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 2134.1-1999 Recommended practice for chemical analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry - Flame atomic absorption spectrometry
AS 2162.1-1996 Verification and use of volumetric apparatus - General - Volumetric glassware
AS 3753-2001 Recommended practice for chemical analysis by ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry
AS ISO 1000-1998 The international system of units (SI) and its application
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 ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set
Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP)
calibration and maintenance schedules
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
equipment manuals
equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures
industry methods, such as Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) and/or American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) methods for inorganic constituents
material safety data sheets (MSDS) and safety procedures
material, production and product specifications
national measurement regulations and guidelines
principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)
production and laboratory schedules
quality manuals and equipment and procedure manuals
SOPs
waste minimisation and safe disposal procedures
Biological principles and concepts underpinning tests and procedures
Biological principles and concepts underpinning tests and procedures may include:
molecular interactions within the compounds of nucleic acids and nucleotides, proteins and amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins, influencing structure, activity, chemical reactivity and physical properties, including solubility, energy levels and emission/absorption spectra
chemical and biochemical characteristics of lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids and proteins influencing structure, function and reactivity both in vitro and in vivo
chemical significance of biologically significant ions, such as calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and phosphate
key metabolic pathways and the significance of initial nutrients, products and wastes on those pathways
structure and function of organelles, cells, plant and animal tissue and organs
interrelationships of biological systems (carbon cycle, energy cycle and the web of life)
classifications, such as bacteria, viruses, yeasts, single cell, multi-cellular, plants, animals, prions, helminths, prokaryotes and eukaryotes
phases of the cell cycle
Mendelian genetics, such as inheritance, meiosis, karyotypes, dominant and recessive traits, genotypes and phenotypes, and pedigrees
significance of the genetic code and transcription and translation
cell membrane activity, including diffusion (passive, facilitated and active), osmosis, tonicity and plasmolysis
staining reactions involving acid/base, redox, complex ion formation, solubility and equilibrium
Techniques for preparation of samples
Techniques for preparation of samples may include:
dissection, such as preparation of thymus extracts from mice
extraction (e.g. solvent extraction)
filtration (e.g. filter water samples and plate the sediment onto agar plates for incubation and growth of E. coli)
separation (e.g. dialysis)
precipitation and flocculation
centrifugation (excluding ultra centrifugation)
chromatography:
gel filtration chromatography (e.g. crude purification of proteins)
affinity chromatography (e.g. purification of immunoglobulins)
electrophoresis:
polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for separation of DNA segments
agarose gel electrophoresis
capillary electrophoresis
gradient gel electrophoresis
Techniques to classify cells or species
Techniques to classify cells or species may include:
classification of species according to taxa
classification of cells according to microscopic or staining characteristics
characteristics of bacterial colonies:
growth on differential media
colony morphology (size and shape)
biochemical reactions, such as miniaturised test strips, redox reactions and sugar tests
Techniques to analyse chemical and biological characteristics
Techniques to analyse chemical and biological characteristics may include:
staining:
Gram stain for gram negative and positive bacteria
Romanowsky stain for blood films
Haematoxylin and Eosin for tissue sections
Oil red O for fatty cellular inclusions
spore staining
flagella staining
microscopic examination:
light
phase contrast
bright field
dark ground
enumeration
colorimetry and spectrophotometry:
ultraviolet/visible
fluorimetric
infrared
flame emission
atomic absorption spectrometry
electrochemistry:
pH
ion selective electrodes and polarography (e.g. concentration of chloride ions)
chromatography:
column and thin layer analytical and preparative chromatography
gas and liquid chromatography for purity, raw material and formulation checks
Hazards
Hazards may include:
microbiological organisms and agents, associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products, and human or animal tissue and fluids
chemicals, such as acids, solvents and stains
aerosols from broken centrifuge tubes and pipetting
sharps and broken glassware
flammable liquids and gases
cryogenics, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen
fluids under pressure, such as steam, hydrogen in gas liquid chromatography and acetylene in atomic absorption spectrometry
sources of ignition
disturbance or interruption of services
Hazard control measures
Hazard control measures 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
Disposal of biohazardous wastes
Disposal of biohazardous wastes may include:
collection for sterilisation by autoclaving (e.g. autoclaving of microbiological plates)
appropriate storage (e.g. of waste containing radioactive isotopes)
use of biohazard waste containers
Records
Records may include:
test calibration results
equipment use, maintenance and servicing history
faulty or unsafe equipment
batch number, catalogue number and use by date for analytical kits
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:
interpret test procedures accurately
prepare and test samples using procedures appropriate to the nature of sample
perform calibration checks (if required)
safely operate test equipment to enterprise standards and/or manufacturer's specification
prepare calibration graphs and calculate results in appropriate units and precision
apply basic theoretical knowledge to interpret gross features of data and make relevant conclusions
identify atypical results as out of normal range or an artefact using reference material or quality control sera
trace and source obvious causes of an artefact
communicate problems to a supervisor or outside service technician
record and communicate results according to enterprise procedures
maintain security, integrity, traceability and identity of samples, sub-samples and documentation
follow OHS procedures and principles of GLP.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSL924001A Process and interpret data
MSL974003A Perform chemical tests and procedures.
Resources may include:
standard laboratory equipped with appropriate test equipment and instruments, reagents and materials
SOPs and testing methods.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of results obtained by the candidate over a period of time to ensure accuracy, consistency and timeliness
review of testing records and workplace documentation completed by the candidate
observation of candidate conducting a range of biological procedures
feedback from peers and supervisors
oral or written questioning of biological concepts, principles and enterprise procedures.
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 to show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Biomedical (1)
A laboratory technician conducts a screening test for parasites in stool samples. She/he checks the sample identification details, cross-checks the sample barcode with the request slip and the data entry in the laboratory information management system (LIMS). The technician locates the test method and then examines the sample container to ensure that it has not leaked and that there is sufficient volume for the test. She/he prepares the sample by adding solvent to a portion and shaking it before placing it in a centrifuge. After satisfactory separation, she/he pipettes a small quantity of the top layer of solvent onto a glass slide and adds iodine as a stain. The technician carefully views the slide using x40 magnification and searches for eggs. She/he enters a nil result in the LIMS and disposes of the sample in accordance with enterprise procedures.
Biomedical (2)
A technical officer is requested to determine the total protein concentration of a blood sample using colorimetry. After checking the condition of the sample, she/he collects the Biuret reagent from the refrigerator, the required number of tubes and protein control samples and standards specified in the method. The officer labels the tubes and then accurately dispenses the correct volumes of reagent, standards, controls and samples into them. The solutions are thoroughly mixed using a vortex mixer and allowed to stand for five minutes for the reaction to occur. She/he records absorbance readings for each tube and prepares a calibration curve. The officer reads the concentration values from the graph for the control and test samples and checks the control data against the expected values. As these fall within the accepted range, she/he enters the test results into the LIMS.