Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to remove all soils and microorganisms from a range of frequently touched surfaces. It covers selecting required cleaning equipment and solutions, applying techniques to remove contaminants from the high-touch surfaces, and preventing cross-contamination.
The unit supports cleaners who work alone or in teams. It applies to removing soil from high-touch surfaces in a range of commercial and residential work sites. It also applies to non-medical contexts, such as healthcare, aged care and childcare facilities; and to public areas, such as food courts, waiting rooms, washrooms and offices. The high-touch surfaces include door handles, hand railings, dining tables, nappy change tables, desks, reception counters, computer keyboards and mice, telephones and light switches.
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. | Work instructions are obtained, high-touch surfaces and soil types are identified and assessed, and required cleaning methods are selected and confirmed. |
1.2. | Work site hazards are identified and risks controlled according to company, legislative, and health and safety requirements. | ||
1.3. | Colour-coded cleaning equipment is selected according to area to be cleaned, checked for serviceability and cleanliness, and replaced as required before starting work. | ||
1.4. | Cleaning solutions are selected and prepared according to surface and soil to be cleaned, and client and company requirements. | ||
1.5. | Tasks are sequenced to ensure hygiene and efficiency in completion of cleaning tasks. | ||
1.6. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected and used according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
1.7. | Pre-existing damage to surfaces is identified and reported according to company requirements. | ||
2. | Clean surfaces. | 2.1. | Loose soil and debris are removed from surfaces using required cleaning equipment and techniques. |
2.2. | Required cleaning solution is applied to surfaces using correctly prepared cleaning equipment, and allowed to dwell according to manufacturer specifications. | ||
2.3. | Surfaces are wiped clean using selected cleaning tools and techniques. | ||
2.4. | Surfaces are rinsed free of residual cleaning solutions using selected equipment and techniques. | ||
2.5. | Moisture is removed from surfaces using required equipment or allowed to air dry according to company requirements. | ||
3. | Clean and store equipment. | 3.1. | Unused cleaning solutions are stored or disposed of according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. |
3.2. | Equipment and PPE are cleaned, safety checked and stored or disposed of according to manufacturer specifications and environmental, 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 clean five of the following high-touch surfaces:
computer keyboards and mouse
desks
dining tables
door handles
hand railings
light switches
nappy change tables
reception counters
telephone receivers.
In doing the above work, the person must:
identify site hazards and control risks before commencing cleaning tasks
select and prepare cleaning solutions and equipment required for the task
ensure surfaces are completely free of all soil types.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
application and limitation of different cleaning solutions
cleaning techniques for nappy change tables
processes for preventing cross-contamination while cleaning, including:
application and use of colour-coded cleaning equipment
sequence cleaning tasks to ensure hygiene and efficiency
maintenance and storage of cleaning equipment
processes for maintaining personal hygiene to minimise spread of infection and germs
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:
cleaning equipment as listed in the range of conditions
personal protective equipment (PPE) as listed in the range of conditions
materials:
cleaning solutions as listed in the range of conditions
specifications:
Safe Work Australia regulations and guidelines
SDS
physical conditions:
suitable venue with access to high-touch surfaces listed in the range of conditions
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 cleaning solutions using whole numbers and routine fractions. |
Oral communication skills to: | request advice or further information from personnel. |
Reading skills to: | interpret directions and safety instructions, including: product labels safety data sheets (SDS). |
Writing skills to: | report faults in equipment to manufacturer and other personnel. |
Problem-solving skills to: | identify and apply required solutions and cleaning techniques to different high-touch surfaces. |
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. | |
Soil types must include: | chemical residue dust fingerprints moisture smears soil stickiness. |
Hazards that must be assessed include: | biological and environmental contaminants chemical exposure via absorption, ingestion and inhalation chemical reactivity cross-contamination 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. |
Cleaning equipment must include at least two of the following: | disposable wipes dusting cloths microfibre cloths pre-impregnated disinfectant wipes pre-impregnated dusting wipes reusable cleaning cloths spray or squeeze bottles. |
Cleaning solutions must include at least two of the following: | acid cleaners alkaline cleaners disinfectants ionised water low environmental impact chemicals neutral cleaners soapy water water. |
Sequence of cleaning must include cleaning: | cleanest to dirtiest surfaces top to bottom of vertical surfaces. |
Personal protective equipment must include at least two of the following: | eye protection gloves masks safety shoes. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations