Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to maintain established infection and contamination control practices and duty of care to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in workplaces in the funeral services industry. It applies to funeral home and cemetery and crematorium staff members who come into contact with deceased persons or infectious or contaminated materials and are required to follow relevant legislation and workplace policies and procedures in relation to infection control.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Maintain personal hygiene. | 1.1 Maintain cleanliness of work clothes according to workplace policies and procedures. 1.2 Apply hand washing procedures according to infection control practices. 1.3 Use and maintain personal protective equipment. |
2. Clean and sanitise equipment and surfaces. | 2.1 Identify appropriate cleaning and sanitising requirements. 2.2 Select, prepare and use appropriate cleaning chemicals and equipment. 2.3 Apply workplace cleaning schedule to maintain cleanliness of equipment and surfaces. 2.4 Store cleaning chemicals and equipment according to material safety data sheets. |
3. Handle materials and deceased persons in a manner that prevents contamination and spread of infectious disease. | 3.1 Apply standard precautions to deceased persons and to materials that have come into contact with deceased persons. 3.2 Identify and address work health and safety/occupational health and safety issues involved in handling materials and deceased persons. 3.3 Use appropriate personal protective equipment when handling deceased persons or materials that have come into contact with deceased persons. |
4. Dispose of infectious or contaminated material. | 4.1 Use appropriate personal protective equipment when disposing of infectious or contaminated material. 4.2 Sort and separate infectious waste. 4.3 Dispose of infectious waste according to infection control practices. |
5. Identify and act on hazards and spillage. | 5.1 Determine potential hazards and take remedial action. 5.2 Assess actual hazards and spillages and implement appropriate responses. 5.3 Respond to situations of risk. 5.4 Place hazard notification notices as required. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to:
access and interpret hygiene, infection and contamination control procedures
Evidence of performance of incorporating inflection and contamination control procedures in workplace activities on five or more occasions is required to demonstrate consistency of performance and ability to respond to different situations.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge of:
importance of following hygiene, infection and contamination control procedures and of the potential implications of disregarding those procedures
infection control practices, including:
checking for infectious and transmittable disease
using personal protective equipment
sterilising apparatus and instruments
providing sterile storage areas for instruments
using disinfectants
safe removal and disposal of soiled and contaminated garments
safe ventilation
avoiding invasive procedures on bodies
immunisation
periodic X
seeking medical advice
recording injury and incidence
reporting injury and incidence
providing first aid kit
performing first aid as necessary
labelling clothing
federal, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations relating to work health and safety/occupational health and safety, infection control, and handling human remains
use, care and maintenance of personal protective equipment
preparation, use and storage of workplace cleaning chemicals
infectious or contaminated material in handling deceased persons
work health and safety/occupational health and safety issues involved in handling materials and deceased persons, including:
toxic gases
cancer producing agents
blood borne viruses
droplet infections
bacterial infections
sharps
aerosol exposure from lungs of body
radioactivity
environmentally sound disposal methods for all types of waste and in particular for hazardous substances in relation to infection control
identification of potential hazards and remedial action in responding or reporting hazard risks.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that is as industry realistic as possible. In a simulated environment, it is essential that assessment is conducted:
using suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
a funeral home, cemetery or crematorium facility where deceased bodies and potentially infectious or contaminated waste are handled
infectious waste disposal equipment, cleaning products and personal protective equipment
legislation and regulations relating to work health and safety/occupational health and safety, infection control, and handling human remains
under industry conditions where there is:
integration of tasks with possible interruptions to work typical of the job role
interaction with team members
Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
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.
Sectors
Cross-Sector
Competency Field
Work Health and Safety