This unit applies to those with responsibility for managing mortuary operations. It requires the application of planning and problem-solving skills to establish work requirements, including legislative and budgetary requirements, to design a mortuary.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Identify mortuary requirements.

1.1

Determine expected work requirements of mortuary.

1.2

Identify and assess physical characteristics of the space in relation to its capacity to meet operational mortuary requirements.

1.3

Assess safety and environmental issues that may impact on the organisation of space.

1.4

Identify available budget and any constraints to mortuary design.

2

Prepare design brief.

2.1

Seek advice from specialist personnel to determine cost and timeframe projections for required materials and labour.

2.2

Develop design specifications according to organisational requirements and operational mortuary requirements.

2.3

Analyse relevant data to develop design brief according to operational mortuary requirements, budgetary limitations and legislative requirements.

2.4

Review design brief to check for compliance with all requirements and develop solutions to address any inconsistencies.

3

Provide advice and recommendations.

3.1

Consult relevant staff to gain feedback on design brief and to ensure all organisational requirements have been met.

3.2

Provide recommendations on use of mortuary facilities and design services to meet identified needs.

3.3

Prepare final design brief in accessible format according to organisational requirements.

3.4

Present final design brief within designated timelines and provide supporting documentation.

Required skills

planning and organisational skills to source and evaluate information required to develop a design brief that meets organisational and legislative requirements

analytical and problem-solving skills to evaluate relevant data to develop final design brief and provide cost analysis

literacy and numeracy skills to interpret documentation, and estimate costings and budget needs

communication skills, including clear and direct communication and active listening and questioning techniques, to seek specialist advice and negotiate final design brief.

Required knowledge

in-depth knowledge of relevant federal, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations relating to mortuary operations, OHS, infection control and handling human remains

mortuary OHS requirements and procedures

building and workplace standards for space use

building control legislation, codes and relevant Australian standards

building construction practices

space use design principles

basic building services and elements

local planning requirements.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

ability to source and analyse relevant information required to design a specific mortuary and to prepare and present a mortuary design in an accessible format according to organisational requirements

negotiation of solutions to address inconsistencies between design brief and organisational and legislative requirements

knowledge of mortuary practices, treatments and procedures

designing different types of mortuaries over a period of time to ensure consistency of performance and ability to respond to and evaluate different situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

access to comprehensive and sufficient information about a new or existing mortuary facility and its operational and work requirements to allow the candidate to design a mortuary

interaction with specialist personnel as required

access to relevant documentation, such as an organisational budget.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

verbal presentation of a completed design brief that meets organisational and legislative requirements

review of drafts of the design brief

written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding of required processes when designing a mortuary

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Work requirements may include:

anticipated volume of work

number of staff

workflow.

Physical characteristics may include:

floor space

access limitations

equipment requirements.

Space may include:

existing building

new building.

Operational mortuary requirements may include:

legislative requirements, including:

OHS

health and hygiene

Public Health Act

environment protection

Anatomy Act

Coroner's Act

ventilation system, such as filtered air supply

plumbing and drainage facilities

adequate lighting source

soundproofing

storage

refrigeration

separate dressing rooms

impervious wall and floor surfaces

location and height of tables and benches.

Safety and environmental issues may include:

numbers of people using the space

specific equipment requirements

access limitations

hygiene

ergonomics

waste disposal.

Constraints may include:

local, state or federal legislative requirements

building codes

space restrictions

cash flow restrictions

overall cost ceiling

time constraints

identification of formal and informal barriers.

Specialist personnel may include:

engineers

utility providers

architects

designers

planners

builders

plumbers

electricians

solicitors.

Design specifications may include:

anticipated cost

anticipated time

equipment

facilities.

Organisational requirements may include:

budgets

timeframes

policies and procedures, such as:

OHS

consulting specialist personnel

report formats and requirements, such as number of required copies.

Solutions may include:

sourcing alternative suppliers

revising floor plan

reviewing and adjusting timelines.

Relevant staff may include:

manager

business owner.

Recommendations may include:

energy efficiency measures

waste disposal measures

implementation of design

feasibility studies

funding options

improvements to quality of employees' workspace

refurbishment

fit-out

new building

landscape design

space use and allocation

relocation.

Final design brief may include:

floor plan

equipment and facilities costing

building works timeframes and costing

contingency plans.

Sector

Funeral Services

Mortuary Work and Embalming

This unit contains employability skills.