Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to inspect premises and surrounding areas for timber pests. The unit covers assessing the nature and extent of the timber pest and timber pest activity, analysing the situation, and preparing an inspection report on managing the timber pest activity.
Inspections may be initiated by a general client request or a government authority. They may apply to pre-purchase, pre-construction or post-construction projects.
The unit supports pest management technicians responsible for managing timber pests and timber pest activity that impact on the health, safety or amenity of persons or environments in domestic, commercial or industrial premises.
Timber pests may occur in internal and external surfaces of buildings, landscaping, recreational equipment, timber fences, furniture, railings, bridges and stairs. Types of timber pests vary in different geographic regions and this unit applies to those timber pests found in the geographic area.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to pest management in some States. Relevant state and territory regulatory authorities should be consulted to confirm those requirements.
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 work site and assess work requirements. | 1.1. | Work site is accessed according to company requirements. |
1.2. | Work order for inspection is reviewed according to company requirements, and issues and client expectations are clarified with appropriate persons. | ||
1.3. | Previous inspection and treatment records are accessed and reviewed, where possible, to establish a history of inspection areas. | ||
1.4. | Physical characteristics of work site and work site environment are assessed according to company requirements. | ||
1.5. | Type of structure and construction methods are determined according to relevant company and compliance requirements. | ||
1.6. | Location of industry-recognised pest pressure areas is confirmed to ensure that inspection targets probable timber pest activity. | ||
1.7. | Client agreement to inspection is obtained before starting work according to company requirements. | ||
2. | Plan for inspection. | 2.1. | Hazards are identified and risk controls selected for the work site according to manufacturer specifications and relevant company and compliance requirements. |
2.2. | Suitable inspection and personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected according to manufacturer specifications and relevant company and compliance requirements. | ||
2.3. | Systematic and comprehensive inspection and recording method, using knowledge of work site and work site environment, is determined and adopted according to work order, manufacturer specifications and relevant company and compliance requirements. | ||
3. | Inspect for timber pests. | 3.1. | Suitable PPE is fitted and used according to manufacturer specifications and relevant company and compliance requirements. |
3.2. | Inspection is conducted using predetermined methods and safe operating practices according to work order, manufacturer specifications and relevant company and compliance requirements, and findings are recorded. | ||
3.3. | Evidence of previous or present timber pest activity is collected according to relevant company and compliance requirements. | ||
3.4. | Requirements for further inspections are identified and recommended to client. | ||
4. | Analyse inspection data. | 4.1. | Where type of timber pest or identified timber pest activity is inconclusive, tests on evidence are conducted according to work order, manufacturer specifications and relevant company and compliance requirements. |
4.2. | Previous or current types of timber pests are identified according to company requirements and code of practice. | ||
4.3. | Extent and locations of timber pest infestations are determined using inspection data and test results. | ||
4.4. | Source of timber pests and conditions conducive to infestation are identified. | ||
4.5. | Previous, current and potential impacts of timber pest activity are estimated according to relevant company and compliance requirements. | ||
5. | Prepare and distribute inspection report. | 5.1. | Inspection report is prepared according to company requirements. |
5.2. | Report is presented according to work order and client and company requirements. | ||
5.3. | Report is distributed to relevant parties according to work order and client and company requirements. | ||
5.4. | Copy of inspection report is included with client records according to company requirements. | ||
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 |
Learning skills to: | identify and use reliable sources of information regarding timber and timber pests and their biology. |
Numeracy skills to: | estimate timeframes for timber pest inspections and schedule tasks efficiently measure dimensions and calculate areas and volumes of premises. |
Oral communication skills to: | interact effectively with clients to explain inspection procedures, expressing technical information in appropriate language for the client. |
Reading skills to: | read and interpret technical information, including information about timber pests and their biology. |
Writing skills to: | accurately and legibly record findings while undertaking pest inspection activities on site. |
Planning and organising skills to: | plan and organise systematic and comprehensive inspections for timber pests. |
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. | |
Work sites must include either: | residential premises with different types of construction, or commercial premises with different uses, or a combination of the above. |
Appropriate persons must include one or more of the following: | clients colleagues managers persons in control of work site supervisors. |
Inspection and treatment records must include two or more of the following: | invoices notes on client requirements and safety issues previous inspection reports previous written reports treatment notices and certificates on buildings warranties. |
Inspection areas must include four or more of the following: | external areas of property, including trees and fences external surfaces floor areas interior other timber areas, including trims and mouldings outbuildings roof voids subfloor. |
Assessment of work site environment must include five or more of the following: | age of structure associated building or land use dark and humid areas drainage evidence of previous treatments geographic location known pressure pest areas level of moisture risk factors encouraging timber pest activity soil type timber type ventilation. |
Compliance requirements must include: | Australian standards, including AS 4349.3 Inspection of buildings - Timber pest inspections industry advisory standards and codes of practice relating to inspecting for and reporting on timber pests, including Code of Practice for Prior to Purchase Timber Pest Inspections commonwealth, state and territory legislation and local government regulations relating to inspecting for and reporting on timber pests, including: consumer protection privacy public health and safety quality assurance and certification requirements relating to inspecting for and reporting on timber pests work health and safety requirements relating to inspecting for and reporting on timber pests, including: procedures for hazard identification, risk assessment and hazard control, including hierarchy of hazard control requirements of national registration authority and state government authorities site inductions and client safety requirements use of safe work methods. |
Timber pests must include three or more of the following: | borers damp wood termites dry wood termites subterranean termites wood decay fungi. |
Client agreement must include one of the following: | verbal agreement for general timber pest inspection written pre-agreement for pre-purchase inspections. |
Hazards to be checked for must include: | animal bites and stings confined or restricted spaces electrical environmental contamination fire lighting manual handling moving vehicles and machinery noise pesticides and other chemicals remote locations respiratory slips and trips temperature ultraviolet (UV) radiation working at heights. |
Inspection equipment must include: | camera hand lens ladder measuring tape or ruler mirror moisture meter pliers probes or knife report check sheet or notepad sounding tools specimen bottle torch. |
Personal protective equipment must include: | appropriate eye, ear and respiratory protection first aid kit appropriate to the task and location site-specific PPE and clothing requirements soap and towel sun protection. |
Evidence inspected for must include: | chambers damp swell (bulging walls) discolouration of timber or plaster evidence of feeding holes mud tracks and leads. nests and nest materials specimens timber damage, timber shavings and sawdust. |
Inspection report must: | comply with appropriate standards and codes of practice requirements include: data analysis method of inspection relevant exclusions and limitations to the inspection results of inspection and analysis of evidence and appropriate recommendations. |
Sectors
Pest management