Application
The unit is applicable to a senior or managerial level. All work practices must be undertaken in accordance with the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes and the institution's standard operating procedures. It requires the ability to liaise with and report to the institution's Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) according to institutional requirements. It may also involve supporting and directing other, usually less experienced, staff in carrying out their responsibilities in these areas. In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, all units of competency in the ACM10 Animal Care and Management Training Package have the requirement for animals to be handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for animals so that stress and discomfort is minimised. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Manage animals in accordance with relevant codes of practice and legislative and institutional requirements | 1.1. The use of animals in the institution's research programs is justified and written approval is sought from the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC). 1.2. Principles of the 3Rs (replacement, refinement and reduction) are applied. 1.3. The scope of interests and responsibilities of the institution, the individual working in animal technology and the community are identified. 1.4. Requirements outlined in the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes are applied to daily animal care. 1.5. Reporting requirements to the AEC are clearly defined and followed. 1.6. The care and containment of experimental animals are followed to comply with AEC requirements. |
2. Manage the euthanasia of research animals | 2.1. Reasons for the decision to euthanase an animal are identified to comply with institutional policies and procedures, program approvals or protocols and legislative requirements. 2.2. Licences and permits required to conduct the euthanasia are obtained 2.3. Euthanasia procedures conducted by less experienced staff are monitored and assistance or support is provided where required. 2.4. The institution's standard operating procedures relating to euthanasia are regularly reviewed and suggestions for improvement are discussed with veterinarians and implemented. 2.5. The institution's standard operating procedures relating to euthanasia are communicated to staff, researchers and others. |
3. Manage the negotiation of approval for non-standard laboratory practices and specific projects | 3.1. Project and laboratory practices that require approval are identified. 3.2. Project and non-standard laboratory practices are justified in line with animal ethics and welfare guidelines. 3.3. Application for approval of non-standard project or laboratory practices is prepared and presented. |
4. Manage the operation of and compliance with containment and exclusion procedures | 4.1. Monitoring programs for containment and exclusion of organisms are developed and implemented. 4.2. Breaches of containment or exclusion reported by staff or others are acted on in accordance with the monitoring program and the institution's standard operating procedures. 4.3. The institution's standard operating procedures relating to containment and exclusion are regularly reviewed and suggestions for improvement are discussed with veterinarians. 4.4. The institution's standard operating procedures relating to containment and exclusion are communicated to staff, researchers and others. |
5. Maintain records | 5.1. Records relating to the management of breeding stock and research and teaching animals are maintained in accordance with requirements. 5.2. Records relating to containment and exclusion are maintained as required by the institution and relevant government authorities. |
Required Skills
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Required skills |
apply AEC classification system to determine procedures that require approval develop/review and communicate the institution's standard operating procedures employ safe and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when handling and working with animals maintain the highest standards of hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and cross-infection monitor compliance with animal welfare and ethics regulations and workplace safe operating procedures prepare and maintain appropriate records, including animal care and ethics register using relevant institutional electronic and/or manual systems prepare applications to animal care and ethics committee for workplace and project specific procedures provide information and instruction to staff on institutional policies and procedures literacy skills to read, interpret and apply facility policies and procedures, including OHS, infection control, containment and exclusion and waste management; follow sequenced written instructions; record accurately and legibly information collected; and select and apply procedures to a range of defined tasks oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and consulting with or seeking advice from senior or more experienced staff numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities problem-solving skills to address non-compliance or other issues within scope of responsibilities. |
Required knowledge |
AS/NZS 2243.3:2002: Safety in laboratories - Microbiological aspects and containment facilities applicable industry quality assurance requirements and required documentation biohazards in the workplace of significance to animals and humans classification system used to categorise animal care and treatment by AECs containment and exclusion policies, procedures and requirements under the Federal Gene Technology Act institution's standard operating procedures relating to restraining, handling, euthanasing and disposing of animals institution's standard operating procedures relating to use, storage and transport of equipment and drugs used when conducting euthanasia of animals organisational policies and safe work procedures, including OHS and emergency procedures principles of animal welfare and ethics protocols, legal and ethical considerations in establishing animal care procedures and policies and gaining AEC approval relevant codes of practice including the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes relevant state or territory legislation and regulations relating to the practice of veterinary science, OHS and animal welfare, quarantine and research, including the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator relevant state or territory legislation covering the use of therapeutic and controlled substances reporting procedures for alleged breaches of containment and exclusion procedures and the consequences of any breaches. |
