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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. |
Codes of practice | Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used |
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements | Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include: Australian and international standards, such as: AS 1678 Emergency procedure guide -Transport AS 2252 Biological safety cabinets AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set AS/NZS 2982.1:1997 Laboratory design and construction - General requirements AS/NZS 4187:2003 Cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment, and maintenance of associated environments in health care facilities AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set AS/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set HB 9-1994 Occupational personal protection Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP) Australian Dangerous Goods Code client and product specifications enterprise procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality assurance procedures gene technology regulations Guide to physical containment levels and facility types manufacturer's instructions or verbal direction from laboratory manager, supervisor or senior technician material safety data sheets (MSDS) National Code of Practice for the labelling of workplace substances [NOHSC:2012 (1994)] occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice operation and maintenance manuals for automated media preparation equipment principles of good laboratory practice (GLP) production schedules and instructions Therapeutic Goods Regulations 1009 verified test methods |
Applications of plant tissue/cell culture | Applications of plant tissue/cell culture may include: mass propagation of commercial species production of disease free plants by meristem tip culture conservation of rare plants haploid plant production by anther/pollen culture 'sports' produced by somaclonal variation development of resistant plants by directed cell selection protoplast fusion to produce novel plant hybrids |
Applications of animal tissue/cell culture | Applications of animal tissue/cell culture may include: establishment and maintenance of animal cell lines, such as liver, epidermal and fibroblastic maintenance of continuous cell lines preparation of cell cultures for commercial sale growth and enumeration of viruses extraction of DNA extraction of antigens for use in diagnostic tests research of cell structure and function, cancer and tumour biology immunofluorescent techniques testing of media efficacy production of monoclonal antibodies production of genetically modified cell cultures secondary metabolite production |
Hazards | Hazards may include: biohazards, such as infectious agents and oncogenic DNA chemical and radiation hazards allergenic factors cryogenic liquids, such as nitrogen heat from burners and molten agar ultraviolet (UV) light sharps, broken glassware contaminated clothing |
Hazard control measures and safety procedures | Hazard control measures and safety procedures may include: ensuring access to service shut-off points recognising and observing hazard warnings and safety signs labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials handling and storage of hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, MSDS and manufacturer's instructions identifying and reporting operating problems or equipment malfunctions cleaning and decontaminating equipment and work areas regularly using enterprise procedures using personal protective clothing and equipment, such as gloves, safety glasses, coveralls and gowns using containment facilities (PCII, PCIII and PCIV physical containment laboratories), containment equipment (biohazard containers, laminar flow cabinets, Class I, II and III biohazard cabinets) and containment procedures following established manual handling procedures reporting abnormal emissions, discharges and airborne contaminants, such as noise, light, solids, liquids, water/waste water, gases, smoke, vapour, fumes, odour and particulates to appropriate personnel |
Tissue culture equipment and facilities | Tissue culture equipment and facilities may include: growth cabinets culture vessels, growth chambers, sterile containers, culture plates, flasks and bottles autoclaves positive filtration apparatus auto pipettes and pipette pumps cell counting chambers and haemocytometer incubators, including specialised atmosphere carbon dioxide light and binocular inverted microscopes centrifuges |
Pre-use checks | Pre-use checks include: performing routine maintenance checks on raw materials and consumables, including use by date, possible contamination and storage conditions |
Sterilisation and disposal of biohazardous wastes | Sterilisation and disposal of biohazardous wastes may include: steam and high pressure air or steam boiling, microwaving and autoclaving filtration gas, chemical and radiation |
Plant tissues and cells | Plant tissues and cells may include: plant tissue, such as petioles, leaves, stems and petals meristem tissue special tissue, such as fern stolon, seed embryos and somatic embryoids tissue for callus development to initiate cell suspension cultures |
Animal tissues and cells | Animal tissues and cells may include: primary cells from animal tissue, such as heart, liver, kidney and epidermal secondary cells, such as epithelial, endothelial and fibroblast continuous cell lines, such as tumour lines, hybidomers and transformed lines (Epstein-Barr virus) |
Preparing a primary culture | Preparing a primary culture may involve: thawing of cryopreserved cells and monitoring of cell recovery enzymatic disaggregation from tissue mechanical disaggregation from tissue primary explant technique pre-treatment disinfestation of explants using hypochlorite and water |
Suitable culture conditions | Suitable culture conditions may include: specified temperature and light intensity appropriate atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide shaking of cell suspensions or roller bottles conditions for establishment, multiplication or planting out special conditions for protoplast culture |
Monitoring growth of tissue and cell lines | Monitoring growth of tissue and cell lines may include: identification of normal and abnormal cells viewed by an inverted stereo microscope recognition of contamination, such as bacteria (e.g. Mycoplasma), fungi and other plant or animal tissue in the media checking growth rates performing viable cell counts |
Subculture | Subculture may include: treatment of callus to multiply or regenerate shoots treatment to encourage adventitious bud treatment to encourage rooting subculture of embryoids cell suspensions preparation of protoplasts |
Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements | OHS and environmental management requirements: all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health |