Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to clean industrial machinery. It covers assessing the extent of the cleaning task and selecting the required equipment, chemicals and cleaning methods.
The unit supports cleaners who work alone or in teams. It applies to machinery cleaning in industrial, food manufacturing, and processing or mining environments.
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 clean industrial machinery. | 1.1. | Machinery to be cleaned is assessed, surfaces and soil types are identified, job requirements are reviewed, and issues are clarified. |
1.2. | Hazards, including machinery cleaning hazards, are assessed and risks controlled according to company, legislative, and health and safety requirements. | ||
1.3. | Equipment is selected according to job requirements, checked for serviceability, and faults are rectified or reported before starting work. | ||
1.4. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is sourced according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
1.5. | Cleaning techniques and chemicals are selected and chemicals prepared according to manufacturer specifications, and legislative, health and safety, company, and environmental requirements. | ||
1.6. | Signs and barricades are selected and installed according to health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
1.7. | Pre-existing damage is identified and reported according to company requirements. | ||
2. | Conduct cleaning tasks. | 2.1. | Existing access platforms are used according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety, and company requirements. |
2.2. | Items and areas requiring protection from damage are covered according to client and company requirements. | ||
2.3. | Heavily soiled areas are pre-treated according to manufacturer specifications and company requirements. | ||
2.4. | Machinery is cleaned according to client requirements, manufacturer specifications and company requirements. | ||
2.5. | Machinery is inspected for residual soil and spot cleaned 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. | 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 use safe and efficient methods to clean three of the following types of industrial machinery:
bottle-making machines
concrete-making machines
earth-moving equipment
food-processing machines and equipment
mining industry equipment
trucks
welders.
The person must demonstrate each of the following techniques when cleaning the above industrial machinery:
air blowing
dry wiping
hosing down
low-water cleaning methods
pre-spraying
pressure washing
rinsing
scrubbing and wiping
spot cleaning
washing and wiping
wet wiping.
In doing the above work, the person must:
identify site hazards and control risks before commencing the task
select required cleaning equipment and chemicals according to type of machinery and extent of cleaning required
identify surface and soil types
handle and dispose of waste safely and according to client and environmental requirements.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
environmental requirements relating to cleaning industrial machinery, including:
clean-up, containment and isolation procedures
environmental protection agency requirements relating to cleaning industrial machinery
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.
key requirements of legislation, regulations, codes of practice and industry advisory standards relating to cleaning industrial machinery, including industry advisory standards and codes, such as dangerous goods codes
machinery manufacturer cleaning specifications, including restrictions or limitations on surfaces that can be pressure washed
procedures for avoiding incidental damage to industrial machinery through the cleaning process, including:
discoloration
electrical dampness
filter damage
paint removal
rust
range and application of cleaning equipment and chemicals for industrial machinery
range and application of cleaning methods for:
electrical equipment
industrial machinery
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)
type and characteristics of different soil found on industrial machinery, including:
dust
exhaust and soot
food and food scraps
grease
oil
paint.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
as listed in the range of conditions
personal protective equipment (PPE) as listed in the range of conditions
materials:
cleaning chemicals as listed in the range of conditions
specifications:
equipment operating manuals
SDS
physical conditions:
suitable venue with access to range of industrial machinery listed in the performance evidence
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 simple, structured manufacturer instructions when using equipment and preparing chemicals 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. |
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. | |
Machinery must include at least three of the following: | bottle-making machines concrete-making machines earth-moving equipment food-processing machines and equipment mining industry equipment trucks welders. |
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. |
Machinery cleaning hazards that must be assessed include: | exposed or damaged electrical components, wiring and cabling faulty pressure hoses or pressure relief valves overriding, removing or interfering with machinery safety devices. |
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 two of the following: | air blowers brooms cloths high-pressure water cleaning units hoses squeegees. |
Personal protective equipment must include at least two of the following: | ear muffs and plugs gloves eye protection hard hats hair and beard nets disposable respirators safety shoes. |
Cleaning techniques must include: | air blowing dry wiping hosing down low-water cleaning methods pre-spraying pressure washing rinsing scrubbing and wiping spot cleaning washing and wiping wet wiping. |
Cleaning chemicals must include at least one of the following: | acid cleaners alkaline cleaners low environmental impact chemicals neutral cleaners solvent cleaners. |
Cleaned must include: | selecting and using required: equipment PPE chemicals cleaning techniques. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations