Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that will affect performance.
Where reference is made to industry Codes of Practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used.

This unit of competency may cover laboratories or processing sites and may involve
a range of sampling plans, samples and sampling procedures, which apply to the enterprise site, plant laboratory or field sites
enterprise products/materials, hazardous materials
a range of sampling points and/locations
methods and procedures which may be written to meet enterprise, client and/or regulatory/certifying body requirements.

Samplers usually have access to information, such as
enterprise and/or client sampling schemes and sampling plans
industry methods, such as American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) Preparation of samples
enterprise and/or client procedures
material safety data sheets (MSDSs)

Relevant Australian Standards, such as
AS 1678 Emergency procedures guide for hazardous materials
AS 2500 Storage of goods
AS 2503 Safety storage and handling of information cards
AS 1940 Storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids
AS 3780 Storage and handling of corrosive liquids
AS 4452 Storage and handling of toxic substances
Australian Dangerous Goods Code
Australian Code for Transport of Dangerous Goods
National Code of Practice for the labelling of workplace substances (NOHSC:2012)
site plans, maps and specifications
enterprise recording and reporting procedures.

Materials sampled may include
gas or air samples
liquid samples, such as water, groundwater, wastewater, stormwater, sludges, sewage
solid samples, such as soil, sediments, rocks, concrete, quarry and mining material
solid wastes
raw materials, start-, middle-, end-of production run samples, final products, materials used in production processes, such as flocculants
plants
animals
microbiological samples.

Types of samples may include
grab samples
composite samples
quality control samples
research or one-off samples
environmental or survey samples.

Sampling tools and equipment may include but are not limited to
shovels, augers, chain saws
sampling frames, sampling tubes, dip tubes, spears, flexible bladders, syringes
front-end loader, backhoe, excavator, drill rig
sample bottles or containers, plastic containers and disposable buckets
access valves
sample thief
auto samplers
pumps, stainless steel bailers
traps and cages
sterile containers, pipettes, inoculating loops, disposable spoons.

Maintenance of integrity of samples could include
use of compatible container, such as glass, plastic, amber, opaque bottles
use of appropriate preservatives, such as sodium azide, toluene or antibiotics
decontamination of sampling tools between collection of consecutive samples
wrapping container in foil
purging of sample lines and boxes
handling and transport to avoid disturbance or damage
temperature control which may involve insulation of sample without direct contact with the coolant
wrapping in wet newspaper, cloth, sand or sawdust
transfer of sterile sample into sterile container
monitoring of storage conditions.

Site and sampling hazards may include
solar radiation, dust and noise
wildlife, such as snakes, spiders, domestic animals
biohazards, such as micro-organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products, human or animal tissue and fluids
chemicals, such as acids and hydrocarbons
aerosols
sharps, broken glassware
manual handling of heavy sample bags and containers
crushing, entanglement, cuts associated with moving machinery and hand tools
vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Safety procedures may include
use of material safety data sheets (MSDSs)
use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls, gown, body suits, respirators, safety boots
use of biohazard containers and laminar flow cabinets
correct labelling of reagents and hazardous materials
handling, and storing hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer's instructions, enterprise procedures and regulations
regular cleaning and/or decontaminating equipment and work areas
machinery guards
signage, barriers, service isolation tags, traffic control, flashing lights
lockout and tagout procedures.

Health, safety and environment
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environmental (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
All operations assume the potential hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied. Users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council and State and Territory Departments of Health. All operations are performed in accordance with standard operating procedures.

The Evidence Guide describes the underpinning knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated to prove competence.
Critical aspects of competency

Competency must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard. In particular, assessors should look to see that the candidate:

collects the specified quantity of sample to enable all processing and testing to occur and backup samples to be stored
obtains a sample that is representative of the bulk material
preserves the integrity of samples by closely adhering to procedures
labels samples and subsamples to satisfy enterprise/legal traceability requirements
identifies atypical materials and samples and takes appropriate action
maintains sampling equipment in appropriate condition
completes sampling records using enterprise procedures
follows safety regulations and enterprise OHS procedures during sampling, transport and storage
follows relevant legislative requirements for the disposal of waste and the preservation of the environment.

