Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to maintain carpeted floors using a range of methods, including hand collecting waste, sweeping, using a dustpan and brush, using low-water cleaning methods, and vacuuming. It covers assessing the extent of the cleaning task, and selecting the required equipment, chemicals and methods to perform the task safely and efficiently.
The unit supports cleaners who work alone or in teams. It applies to both manual and mechanical methods of maintaining carpeted floors in a range of commercial and residential work sites.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Plan and prepare to maintain carpets. | 1.1. | Type and condition of carpet to be cleaned are assessed, fibre and construction method are identified, job requirements are reviewed, and issues are clarified. |
1.2. | Work site hazards are assessed and risks are controlled according to company, legislative, and | ||
1.3. | Required cleaning methods and carpet cleaning products are selected, and products are prepared according to job requirements. | ||
1.4. | Equipment is | ||
1.5. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is sourced according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
1.6. | Tasks are sequenced to ensure maximum efficiency for completing cleaning requirements. | ||
1.7. | Signs and barricades are selected and installed according to health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
1.8. | Pre-existing damage is identified and reported according to company requirements. | ||
2. | Clean carpet. | 2.1. | Furniture and fittings are removed to allow cleaning tasks to be performed. |
2.2. | Large items of waste are collected using selected equipment, and are transferred to waste receptacle according to health and safety requirements. | ||
2.3. | Carpeted floor is vacuumed using required equipment, accessories, chemicals and techniques according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
2.4. | Need for spot cleaning and stain removal is identified and documented according to company requirements. | ||
3. | Tidy work site. | 3.1. | Collected soil and waste are disposed of according to client and company specifications, and legislative, environmental, and health and safety requirements. |
3.2. | Furniture and fittings are returned to original position according to client requests, and health and safety requirements. | ||
3.3. | Signs and barricades are removed according to health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
4. | Clean and safety check equipment, and store equipment and chemicals. | 4.1. | Equipment and PPE are cleaned, safety checked and stored according to manufacturer specifications and environmental, health and safety, and company requirements. |
4.2. | Unused chemicals are stored or disposed of according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also maintain two different carpets where:
one carpet type must be a natural fibre selected from:
organic (plant) fibres, such as cotton and sisal
wool
one carpet type must be a synthetic fibre selected from:
acrylic
nylon
polyester
polypropylene.
In doing the above work, the person must:
identify site hazards and control risks before commencing the task
correctly identify the type and characteristics of the carpet and carpet fibres
select and prepare cleaning equipment and chemicals required for carpet type
select and apply carpet maintenance method suited to carpet type.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
carpet characteristics, including:
methods of carpet construction
types and features of fibres
environmental requirements relating to use of chemicals when maintaining carpeted floors, including:
clean-up, containment and isolation procedures
emergency chemical spill control measures
environmental protection agency requirements relating to maintaining carpeted floors
hazardous materials handling
use of low-energy cleaning methods
use of low-moisture cleaning methods
use of low water-use equipment and water-efficient cleaning methods
use of non-chemical cleaning methods
range and characteristics of cleaning chemicals and equipment and their applications for carpet maintenance
key requirements of legislation, regulations, codes of practice and industry advisory standards relating to maintaining carpeted floors, including:
AS/NZS 3733 Textile floor coverings – Cleaning maintenance of residential and commercial carpeting
industry advisory standards and codes, such as dangerous goods codes
processes for safely handling and disposing of waste, including:
chemicals past their expiry date
disposable vacuum liner bags
litter
obsolete equipment
used containers
used or contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE)
used or unused chemicals
safe handling techniques for working with hazardous chemicals, including:
emergency chemical spill control measures
routes of entry and potential symptoms of exposure to chemicals
safe methods for diluting chemicals
working according to safety data sheets (SDS).
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
vacuuming equipment and accessories as listed in the range of conditions
PPE as listed in the range of conditions
specifications:
AS/NZS 3733 Textile floor coverings – Cleaning maintenance of residential and commercial carpeting
equipment operating manuals
product labels
SDS
safety instructions on equipment
physical conditions:
suitable work site or venue with carpeted floors
relationships with team members and supervisor:
work may be conducted alone or as part of a team.
Timeframe:
as specified by the task.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Numeracy skills to: | dilute and mix required chemicals using whole numbers and routine fractions. |
Oral communication skills to: | ask questions to clarify job requirements. |
Reading skills to: | interpret directions and safety instructions, including: equipment operating manuals product labels safety data sheets (SDS). |
Writing skills to: | report faults in equipment to manufacturer and other personnel. |
Range Statement
This section specifies 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. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Hazards that must be assessed include: | biological and environmental contaminants chemical exposure via absorption, ingestion and inhalation chemical reactivity dust and fibre particulates electrical environmental allergens explosions fatigue fire manual handling noise poor ventilation slips, trips and falls syringes and sharps working in confined spaces. |
Health and safety requirements must include: | access to communication devices when working alone compliance with Safe Work Australia regulations and guidelines electrical equipment test and tag compliance emergency response procedures environmental controls hazard signs and barricades health and safety induction and refresher training manual handling techniques processes for safely dispensing chemicals risk assessment procedures, including: hazardous chemicals register hierarchy of control job safety analyses (JSA) for low-risk situations safe work method statements (SWMS) for high-risk situations incident reporting SDS selection and use of required PPE storage and maintenance of equipment according to manufacturer specifications use of first aid according to SDS information. |
Equipment must include at least three of the following: | accumulation bags brooms, such as deck fibre or millet carpet rakes dustpan and broom hoses and filters microfibre products. |
Personal protective equipment must include at least two of the following: | gloves eye protection protective clothing respirators safety shoes tongs. |
Vacuuming equipment must include at least one of the following: | back-mounted unit ducted system floor-based mobile system mechanical push sweeper wet and dry system. |
Accessories must include at least two of the following: | brush crevice tool floor head power head upholstery head variable pile height and adjustable head. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations