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
AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories 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
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
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
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
Preparation of samples
Preparation of samples may include:
sub-sampling or splitting using procedures, such as riffling, coning and quartering, manual and mechanical splitters
diluting samples
physical treatments, such as ashing, dissolving, filtration, sieving, centrifugation and comminution
moulding, casting or cutting specimens
Typical tests carried out by laboratory/field assistants
Typical tests carried out by laboratory/field assistants may include:
visual/optical tests of appearance, colour, texture, identity, turbidity, refractive index (alcohol content and Baume/Brix)
physical tests:
density, specific gravity and compacted density
moisture content and water activity
particle size, particle shape and size distribution
chemical tests:
gravimetric
colorimetric
electrical conductivity (EC) and pH
specific ions using dipsticks and kits
nutrients (e.g. nitrates and orthophosphates) using basic kits
ashes, including sulphated ashes
biological/environmental tests:
pH, oxygen reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO) and (EC)
E coli using test kits
surface hygiene/presence of microbes
packaging tests:
tearing resistance, bursting strength and impact resistance
permeability and/or leakage
mechanical tests:
Emerson class
concrete slump
Measurements
Measurements may include:
simple ground surveys
meteorological parameters, such as wind direction/strength, rainfall, maximum/minimum temperature, humidity and solar radiation
simple background radiation survey
production/process parameters, such as temperature, flow and pressure
gas levels in a confined space
Common measuring equipment
Common measuring equipment may include:
dimension apparatus
DO and EC
analogue and digital meters and charts/recorders
basic chemical and biological test kits
dipsticks and site test kits (e.g. HACK)
timing devices
temperature measuring devices, such as thermometers and thermocouples
Hazards
Hazards may include:
electric shock
biohazards, such as microbiological organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products, and human or animal tissue and fluids
solar radiation, dust and noise
chemicals, such as sulphuric acid, fluorides and hydrocarbons
aerosols
sharps, broken glassware and hand tools
flammable liquids
dry ice and liquid nitrogen
fluids under pressure
sources of ignition
occupational overuse syndrome, slips, trips and falls
manual handling, working at heights and working in confined spaces
crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery or falling objects
Enterprise controls to address hazards
Enterprise controls to address hazards may include:
use of MSDS
use of signage, barriers and service isolation tags
use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, hearing protection, sunscreen lotion, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls, gowns, body suits, respirators and safety boots
use of appropriate equipment, such as biohazard containers and cabinets and laminar flow cabinets
recognising and observing hazard warnings and safety signs
labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials
handling and storage of all hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, MSDS and manufacturer's instructions, and enterprise procedures and regulations
cleaning and decontaminating equipment and work areas regularly using recommended procedures
following established manual handling procedures for tasks involving manual handling
Minimising environmental impacts
Minimising environmental impacts may involve:
recycling of non-hazardous waste, such as chemicals, batteries, plastic, metals and glass
appropriate disposal of hazardous waste
correct disposal of excess sample/test material
correct storage and handling of hazardous chemicals
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 interpret enterprise procedures or standard methods
complete all tests within the required timeline without sacrificing safety, accuracy or quality
demonstrate close attention to the accuracy and precision of measurements and the data obtained
maintain the security, integrity and traceability of all samples, data/results and documentation.

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:
MSL922001A Record and present data.
Resources may include:
standard laboratory equipped with appropriate equipment standards and materials
enterprise procedures and standard methods, and equipment manuals
MSDS.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of the quality of test data/results achieved by the candidate over time
inspection of records and workplace documentation completed by the candidate
feedback from peers and supervisors
observation of the candidate performing a range of basic tests
oral or written questioning to check underpinning knowledge of test 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.
Manufacturing
Standard testing methods may be viewed as legal requirements that must be followed to ensure that a product manufactured in a chemical plant meets the specification by which it is sold to the customer. Technical assistants perform tests in a quality control laboratory to ensure that material meets legal requirements and the material is safe and effective in use. Peroxides may be present in ether as a result of light-catalysed air oxidation. Peroxides are toxic and can give rise to mixtures which are explosive when distilled. Technical assistants test ether to ensure that the level of peroxide is within acceptable limits. The test is done by shaking ether with a solution of potassium iodide. After standing for 30 minutes in the dark the yellow colour of the aqueous phase, due to the liberation of iodine, must not be more intense than a prepared standard solution. These tests ensure the quality and safety of the ether.
Food processing
A snack food company produces a range of high quality, impulse purchase snack foods. Some of these products are moisture and/or oxygen sensitive and are therefore packaged in multi-layer flexible packaging to provide optimum shelflife. The packaging must also be able to withstand the rigours of the production and distribution process. While the packaging is purchased to meet the shelflife and distribution specifications, the quality assurance program requires the periodic evaluation of the packaging materials against these specifications. A laboratory assistant uses standard methods to test the tearing resistance, bursting strength, impact resistance and permeability and/or leakage of the snack food packaging. Tests are also conducted on aspects of the manufacturing process that can affect shelflife. These tests involve the measuring of the heat-seam strength and the sealing performance of the closure process. The test results are recorded by the laboratory assistant to verify the conformance of the materials to the supplier specifications and of the process to the manufacturing specifications. The assistant reports any anomalies or non-conformances to the appropriate personnel.
Construction materials testing
A technician performs an Aggregate Stripping Test (AS 1141.50) and enters the results in the laboratory's information management system (LIMS). The resulting 20-30% stripped values (i.e. 70-80% adhering) indicate a 'fail' result. The technician notes that he has repeated the test and obtained the same 'fail' result. The laboratory manager reviews the results and asks the technician to explain how he performed the test. He describes how he prepared 3-4 mm thick plates of bitumen and binding agent in the mould and then placed 50 small clean pieces of aggregate on top. After treatment in an oven for 24 hours and a 50°C water bath in accordance with the test method, the technician had then carefully pulled out the pieces of aggregate and avoiding any twisting motion. He then estimated the % of bitumen adhering to each of the stones with the expectation that the stripped value would be about 5% (i.e. 95% adhering). The manager is satisfied that the technician has performed the test in accordance with the method and suggested that he now re-run the test with a known aggregate as a control. This test gives a stripped value of 5-7% (i.e. 93-95% adhering). The manager is now sufficiently confident of the laboratory's results to sign and issue the test report and explain the aggregate's 'test failure' to the client.