; and maintenance of associated environments in health care facilities

national work health and safety (WHS) standards and codes of practice, national environmental protection measures, and national measurement regulations and guidelines

specific codes, guidelines and procedures, such as National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation requirements, principles of good laboratory practice (GLP), Australia New Zealand Food Standards (ANZFS) Code, Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP), Australian Dangerous Goods Code and labelling of workplace substances

workplace documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs); quality and equipment manuals; calibration and maintenance schedules; material safety data sheets (MSDS); safety procedures; material, client and product specifications; production and laboratory schedules; workplace recording and reporting procedures; and waste minimisation and safe disposal procedures

workplace procedures and standard methods for preparing culture media, and operation and maintenance manuals for automated media preparation equipment

PPE

PPE includes, but is not limited to, one or more of:

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 include, but are not limited to, one or more of:

sterile broth

media for isolation of colony

tissue culture media

media for continuous culture systems

Samples

Samples include, but are not limited to, one or more of:

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

Sterilisation techniques

Sterilisation techniques include, but are not limited to, one or more of:

flaming

high temperature, high pressure steam, boiling and autoclaving

steam and membrane filtration

microwave, radiation, gas and/or chemical treatments

WHS and environmental management requirements

WHS and environmental management requirements include:

· complying with WHS and environmental management requirements at all times, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation. These requirements must not be compromised at any time

· applying standard precautions relating to the potentially hazardous nature of samples

accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health, where relevant

Performance Evidence

Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:

safely performing aseptic techniques that maintain the integrity of both the sample source and the sample on at least three (3) occasions using different samples

preventing cross-contamination of sample source and sample

manipulating laboratory equipment and glassware to prevent contamination of culture medium during transfer

cleaning and disinfecting work surfaces and equipment to prevent cross-contamination of work area, personnel and environment

performing quality control checks, including streaking out of cultures to a single colony and lawn cultures

labelling and storing culture media according to workplace procedures

recognising and reporting non-compliance, anomalies or out-of-specification results

accurately recording data, labelling samples and completing workplace documentation

consistently using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and workplace procedures for aseptic transfer

following workplace procedures for the sorting, collecting, treating, recycling and/or disposing of waste.

Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:

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

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

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

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

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

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

relevant hazards, such as accessing the sample from difficult or dangerous areas; injuries from sharps, burners, molten agar, dry ice and liquid nitrogen vapour; ultraviolet (UV) light sources; and exposure to hazardous substances and/or infectious agents

relevant WHS and environment requirements.