Underpinning knowledge

Competency includes the ability to apply and explain:

the links between correct OHS procedures and personal and environmental safety particularly at high risk sites
the basic principles of sampling, including-
representative samples
preservation of integrity of samples
maintaining identification of samples relative to their source, enterprise and legal traceability
cost effectiveness of sampling
consistency of sampling procedures
sampling principles, including random, systematic, stratified sampling
characteristics of product/material to be sampled and likely contaminants
links between quality control, quality assurance and quality management systems and sampling procedures
enterprise procedures dealing with legislative requirements for the handling, labelling and transport of hazardous goods
enterprise and/or legal traceability requirements
relevant health, safety and environment requirements.

Specific industry

Additional knowledge requirements may apply for different industry sectors. For example, for biomedical and environmental services:

specific legislation on biohazards
guidelines for infection control in the health-care setting
OGTR Guidelines for the handling of genetically manipulated cells
documentation procedures for the chain of custody for samples to be used as evidence or for blood transfusion.

Assessment context and methods
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

The following assessment methods are suggested:

inspection of samples collected by the candidate
review of sampling documentation completed by the candidate
feedback from peers, customers and supervisors that sampling plans were followed
questioning to assess underpinning knowledge of representative sampling procedures
observation of the candidate taking a range of samples.
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. Questioning techniques should suit the language and literacy levels of the candidate.

Interdependent assessment of unit

This unit of competency may be assessed with:

PMLDATA400A Process and interpret data
PMLOHS302A Participate in laboratory/field workplace safety
any of the PMLTEST400 and PMLTEST500 series units relevant to the sampling.

Resource implications

Resources may include:

variety of sample types
sampling plans
a selection of sampling containers and sampling equipment.

This competency in practice
A metallurgical laboratory technician is very familiar with preparing representative samples for a range of final products in a steel-making plant. One day, he/she is asked to sample a 50 tonne small-particle coal delivery which is believed to have a higher than acceptable sulphur content. Having never prepared representative samples for such a large quantity of material, the technician consulted their supervisor and developed an appropriate sampling plan. The technician arranged for the operator of a small front end loader to take buckets of coal from five equally spaced points around the pile. The resulting material was then combined and mixed in one heap. The technician coned and quartered the heap enough times to obtain a representative sample of about 5kg. He/she arranged for the unwanted material to be returned to the stockpile. On return to the laboratory, the technician crushed the sample and repeatedly coned and quartered the material to obtain an analytical portion.
A field technician trained in sampling natural water systems is asked to sample a bright yellow industrial wastewater discharge into a small creek. The relevant sampling plan specifies that the samples should be collected where the waste water is well mixed near the centre of the creek and at the mid-depth point. The technician also notes that the samples must be collected where turbulence is at a maximum so that the settling of solids is minimal. On arrival at the site, the technician locates where the wastewater is entering the creek. He/she moves downstream to where the waste water and creek water is well mixed and there is little apparent loss of the yellow suspended solids. The technician dons the required PPE and uses a convenient bridge to collect a set of six samples and duplicates over a half-hour period using the equipment and procedures specified in the sampling plan. Using a field notebook, the technician records all information specified in the laboratory's chain of custody requirements and safety plan for handling potentially hazardous industrial waste.

The seven key competencies represent generic skills considered for effective work participation. The bracketed numbering against each of the key competencies indicates the performance level required in this unit. These are stand-alone levels and do not correspond to levels in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Level (1) represents the competence to undertake tasks effectively
Level (2) represents the competence to manage tasks
Level (3) represents the competence to use concepts for evaluating and reshaping tasks.
Communicating ideas and information
(2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
(2)

Planning and organising activities
(2)

Working with others and in teams
(2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
(2)

Solving problems
(2)

Using technology
(2)