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. Add any 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.


Pests and rodents that could potentially pose a risk to people's health may include:
Cockroaches
Mosquitoes
Flies
Rats/ mice


Signs of pest and rodent problems may include:
Illness:
signs of pest related illnesses, e.g. Outbreaks of Ross River Fever, etc.
Flies and mosquitoes:
annoying
easy to see
mosquito bites
Rats and mice:
rat and mice droppings
rat and mice holes
running, chewing and/or scratching noises
teeth marks and damage from chewing
sometimes there is a noticeable smell of vermin in the house
chewed through packets of dry food
Cockroaches:
a sweet sickly smell
lots of little black droppings
dead cockroaches
empty egg cases
chewed labels, paper and plastic


Monitored as part of job role may refer to:
Receiving reports of pest problems from householders/ community members
Observing signs of pest problems as part of daily activities
Setting mosquito traps to monitor mosquito numbers if relevant


Environmental (physical) conditions attributing to problems may include:
Pools of water lying under leaking taps
Rubbish lying around the yard or community that could potentially become a breeding ground for mosquito, flies, etc.
Houses with broken or non existent fly wire screens and doors
Toilet vents that are not fly proofed
Bins without tight fitting lids to keep flies out
Septic tanks that are not sealed, or lids broken
Toilets that are blocked or broken
Grass/ reeds growing around and in sewage lagoons
Overflowing drains
Dead animals and faeces lying around
Dirty kitchen and food preparation surfaces
Dirty cupboards
Household rubbish that is not properly disposed of
Cracks or crevices in walls or ceilings


Ascertain nature and extent of problems could refer to:
Clarifying how long the problem has been occurring, or how long it has been noticed as occurring
Clarifying whether or not environmental (physical) conditions have been attributing to problems


Location of harborages refers to:
Places where pests and/ or rodents are living and breeding, e.g. cracks and crevices, kitchen cupboards, cool dark and damp places, holes in walls, insulation, ceilings, between and under floor boards, etc.


Reported may be:
Verbal in either first language or English
Written in either first language or English ie: notes, checklists, etc.


Information may be sought by:
Making inquiries by phone/ fax
Networking with key people or outside agencies
Books and resources


Strategies refers to:
Environmental (physical), e.g. preventing opportunities for pests and rodents to live and breed by reducing access to their living and breeding places (harborages), or to the environmental conditions which encourage them to live and breed; adopting hygiene measures to control problems where necessary
Chemical, e.g. using pesticides or other chemicals to eliminate pests and rodents
Biological, e.g. introducing the natural enemy of the pest/ rodent in order to control and reduce their numbers


Environmental (physical) strategies advantages/ disadvantages may include:
Advantages may include:
in most but not all cases it is simple easy and cost effective
reduces potential living and breeding places for pests and/ or rodents
prevents the possibility of disease transmission
community control
Disadvantages/ obstacles may include:
remote issues, e.g. if septic tank lid is broken it may take some time for replacement to be sent out to some remote areas


Chemical strategies advantages/ disadvantages may include:
Advantages may include:
modern pesticides are generally very effective
it is a quick method and the results are usually quick, e.g. pests are killed within a short time
Disadvantages/ obstacles may include:
if pesticides are not used correctly they can seriously affect the health of the pesticide operator, other people nearby or household/ community pets
in some instances, pesticides used incorrectly may even kill the pesticide operator, other people nearby or household/ community pets
pesticides used incorrectly or applied wrongly may be washed into rivers, or the soil
pesticides can enter the food chain
pesticides can kill other non target species


Biological strategies advantages/disadvantages may include:
Advantages may include:
natural way to control pests, no chemicals used
Disadvantages/ obstacles may include:
the natural enemy introduced in an effort to control the pest/ rodent may multiply and become more of a problem than the original pest/ rodent


Key people and outside agencies may refer to:
Entomologists
Environmental health officers
Other specialists/ experts ie: pest control operators
Poisons branch
Relevant state/territory health services


Organisation may include:
Community council
Community clinic
Other employer bodies/ agencies


Relevant others may include:
Aboriginal health workers
Other Indigenous environmental health workers
Elders


Options are assessed in accordance with job role may refer to:
Does the community/ householder approve and support options
Does funding exist to address specific problems


A work plan may include:
Providing information and support to householders/ community members in relation to environmental (physical) conditions that may have been identified
Making inquiries, referring, or ordering in supplies to address environmental control strategies if needed e.g. fly wire, plaster for sealing cracks or crevices, parts for broken toilets, etc.
Making inquiries referring, or ordering in supplies in relation to chemical control strategies, e.g. obtaining information on how pesticides enter pests/ rodents, and the most appropriate pesticide to use for the task required
Making inquiries, referring, or ordering in supplies in relation to biological control methods if appropriate


Referrals may be by:
Verbal or written correspondence e.g. fax, letter, email
Photos of the problem/issue
Video recording the problem issue

EVIDENCE GUIDE

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
Competency must be demonstrated in relation to identifying environmental conditions and strategies to control pests as part of this unit
The worker must collaborate effectively with householders and community members in order to gain their support and approval for the strategies that have been identified and agreed to
Consistency in performance should consider the worker's ability to be able to monitor environmental (physical) conditions to determine if they might be attributing to any problems and needs to occur more than once and over a period of time


Access and equity considerations:
All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities


Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit is best assessed on the job
Assessment of competency may be through practical demonstration in the work environment or in an approved simulated work environment
Access required to:
a phone/ fax (to assess competency in networking - to obtain information and advice on various strategies)
books and resources if required
simulation of realistic work place setting