Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to inspect water damaged sites, identify the cause of damage, and develop a plan to manage the water damage mitigation and carpet restoration process. Communicating effectively with the client or insurer to clarify their needs and expectations is central to the process. The unit includes working with the owner or manager of the premises and insurance company to plan and resource the project and select the most cost-effective and appropriate restoration techniques.
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. | Access and prepare site for inspection. | 1.1. | Client and insurance company contact details are obtained and confirmed, reporting requirements are determined, and approval to access and inspect site is gained. |
1.2. | Work site hazards are assessed and risks controlled according to company, legislative, and health and safety requirements. | ||
1.3. | Health and safety requirements for site and type of work to be undertaken are identified and applied to planning. | ||
1.4. | Insurance arrangements are confirmed and insurance excess payment is collected according to company policy. | ||
1.5. | Site is secured and immediate physical hazards are addressed prior to proceeding with assessment. | ||
1.6. | Equipment required to conduct site assessment is selected and prepared. | ||
1.7. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is sourced and used according to manufacturer specifications and industry standards. | ||
2. | Assess water damage. | 2.1. | Existing inundation of water is identified and water entry is isolated or stopped as required. |
2.2. | Investigations and discussions are held with client to identify source and type of water. | ||
2.3. | Extent of damage to carpet, underlay and sub-floor is assessed using selected techniques, and is documented. | ||
2.4. | Factors affecting mitigation and restoration are analysed and documented. | ||
2.5. | Other building materials and installations are checked for water damage using penetrative and non-penetrative measuring devices to determine degree of moisture and results are documented. | ||
2.6. | Photographic evidence of site damage is recorded according to company procedures. | ||
2.7. | Site measurements are documented to assist in calculating repair costs and determining techniques to be used to assist mitigation and restoration. | ||
3. | Develop and document plan. | 3.1. | Information gathered during site assessment is analysed to determine potential for drying and restoring carpet or replacing carpet and underlay. |
3.2. | Strategies to protect or restore other building materials and installations are analysed and documented. | ||
3.3. | Risk management plan outlining cost-effective solutions for managing and mitigating water damage is developed and documented according to legislative and company procedures. | ||
3.4. | Timeline for conducting mitigation and restoration work is negotiated with owner or manager and insurer of premises. | ||
3.5. | Formal agreement to proceed with work is secured and documentation, including acceptance of quotation, is completed according to standard company procedures. | ||
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 assess two different sites with water damaged carpet and develop and document a plan to mitigate the water damage, including a cost analysis to undertake works. The plan must include all associated costs of works to be undertaken, an assessment of the risks and hazards to be managed before commencing work, and timelines to complete the work.
In doing the above work, the person must:
communicate with clients to obtain required information and arrange site access
assess and protect the above sites against the following immediate physical hazards:
continuing water inundation
electrical dangers
identify the source of water damage from the following common occurrences:
blocked drains
burst pipes
overflow of sinks and baths
river and stream overflows
storm damage
identify the type of water damage from the following:
black water
clear water
grey water
assess extent of water damage using five of the following different techniques:
corner inspection
blue lights
high intensity inspection lights
hygrometers
moisture meters
moisture sensors or probes
psychometric evaluation
thermal imaging
thermometers
visual inspection
comply with company, legislative and regulatory requirements for water mitigation and restoration operations.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
range of methods and equipment used to assess water damage, and their application and limitations
carpet characteristics, including:
carpet construction
carpet types
dying methods
features of fibres, piles and yarns
sub-flooring structures
underlay types
carpet restoration options, including:
carpet removal and reinstallation
pre-spotting and stain-removal methods
key requirements of legislation, regulations, codes of practice and industry advisory standards relating to restoring carpets, including AS/NZS 3733 Textile floor coverings – Cleaning maintenance of residential and commercial carpeting
processes and techniques for confirming the presence of black, clean and grey water.
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
contingencies:
water entering site may need to be isolated or stopped to make site safe
specifications:
AS/NZS 3733 Textile floor coverings – Cleaning maintenance of residential and commercial carpeting
company documentation relating to developing plans to mitigate water damage and restore carpets
clients with differing needs and expectations
physical conditions:
actual or simulated work environments
relationships with team members and supervisor:
work may be conducted alone or as part of a team
relationship with client:
confirm requirements
liaise with client and insurers.
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: | take accurate site measurements perform cost estimates. |
Oral communication skills to: | request advice or further information from client or others respond clearly and concisely to client questions. |
Reading skills to: | read and interpret directions and safety instructions, including: work instructions safety data sheets (SDS). |
Writing skills to: | document findings and produce reports. |
Problem-solving skills to: | develop damage mitigation plans and strategies for different work sites. |
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: | digital camera moisture measuring devices. |
Personal protective equipment must include at least two of the following: | eye protection gloves high visibility vests protective clothing respirators safety shoes tongs wet-work clothing. |
Type of water must include at least one of the following: | black water clear water grey water. |
Techniques must include at least five of the following: | corner inspection blue lights high intensity inspection lights hygrometers moisture meters moisture sensors or probes psychometric evaluation thermal imaging thermometers visual inspection. |
Factors affecting mitigation and restoration must include: | method of carpet construction condition of carpet type and condition of underlay method of installation condition of smooth edge type and condition of sub-floor. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations