Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to clean and prepare rooms, including bedrooms and bathrooms, in an accommodation establishment. It requires the ability to set up cleaning equipment and trolleys and to safely clean guest rooms using resources efficiently to reduce negative environmental impacts.
The unit applies to housekeeping attendants in commercial accommodation establishments. They work under supervision and usually as part of a team.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative 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. Prepare for room servicing. | 1.1.Identify rooms requiring service from information supplied. 1.2.Select and prepare room servicing equipment and cleaning agents according to work schedule and product instructions. 1.3.Identify supplies for trolleys and select or order in sufficient numbers. 1.4.Load trolleys safely with adequate supplies. 1.5.Access rooms according to organisational customer service and security procedures. |
2. Make up beds. | 2.1.Strip beds and mattresses and check pillows and linen for stains and damage. 2.2.Replace stained and damaged linen according to organisational standards. |
3. Clean rooms. | 3.1.Select and use cleaning agents or chemicals for specific areas, surfaces and equipment, according to manufacturer recommendations, work health and safety and organisational procedures. 3.2.Clean rooms in logical order and with minimum disruption to guests. 3.3.Identify and respond to hazards. 3.4.Reduce negative environmental impacts through efficient use of energy, water and other resources. 3.5.Identify pests and take appropriate action. |
4. Organise rooms. | 4.1.Check and reset furniture, fixtures and fittings. 4.2.Check and replenish or replace room supplies. 4.3.Collect and store guest items left in vacated rooms. |
5. Check rooms. | 5.1.Identify room defects, damaged items or suspicious items or occurrences. 5.2.Report items for follow-up by maintenance teams. 5.3.Check all aspects of room set-up and cleanliness prior to leaving. |
6. Check and store trolleys and equipment. | 6.1.Clean trolleys and store equipment after use. 6.2.Safely dispose of all waste and hazardous substances according to environmental requirements. 6.3.Check supplies and replenish or reorder according to organisational procedures. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
select required supplies and correctly load cleaning trolley to service a minimum of ten guest rooms according to organisational requirements
demonstrate correct procedure to complete the following tasks according to organisational standards:
make up bed
check and re-set room furniture, fitting and fixtures
replenish guest room supplies
identify and report room defects and damaged items for maintenance
select and safely use cleaning agents and equipment to clean and prepare each of the following wet and dry areas:
bathroom
bedroom
lounge area
storage areas, wardrobes, cupboards, and drawers
demonstrate procedure for reporting suspicious items or occurrences according to organisational requirements
complete above servicing tasks to required standards while:
conserving resources in the servicing process
disposing or recycling waste
using correct manual-handling techniques
using hygienic work practices
working within commercially-realistic timeframes.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
cleaning chemicals, equipment and procedures for wet and dry surfaces and materials:
agents for specialised surfaces
deodorisers
disinfectants
spot cleaning agents
pesticides
types of protective clothing used for different cleaning tasks
safe manual-handling techniques:
carrying
lifting
pulling
pushing
security and safety issues for guest rooms:
handling of guest property
appropriate interactions with guests
room access and departure
privacy considerations
legal obligations (duty of care)
safe handling requirements for hazardous cleaning products:
use of safety data sheets (SDS)
disposal of waste and surplus cleaning products
hygiene procedures and requirements:
hygiene responsibilities of cleaning staff and hygienic personal contact with food and food contact surfaces
hygiene hazards for room cleaning
hygienic cleaning practices that prevent:
hygiene risks to customer and self
cross-contamination of bacteria from bathroom or bedroom areas to mini-bar or kitchen areas
potential food contamination by cleaning food contact surfaces with clean tea towels and cleaning cloths
transmission of airborne illnesses
ways of minimising negative environmental impacts in the cleaning process:
resource conservation – energy and water
waste disposal
presentation standards for guest rooms.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in an operational commercial accommodation environment. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
fixtures:
chairs
desks
lamps and light fittings
mini-bar or refrigerator
shower, bath or spa
vanity unit and hand basin
toilet
soft furnishings
telephone
television
wall mirrors
wardrobe and coat hangers
various guest rooms with different sized beds
small equipment:
bathroom supplies:
toilet rolls
tissues
towels and bathrobes
various toiletries
bed linen and pillows
compendium, stationery and pens
crockery
cutlery
door signage and door stoppers
electric kettles or jugs
fire extinguishers
glassware
guest literature and information
hair dryers
iron and ironing board
laundry bags and lists
radio or alarm clock
tea and coffee making facilities
waste paper bin and liners
cleaning equipment:
electrically operated equipment:
polishers
scrubbers
vacuum cleaners
garbage receptacles
manual equipment:
brushes
buckets
dusters
mops
pans
toilet brushes
range of cloths:
dry
dusting
lint-free
polishing
wet
trolley for transporting cleaning supplies
cleaning agents and chemicals for hard and soft surfaces:
acid-based products
agents for specialised surfaces:
glass
wood
cream cleansers
deodorisers
disinfectants
laundry detergent
multi-surface cleaners
sanitisers
spot cleaning agents
pesticides
personal protective clothing and equipment:
aprons
gloves
headwear
jackets
overalls
waterproof clothing and footwear
guest rooms to be cleaned, that include a range of different hard and soft surfaces
organisational specifications:
equipment/supply checklists for cleaning trollies
equipment manufacturer instructions
maintenance reporting procedures
product manufacturer instructions
procedures for cleaning premises and equipment
procedures for reporting suspicious items or occurrences
room servicing schedules.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors; and:
have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | understand and follow schedules for room servicing read and interpret workplace documents and diagrams in: safety and waste disposal procedures safety data sheets (SDS) and product instructions for cleaning agents and chemicals. |
Writing skills to: | complete orders to replace out of stock room supplies and cleaning materials. |
Numeracy skills to: | follow simple dilution requirements for chemicals and cleaning products, and calculate ratios in order to make them up record quantities of cleaning materials and room supplies required. |
Learning skills to: | locate key information in-room servicing schedules and procedures manuals. |
Problem-solving skills to: | identify and deal with common room servicing challenges. |
Planning and organising skills to: | efficiently sequence the stages of cleaning and preparing rooms. |
Self-management skills to: | manage own speed, timing and productivity recognise a chemical accident and follow safety procedures to contain it. |
Technology skills to: | use electrical cleaning equipment. |
Range Statement
Specifies 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. Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. | |
Work health and safety procedures must include: | information on hazardous substances and storage requirements use of safe manual-handling techniques SDS. |
Organisational procedures must include: | hygienic personal contact with food and food contact surfaces hygienic cleaning practices: cleaning food contact surfaces with clean tea towels and cleaning cloths preventing cross-contamination of bacteria from bathroom or bedroom areas to mini-bar or kitchen areas use of personal protective equipment. |
Hazards must include: | breakages heated utensils and surfaces human waste sharp items: knives needles and syringes surgical dressings wet or slippery surfaces. |
Furniture, fixtures and fittings must include: | desks floor surfaces light fittings mirrors and glassware refrigerators shelving soft furnishings telephones televisions wardrobes. |
Room supplies must include: | bathroom supplies discretionary supplies and gifts coffee and tea supplies crockery, cutlery and glassware digital equipment kitchen equipment linen information: local tourist information magazines and newspapers promotional material stationery. |
Sectors
Hospitality
Competency Field
Accommodation Services