Required skills

Required skills include

sterilising equipment such as flasks loops and pipettes

handling of laboratory equipment and glassware to prevent contamination

streak plating of inoculations

sampling transfers

labelling and storing culture media according to enterprise procedures

recording data accurately

reporting noncompliance anomalies or outofspecification results

sorting collecting treating recycling or disposing of waste

following enterprise procedures consistently

using appropriate personal protective equipment

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

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

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

principles of infection control related to occupational health and safety OHS sampling and transfer of materials in microbiological investigations

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

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

growth requirements of microorganisms bacteria fungi protozoans viruses and multicellular parasites in terms of their laboratory culture

relevant health safety and environment requirements

Specific industry

Additional knowledge requirements may apply for different industry sectors For example

Food processing

food spoilage symptoms

food safety principles

beneficialdetrimental organisms relevant to specific food industry sector

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

In particular assessors should look to see that the candidate

follows established laboratory procedures including recording of samples operation of equipment and cleaningdecontamination

prevents crosscontamination of sample source and sample

manipulates equipment to prevent contamination of culture medium during transfer

sterilises equipment as required to prevent crosscontamination of work area personnel and environment

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

MSLA Prepare culture media

MSL973003A Prepare culture media.

Resources may include

standard laboratory with appropriate equipment and materials

enterprise procedures and standard methods

MSDS

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

review of quality assurance results and examination of samples transferred by the candidate

observation of the candidate successfully transferring a range of samples

written andor oral questioning to assess underpinning knowledge

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

Food processing

As part of the quality assurance program at an icecream manufacturer six icecreams were removed from the production line placed in sterile bags and then stored in a freezer in the microbiology laboratory Later in the morning the laboratory assistant removed the samples from the freezer registered the samples with the date received and test code and signed the register book Shehe then placed the samples in a water bath set at C While the samples were melting the laboratory assistant labelled the respective agar plates with the registered codes Using aseptic techniques shehe carefully transferred ml of icecream mix into the total plate count agar The plates were then placed in the incubator The final results were noted and recorded

Biomedical

In preparation for antibiotic sensitivity testing and biochemical identification of presumed pathogenic bacteria a technical assistant was asked to prepare a sterile peptone suspension of a lactose fermenting colony The colony had been previously identified by the supervisor on a MacConkeys agar plate The assistant labelled a mL tube of peptone broth with the sample number and a code for the identified colony and then donned a pair of disposable gloves Bringing the labelled tube and the MacConkeys plate near to the Bunsen shehe took an inoculating loop and sterilised it in the incandescent flame Shehe carefully cooled the loop in a sterile area of the agar and gently scraped off half the colony With the other hand and in the vicinity of the heated air of the Bunsen shehe removed the cover of the peptone tube in herhis crooked finger In a continuous and coordinated way shehe flamed the lip of the tube and emulsified the colony in the broth Shehe then flamed the lip of the tube and replaced its cover Finally the technical assistant resterilised the inoculating loop by introducing and holding it in the Bunsen flame to minimise the generation of bacterial aerosols

Codes of practice

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Personal protective equipment

Sample pot and transfer media and the subculturing and/or passaging of culture

Samples

Equipment

The range of material

Sterilisation techniques

Quality control checks

Hazards

Workplace information

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements