The Evidence Guide describes the underpinning knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated to prove competence.
Critical aspects of competency
Competency must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard. Candidates must be able to supervise laboratory operations and personnel so that planned outcomes are achieved within agreed resource and budget parameters without compromising safety, quality and ethics. In particular, the assessor should look to see that the candidate:
collects, analyses and reports information for enterprise operational plans, budgets and performance management
organises and optimises the use of resources within agreed parameters to achieve planned outcomes
revises plans to take account of the unexpected
makes decisions within limits of responsibility and authority
ensures that legislation, statutory and enterprise requirements are met in work operations
monitors outputs, analyses processes and introduces ways to improve operations
uses effective consultative processes
promotes a learning environment for personnel in immediate work area
motivates and counsels personnel to improve performance.
Underpinning knowledge
The candidate requires sufficient knowledge of the enterprise's business, strategic and operational plans and key performance indicators; laboratory services; and enterprise products, services and customers to be able to supervise laboratory operations within a work or functional area.
Competency includes the ability to apply and explain:
legislation, codes, standards and registration criteria relevant to the work area or function
principles of budgeting, operational planning and efficient resource use
workplace industrial agreements and regulations dealing with hygiene, dress and behaviour of employees
SOPs and the technical details of sampling, testing, equipment and instrumentation within the work area
problem solving techniques and contingency planning
broad trends in production data (for example, seasonal, annual)
auditing procedures
team leadership and development techniques
mentoring and coaching techniques
relevant health, safety and environment requirements.
An awareness of the laboratory's business goals and key performance indicators is also required as a basis for decision making and actions.
Specific industry
Additional knowledge requirements may apply for different industry sectors. For example:
Biomedical and environmental
Access information from sources, such as relevant Federal and State Acts, Environmental Protection Agency, National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Food processing
Food Chemicals Codex, AOAC Methods of Analysis.
Assessment context and methods
This unit of competency should be assessed in a laboratory environment that either meets Australian Standards for working laboratories or is accredited by NATA or the Royal College of Pathology, as appropriate.
Because of the comprehensive nature of this unit and the need to integrate a wide range of knowledge and skills, the assessment timeframe must allow for adequate assessment over a planning cycle and address a range of non-routine problems.
The following assessment methods are suggested:
direct observation of the candidate's interactions with personnel
review of reports from subordinates, peers, managers and customers
review of reports, operational budgets and plans generated by the candidate
review of performance reports for the candidate's work area
review of documented examples of quality performance improvements achieved and examples of significant problems solved
simulations/role plays to assess situations which are critical but did not arise during the negotiated assessment period.
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. Questioning techniques should suit the language and literacy levels of the candidate.
Interdependent assessment of unit
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
PMLOHS601A Implement and monitor OHS and environmental management systems
PMLTEAM600B Manage and develop teams
PMLORG601B Maintain registration and statutory or legal compliance in work/functional area.
Resource implications
Resources may include:
laboratory equipped with appropriate services, equipment, instruments, and consumables
relevant enterprise policies, procedures, operational reports, financial reports and stock records
technical manuals, SOPs, quality manuals.
This competency in practice
Manufacturing
A laboratory supervisor analysed the costs of regular heavy metal testing of the wastewater stream leaving the company's plant. He/she compared these costs with a quotation from an external environmental consulting company and noted that it would be more cost effective to outsource the current level of testing. However, the supervisor argued that the company should retain this capability in house given the impact of impending legislation which will require it to develop an Environmental Management Plan and introduce more complex monitoring. He/she demonstrated that it would benefit the company more in the long run, if they recruited one new technician, retrained existing laboratory staff and continued to perform all wastewater testing on site.
Food processing
A technical officer had to complete a wide range of chemical analyses that required samples to be ignited for many hours in a muffler furnace, digested with acid, prepared for analysis by atomic absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography (GC), and titrated against standard solutions. The laboratory supervisor noticed that the number of analyses performed each day by the technician tended to fluctuate widely without an obvious cause. Closer observation showed that the technician's efficiency was dependent on the order in which the analyses were begun and the use of the auto sampler for overnight operation of the GC.
The supervisor suggested several ways to improve the technician's time management. The supervisor installed a timer on the muffler furnace so that it could be operated overnight and organised the technician to perform labour intensive tasks after automated analyses had been initiated. The supervisor then showed the technician the optimum order to perform individual tasks and verified that his instructions were followed over succeeding weeks. The supervisor's actions significantly improved the productivity of the laboratory. Later it became obvious that the technician's time management system was not working as effectively as it had. Again, the supervisor monitored the technician's work and realised that since the daily analytical load was seasonal, a second management system had to be developed that was dedicated to the new season. Both systems were sufficiently flexible to take account of short term fluctuations in workload. In summary, the organisational skills of the supervisor and technician's ability to follow detailed instructions resulted in a more efficient use of company time, labour and resources.
Key Competencies
The seven key competencies represent generic skills considered for effective work participation. The bracketed numbering against each of the key competencies indicates the performance level required in this unit. These are stand-alone levels and do not correspond to levels in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Level (1) represents the competence to undertake tasks effectively
Level (2) represents the competence to manage tasks
Level (3) represents the competence to use concepts for evaluating and reshaping tasks.
Collecting, analysing and organising information | Communicating ideas and information | Planning and organising activities | Working with others and in teams | Using mathematical ideas and techniques | Solving problems | Using technology |
Level 3 | Level 3 | Level 3 | Level 3 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 2 |