Application
This unit of competency covers the general cleaning of work surfaces, cleaning and storage of equipment and the monitoring of laboratory stocks under direct supervision.
This unit of competency is applicable to laboratory assistants and instrument operators working in all industry sectors.
This unit of competency forms a major part of the work of laboratory assistants. They work in accordance with work instructions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) which incorporate all relevant aspects of work health and safety (WHS) legislation and the codes, guidelines, regulations and Australian Standards applying to environmental hazards and dangerous goods.
While no specific licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication, laboratory operations are governed by relevant legislation, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements. Local requirements should be checked.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Clean work preparation areas | 1.1 | Clean preparation areas using appropriate cleaning agents and equipment according to workplace procedures |
1.2 | Remove spillages, if they occur, using appropriate agents, personal protective equipment (PPE) and workplace procedures | ||
1.3 | Collect and segregate wastes in accordance with workplace procedures, relevant codes and regulations | ||
2 | Clean, maintain and store equipment | 2.1 | Collect used equipment, inspect for faults and, where necessary, remove from service |
2.2 | Use appropriate agents, apparatus and techniques to clean equipment | ||
2.3 | Store clean equipment in the designated locations and manner | ||
3 | Monitor stocks of materials and equipment | 3.1 | Perform stock checks and maintain records of usage as directed |
3.2 | Store labelled stocks for safe and efficient retrieval | ||
3.3 | Inform appropriate personnel of impending stock shortages to maintain continuity of supply | ||
4 | Maintain a safe work environment | 4.1 | Use established safe work practices and PPE to ensure personal safety and that of other personnel |
4.2 | Report potential hazards and/or maintenance issues in own work area to designated personnel | ||
4.3 | Minimise the generation of waste and environmental impacts | ||
4.4 | Dispose of waste in accordance with workplace procedures, relevant codes and regulations | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:
following workplace procedures, relevant codes and guidelines when maintaining the laboratory/field workplace
applying information contained in material safety data sheets (MSDS) for materials handled regularly during the performance of maintenance tasks
working safely and minimising exposure of hazards to self, others and the laboratory
safely cleaning work preparation areas and equipment using appropriate cleaning agents, equipment and techniques
safely removing spillages and disposing of wastes
safely storing equipment and materials using workplace procedures, relevant codes and guidelines
monitoring and reporting stock levels and the condition of laboratory materials and equipment
keeping accurate, up-to-date records
reporting potential hazards and maintenance issues using workplace procedures.
Evidence of Knowledge
Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:
workplace procedures for the cleaning of work preparation areas, materials and equipment
storage requirements for specific materials and equipment
workplace procedures for minimisation and disposal of waste
workplace procedures for monitoring of laboratory stocks
work health and safety (WHS) and environment requirements.
Assessment Conditions
Judgement of competence must be based on holistic assessment of the evidence. Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time, rather than a single assessment event.
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment. A simulated workplace environment must reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including the environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept in each case).
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSL943002 Participate in laboratory or field workplace safety
Holistic assessment methods include:
observation of the candidate's techniques for cleaning and/or removal of spillages and waste disposal
review of stock records completed by the candidate
feedback from supervisors and peers
questioning to assess required knowledge of regulations and procedures where direct observation is difficult (such as dealing with hazards) and choice of materials and equipment.
Access is required to instruments, equipment, materials, workplace documentation, procedures and specifications associated with this unit, including, but not limited to:
work preparation areas, stocks, materials and equipment, cleaning, decontamination and/or disinfection agents and equipment
personal protective equipment (PPE)
stock order firms, labels and records/forms.
Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.
The assessor must demonstrate both technical competence and currency.
Technical competence can be demonstrated through:
relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR
relevant workplace experience.
