Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to perform carpet re-stretching, seam repairs, patch work, colour repair, and basic carpet installation repairs. The unit covers assessing the extent of the repair and reinstallation task by identifying client requirements and examining the characteristics of the carpeted floor. The selection of suitable equipment and methods is essential for performing the task safely and efficiently.
The unit supports carpet cleaners who work alone or in teams. It applies 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. | 1.1. | Job requirements are identified and confirmed with required personnel. |
1.2. | Health and safety requirements for site and type of work to be undertaken are identified and applied to planning. | ||
1.3. | Work site hazards are assessed and risks controlled according to company, legislative, and health and safety requirements. | ||
1.4. | Carpet repair and reinstallation equipment and materials are selected to carry out tasks according to job requirements, checked for serviceability, and faults are rectified or reported before starting work. | ||
1.5. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is sourced according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
1.6. | Signs and barricades are selected and installed according to health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
2. | Determine methods for repair and reinstallation. | 2.1. | Carpet type, condition, fibre, construction method and sub-flooring are identified. |
2.2. | Colour fastness of carpet is tested and agents causing colour damage are identified. | ||
2.3. | Repair and reinstallation techniques are selected and confirmed according to assessment of carpet and company requirements. | ||
3. | Repair and reinstall carpet. | 3.1. | Furniture and fittings are moved or removed according to health and safety and company requirements. |
3.2. | Carpet is repaired using required techniques, equipment and materials according to manufacturer specifications and legislative, health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
3.3. | Cleaning chemical is applied followed by extraction or heat transfer method according to manufacturer specifications and company requirements. | ||
3.4. | Treated area is compared with surrounding surface to determine need for further action according to company requirements. | ||
3.5. | Spot dye baths are prepared and applied according to manufacturer specifications and company requirements. | ||
3.6. | Carpet is reinstalled using required reinstallation method. | ||
3.7. | Results are documented and reported according to company requirements. | ||
4. | Tidy work site. | 4.1. | Collected soil and waste are disposed of according to client and company specifications, and legislative, environmental, and health and safety requirements. |
4.2. | Furniture and fittings are returned to original position according to job requirements. | ||
4.3. | Signs and barricades are removed according to health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
5. | Clean and safety check equipment, and store equipment and chemicals. | 5.1. | Equipment and PPE are cleaned, safety checked and stored according to manufacturer specifications and environmental, health and safety, and company requirements. |
5.2. | 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:
repair one natural fibre carpet and one synthetic fibre carpet specified in the range of conditions
select and apply repair equipment, materials and each of the following techniques:
gluing
replacing
re-stretching
sewing
reinstall one natural or synthetic fibre carpet to an area measuring at least three square metres, using reinstallation techniques, equipment and materials specific to the carpet type and area.
In doing the above repair and installation work, the person must:
identify site hazards and control risks before commencing the task
identify type of carpet, sub-flooring and carpet installation method required for the job
identify type of damage to carpet and its source
clean repaired or reinstalled carpet using required cleaning and neutralisation methods.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
colour theory and range of carpet dye methods, including:
acid
beck
continuous
differential
solution
space
spray
stock
yarn
range and characteristics of agents causing colour damage to carpet, including:
airborne pollutants
bleaches
dye strippers and reducing agents
fluorocarbons
hydrocarbons
oxidising agents
pesticides
pharmaceutical preparations
ultraviolet light from sunlight and artificial light
types and applications of different carpet testing methods, including:
burn test
chemical test
sink and float test
types, characteristics and repair methods for different carpets
types of carpet construction methods and their characteristics, including:
flocked
fusion bonded
needle punched
tufted
woven
types of carpet installation methods, including:
direct stick
double bond
loose lay
stretch in
tackless carpet gripper
turn and tack
two-sided tape
types of different underlay, including:
crumble foam
felt
foam
sandwich
urethane
waffle rubber
types of carpet fibres, including:
continuous filament
staple yarn
type and characteristics of different carpet yarn types, including:
heat set
plied
single
textured
twist
range of different pile or tuft types, including:
cut
cut and loop
loop
types and characteristics of carpet backing materials, including:
cotton
jute
latex
polyester
polypropylene
polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
environmental requirements relating to repairing and reinstalling carpet, including:
clean-up, containment and isolation procedures
environmental protection agency requirements relating to repairing and reinstalling carpets
key requirements of legislation, regulations, codes of practice and industry advisory standards relating to carpet repair and reinstallation, including AS/NZS 2455 Textile floor coverings – Installation practice
processes for safely handling and disposing of waste, including:
chemicals past their expiry date
machine exhaust emissions
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:
as listed in the range of conditions
PPE as listed in the range of conditions
materials:
as listed in the range of conditions
specifications:
AS/NZS 2455 Textile floor coverings – Installation practice
equipment operating manuals
product labels
SDS
safety instructions
physical conditions:
work site or venue with carpets
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 respond clearly and concisely to client questions. |
Reading skills to: | interpret directions and safety instructions, including: equipment operating manuals product labels safety data sheets (SDS). |
Writing skills to: | document and report faults in equipment to manufacturer and other personnel. |
Teamwork skills to: | work collaboratively with others on site when repairing carpets. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | identify errors in own work and rectify faults. |
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. | |
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. |
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. |
Equipment must include at least two of the following: | glue guns with glue sticks hammers seam rollers seaming irons spatulas stair tools trimming knives. |
Materials must include at least two of the following: | adhesives awls duct tape kickers latex masking tape metal bars nails of various sizes and for different backing surfaces napping shears power stretchers protector boards seaming tape tackless carpet grippers. |
Personal protective equipment must include at least two of the following: | disposable respirators eye protection gloves kneepads protective clothing safety shoes. |
Carpet types must include: | natural fibre: organic (plant) fibres, such as cotton and sisal wool synthetic fibre: acrylic nylon polyester polypropylene. |
Sub-flooring must include at least one of the following: | concrete old carpet wood wood panelling. |
Repair and reinstallation techniques must include at least one of the following: | gluing replacing re-stretching sewing. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations