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.

Overview of assessment

Assessment must be carried out in a manner that recognises the cultural and literacy requirements of the assessee and is appropriate to the work performed. Competence in this unit must be achieved in accordance with food safety standards and regulations.

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

Evidence of ability to:

prepare equipment and materials for conducting tests

conduct basic microbiological tests according to workplace requirements

interpret results and identify out-of-standard results

conduct housekeeping and dispose of waste according to workplace standards

complete documentation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must occur in a real or simulated workplace where the assessee has access to:

personal protective clothing and equipment as required

work procedures, including advice on company practices, safe work practices, food safety, quality and environmental requirements

instructions, information, specifications and schedules as required

equipment, services and corresponding information as required

products and materials as required

internal and external customers and suppliers as required

cleaning procedures, materials and equipment as required

documentation and recording requirements and procedures

Method of assessment

This unit should be assessed together with other units of competency relevant to the function or work role.

Guidance information for assessment

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competence should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

Required skills

Note: The following required skills should be applied as appropriate to the equipment and processes that are used in the particular winery or workplace.

Ability to:

Access workplace information to identify requirements

Select, fit and use appropriate personal protective clothing and/or equipment

Confirm equipment status and condition

Carry out tests according to workplace procedures

Read and interpret results as required

Record results as required and complete workplace information

Monitor the process and equipment to identify out-of-specification results or non-compliance

Take corrective action in response to out-of-specification results, anomalies or non-compliance

Report and/or record corrective action according to workplace procedures

Follow procedures to repeat or validate results as required

Differentiate between wine yeast and bacterial cells under a microscope as required

Sort, collect, treat, recycle or dispose of waste

Shut down equipment in response to an emergency situation

Shut down equipment in response to routine shutdown requirements

Maintain work area to meet housekeeping standards. This will include maintenance of aseptic environment

Prepare equipment for cleaning. This may include dismantling equipment or rinsing in preparation for sanitation

Clean and sanitise equipment according to enterprise procedures

Identify, rectify or report environmental non-compliance according to enterprise procedures

Perform oil emersion and phase contrast techniques according to enterprise procedures

Use oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor

Work cooperatively within a culturally diverse workforce

Required knowledge

Note: The following required knowledge should be applied as appropriate to the equipment and processes that are used in the particular winery or workplace.

Knowledge of:

Principles of the procedure

Purpose of the procedure

Relevant standards and specifications and basic legislative requirements (e.g. quality, health, safety, labelling and equipment) and their implications

Procedure specification and operating parameters

Affect of process stages on results

Start-up and set-up procedures required

How to read, interpret and record results as required

Normal range of results for procedures performed

Occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards and controls

Procedures and responsibility for reporting problems

Environmental issues and controls

Procedures and responsibility for reporting problems

Cleaning and sanitising requirements of equipment and work area

Aseptic requirements and techniques

Growth characteristics of yeast/bacteria

Lock-out and tag-out procedures as required

Emergency and troubleshooting procedures for a range of operational problems

Services required

Common causes and knock-on effects of inaccuracies or contamination, and preventive or corrective action required

Shutdown sequence as required

Environmental issues and controls

Recording requirements and procedures

Cleaning and sanitising procedures where relevant

Routine maintenance procedures where relevant

Oil emersion and phase contrast techniques where relevant

Relationship with other standards where relevant

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.

Policies and procedures

Work is carried out in accordance with workplace procedures, licensing requirements and legislative requirements

Workplace information

Workplace information may include:

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

specifications

production schedules

instructions

work notes

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

manufacturer instructions

verbal direction from laboratory manager, supervisor or senior operator

Sampling

Sampling should conform to:

relevant food standards code

Tests

The range of tests performed may include the following techniques:

sterile filtration, aseptic transfer, basic microscopy, slide preparation, staining, basic colony/cell identification and centrifugation

Typical tests and procedures performed at this level may include:

yeast counts in ferments/cultures, sterility monitoring, hygiene monitoring, yeast/bacteria enumeration and differentiation, and other tests as required by the workplace

Equipment

Equipment may include:

personal protective equipment

inoculating loops

spreaders

pipettes

syringes

needles

flasks

tubes

filtration apparatus

microscopes

counting chambers

colony counting devices

Bunsen burners

water baths

incubators

laboratory glassware and measuring equipment

laminar flow cabinets

ultraviolet (UV) cabinets

autoclaves

microwave ovens

hot air ovens

sharps disposal receptacles

biological waste receptacles

Materials

Materials may include:

culture media

live/dehydrated cultures

filters

stains

reagents

disinfecting and sterilising agents

Equipment status

Confirming equipment status involves:

checking that hygiene and sanitation standards, safety standards, pre-start requirements are met and that equipment is operational

checking the operation and/or calibration of measuring instrumentation

Services

Services may include:

water

steam

gases

power

Information systems

Information systems may be:

print or screen based