Currency can be demonstrated through:
performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR
having consulted with a laboratory about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different 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. | |
Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements | Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements include the latest version of one or more of: Australian and international standards, guidelines and codes covering WHS; laboratory design and construction; occupational protective equipment; labelling of workplace substances; storage, handling and transport of dangerous goods; environmental management; physical containment levels and facility types industry specific codes, regulations and guidelines, such as Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Codes of Practice, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Orders) Regulations and Import Guidelines, gene technology regulations, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines, and animal welfare |
Typical equipment | Typical equipment includes, but is not limited to, one or more of: balances; glassware; plastic ware; glass, plastic and quartz cuvettes, pipettes, burettes and volumetric glassware blending, mixing and separating equipment, such as sieves and centrifuges autoclaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, ovens, hotplates, mantles, burners and muffle furnaces, microwave ovens, ultrasonic cleaners, incubators and water baths, and gas cylinders fume hoods, biohazard containers and biological safety cabinets microtomes and tissue processors, cell counters and staining machines colorimeters/spectrometers and polarimeters, light and fluorescence microscopes thermometers, thermohygrographs, hydrometers, conductivity meters and pH meters and ion-selective electrodes, noise meters, melting point apparatus, viscometers and instrument chart recorders steel ruler/tapes and spirit levels, shovels, scoops, plates, rods, cylinder moulds and buckets rifflers and splitters and mixers, compaction rammers and soil classification equipment, penetrometers, force measuring equipment and tensiometers, and hardness testing equipment animal cages vehicles |
Typical materials | Typical materials include, but are not limited to, one or more of: consumable items, such as syringes, pipette tips and weigh boats PPE distilled water, reagents, chemicals, disinfectants, detergents, agar media and plates equipment spares, such as fuses, bulbs and batteries oils/lubricants, fuels, industrial gases and cryogenics, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen paper and stationery reference samples and standards |
Cleaning requirements | Cleaning requirements include one or more of: decontamination and/or disinfection hygiene monitoring minimising environmental impacts operation of automatic cleaning apparatus, such as pipette washers, ultrasonic cleaners and dishwashers sterilisation and disposal of wastes using boiling, high pressure air or steam, microwaves, chemicals, gas, filtration, ultraviolet radiation and autoclaving use of specialised techniques, such as chromic acid baths and soaking in hypochlorite |
Preparation areas | Preparation areas include one or more of: benches fume cupboards sheds sinks |
Agents for cleaning | Agents for cleaning include one or more of: cleaning solutions decontaminants organic solvents |
Spillages | Spillages include one or more of: chemicals radioactive materials biologically active materials |
Waste | Waste includes, but is not limited to, one or more of: broken glass and sharps disposable PPE spent reagents, spent or excess samples and test pieces, solvents and batteries used containers, boxes, bags and palettes, plastic and metals microorganisms |
Stock records | Stock records include one or more of: calibration and maintenance history data sheets handbooks, warranty documents, catalogues, manuals and material safety data sheets (MSDS) records of usage, loans and breakages |
Maintenance issues | Maintenance issues include, but are not limited to, one or more of: hygiene issues, prevention of contamination, cleaning, recycling and waste disposal checking materials and equipment are fit for purpose, equipment malfunction, and checking serviceability before storage potential hazards, incidents and emergencies, spillages, leakages, breakages and contamination stock requirements and shortages, and storage constraints |
Hazards | Hazards include, but are not limited to, one or more of: sharps, broken glassware and hand tools aerosols from broken centrifuge tubes and pipetting microbiological organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products, and human or animal tissue and fluids chemicals, such as acids, heavy metals, pesticides and hydrocarbons sources of ignition, flammable liquids and gases cryogenic agents, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen electric shock fluids under pressure, such as steam and industrial gas cylinders crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery or falling objects manual handling, working at heights and working in confined spaces occupational overuse syndrome, slips, trips and falls pedestrian and vehicular traffic solar radiation, dust and noise |
Established safe work practices | Established safe work practices include, but are not limited to, one or more of: applying containment procedures through the use of appropriate equipment, such as biohazard containers, laminar flow cabinets, Class I, II and III biohazard cabinets, and Class PCII, PCIII, and PCIV physical containment facilities ensuring access to service shut-off points following established manual handling procedures for tasks involving manual handling handling and storage of all hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, MSDS and manufacturer instructions identifying and reporting operating problems or equipment malfunctions labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials recognising and observing hazard warnings and safety signs reporting to appropriate personnel of abnormal emissions, discharges and airborne contaminants, such as noise, light, solids, liquids, water/wastewater, gases, smoke, vapour, fumes, odours and particulates use of PPE, such as hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls, gown, body suits, respirators and safety boots |
WHS and environmental management requirements | WHS and environmental management requirements include: · complying with WHS and environmental management requirements at all times, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation. These requirements must not be compromised at any time · applying standard precautions relating to the potentially hazardous nature of samples accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health, where relevant |
Sectors
Competency Field
Quality