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 | The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can: provide advice to and monitor staff on a range of procedural work functions relating to animal technology workplace compliance requirements ensure that the organisation and all staff complies with relevant legislative requirements manage the use, care and containment of animals to be used in research programs manage the euthanasia of research animals and monitor staff performing euthanasia procedures review, improve and implement the institution's policies and procedures to ensure compliance manage relationships and communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders maintain accurate records using relevant institutional electronic and/or manual systems. The skills and knowledge required to manage compliance in animal technology must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in an animal technology research facility or an environment that reproduces normal work conditions and has a scientific establishment licence and access to an approved AEC. There must be access to relevant information, materialsand documentation to enable one to demonstrate competence. |
Method of assessment | To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and over a number of assessment activities. The assessment strategies must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are: written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions case study analysis third-party evidence workplace documentation. This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role. |
Guidance information for assessment | Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds). |
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. | |
Subject to facility requirements animals may include: | on most occasions the animal species will be common laboratory animals: guinea pigs mice rabbits rats on some occasions animal species may include: amphibians, fish and reptiles dogs and cats fish invertebrates livestock (e.g. sheep, cattle and pigs) native wildlife (e.g. marsupials and birds) primates poultry. |
Principles of 3Rs are: | replace the animals in research with non-animal alternatives reduce the number of animals used in experiments refine scientific procedures and animal husbandry to minimise suffering. |
Reasons to conduct euthanasia may include: | accidents cull of production environmental failure; fire or other trauma excessive aggression meeting the requirements of product quality assurance outbreak of disease reaching the end point of research the need to alleviate uncontrollable pain and distress. |
Legislation requirements that impact on the euthanasia of animals include: | approval from the institution's AEC local government regulations covering the transport and disposal of hazardous wastes relevant codes of practice, including the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes relevant state or territory legislation and regulations such as those relating to: firearms usage fisheries prevention of cruelty to animals quarantine the practice of veterinary surgery the administration and storage of therapeutic and controlled substances wildlife. |
Animal ethics and welfare requirements include: | adhering to the responsible care and use of animals by providing for its needs in a reasonable way: adequate food and water appropriate accommodation or living conditions handling animals humanely the display of normal behavioural patterns treatment of disease and injury providing standards for animal care and use that: achieve a reasonable balance between the welfare of animals and the interests of people whose livelihood is dependent on animals allow for the effect of advancements in scientific knowledge about animal biology and changes in community expectations about practices involving animals protect animals from unjustifiable, unnecessary, or unreasonable pain (e.g. cruelty) |
Containment and exclusion sites include: | containment site is the physical location where the organism is being controlled and confined exclusion site is the physical location from which organisms are to be excluded: institution premises or parts of the premises isolation areas or sick bays laboratories research animal holding or breeding facilities whole farms or parts of a farm. |
Containment and exclusion may apply to: | genetically modified organisms gnotobiotic infectious microbiological organisms physical specific pathogen free. |
Institute standard operating procedures may include: | AS/NZ 2243.3:2002: Safety in laboratories - Microbiological aspects and containment facilities institution's quality assurance manual and procedures: biosecurity OHS recycling and re-use guidelines waste disposal product labels and manufacturers specifications, including material safety data sheets (MSDS) project objectives and production schedules relevant state and territory legislation and regulations relating to the practice of veterinary science, quarantine, animal welfare and research requirements of the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator in line with the Federal Gene Technology Act work and routine maintenance plans. |
Records to be kept may include: | breeding program records genetic constitution infection control records health status environmental variables fate of animals staff training and rosters monitoring animal health and wellbeing and other species-specific records. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Animal technology |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.