Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
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 ISO 1000-1998 The international system of units (SI) and its application
national measurement regulations and guidelines
Concepts of metrology
Concepts of metrology may include:
that all measurements are estimates
measurements belong to a population of measurements of the measured parameters
repeatability
precision
accuracy
significant figures
sources of error
uncertainty
traceability
Data
Data may be recorded on:
worksheets
spreadsheets or databases linked to information management systems
Data may include results of:
observations
tests and measurements
surveys
Data may be presented in the form of:
graphs
tables
control charts
semi-quantitative observations expressed on a scale (for example, 1 to 4 or + to ++++)
Simple calculations
Simple calculations may be performed with or without a calculator or computer software and may include scientific quantities such as:
decimals, fractions, ratios, proportions and percentages
perimeters, areas, volumes and angles
concentration
unit conversion, multiples and submultiples
use of significant figures, rounding off, estimation and approximation
substitution of data in formulae
conversions between SI units
areas (m2) and volumes (mL, L, m3) of regular shapes (e.g. packaging and moulds)
average mass, mass %, density, specific gravity, moisture, relative and absolute humidity
ratios, such as mass to mass, mass to volume and volume to volume percentages
industry specific ratios, such as g/cm2 ,kg/m2
concentration (for example, g/100mL, mg/L, mg/(L, dilution mL/L)
statistical values such as mean, median, mode and standard deviation
average count, colonies per swab surface and cell counts (live and dead/total)
process variables, such as pressure, velocity and flow rates
% content of moisture, ash, fat, protein, alcohol, sulphur dioxide and trace metals, such as calcium or zinc
food properties, such as % concentration (dry), friability, bitterness, brix, free amino nitrogen, diastatic power, calorific content and yeast viability
Obvious features and trends in data
Obvious features and trends in data could include:
maximum and minimum values
spread of data
increasing/decreasing data, rate of change
outliers, data beyond control limits or normal range
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

EVIDENCE GUIDE
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

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
accurately code, check and record data in the required format
calculate simple scientific quantities
recognise obvious trends in data
maintain the confidentiality of data.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
This unit may be assessed with technical units, such as:
MSL973001A Perform basic tests
MSL973002A Prepare working solutions
MSL973007A Perform microscopic examination.
Resources may include:
data sets and records
computer and relevant software or laboratory information system
relevant enterprise procedures.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of data worksheets, calculations, graphs and tables prepared by the candidate
review of records transcribed, maintained or stored by the candidate
feedback from supervisors and peers
observation of the candidate as they record data and perform calculations
questions to assess understanding of relevant procedures and trends in data.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.
The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice
Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Construction materials
A laboratory assistant is given 20 soil samples and asked to test their moisture content by weighing each sample, placing them in an oven for 24 hours and then reweighing them. The assistant performs the tests in accordance with the standard method and then calculates the % water content by dividing the weight loss by the wet weight and multiplying by 100. He/she checks the results. After entering them into the laboratory information management system (LIMS), they notice that they are consistently less than the previous results recorded for soils at the same site. The assistant reports the discrepancy to the supervisor who checks whether the oven was operated at the required temperature. The supervisor then discovers that the assistant has calculated the moisture content by dividing the weight loss by the wet weight instead of the dry weight. The assistant recalculates the moisture content for the 20 samples and notes that the results are now consistent with previous results.
Manufacturing
On Friday, a laboratory assistant performs the routine set of temperature, pressure and humidity measurements at 10 sites in a refinery. They enter the data on a pre-prepared data sheet that also contains the data recorded for the previous days of that week. The assistant checks the data for any significant variations to that recorded previously. They notice that for site #5, the temperature reading is 250(C which is 100(C below the expected value. The assistant repeats the measurement and gets the same result. After returning to the laboratory, the assistant enters the data into the LIMS and reports the odd result to their supervisor. The supervisor contacts the site manager and finds out that the pipeline at site #5 has been isolated as part of unscheduled maintenance in that part of the site.