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
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
enterprise sampling procedures for specific samples, sites and clients
equipment manuals
equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures
maps and site plans
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
material, production and product/formulation specifications
national measurement regulations and guidelines
production and laboratory schedules
safety procedures
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Materials, tools and equipment
Materials, tools and equipment may include:
soils, concrete, asphalt, aggregates, polymers, ceramics, metals, foodstuffs and solvents
ovens, sieves, balances, volumetric measures and mixers
hand tools, including shovels, scoops and spatulas
consumables, including sample bags and labels
documentation, including specifications, manufacturers' handbooks and worksheets
test equipment appropriate to the various materials
Simple calculations
Simple calculations may include:
proportion, ratio and percentage for batch quantities
concentrations
other relevant parameters
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
Typical problems
Typical problems may include:
not following SOPs
measurement errors
calculation errors
materials of unreliable quality
insufficient mixing
poor sampling procedures
equipment breakdown and breakage
Hazards
Hazards may include:
electric shock
biohazards, such as microbiological organisms and agents associated with soil, air and water
solar radiation, dust and noise
chemicals
sharps, broken glassware and hand tools
flammable liquids and gases
fluids under pressure
manual handling heavy objects
crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery or falling objects
Safety procedures
Safety procedures may include:
recognising hazard warnings and safety signs
use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, hearing protection, sunscreen lotion, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls and safety boots
use of MSDS
following established manual handling procedures
regular cleaning and/or decontaminating of equipment and work areas
ensuring access to service shut-off points
identifying and reporting operating problems or equipment malfunctions
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:
perform operations in accordance with laboratory and/or enterprise procedures, and appropriate legislative requirements
accurately measure, calculate and record batch quantities, concentrations and other relevant parameters
evaluate properties of the mixture by inspection and standard test methods
recognise and report problems and atypical situations to relevant personnel.

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:
MSL952002A Handle and transport samples or equipment
MSL954001A Obtain representative samples in accordance with sampling plan
MSL973001A Perform basic tests.
Resources may include:
standard facility with appropriate tools, equipment and materials
enterprise procedures, MSDS and product formulation/specifications.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
analysis of trial batches prepared by the candidate over a period of time to ensure accurate and consistent work is obtained within required timelines
inspection of workplace documentation completed by the candidate
feedback from peers and supervisors
use of suitable simulation and/or a range of case studies/scenarios.
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 study below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Construction materials
A laboratory assistant works for a concrete manufacturer. A client requires concrete for a specific project that cannot be supplied using existing standard mixes. The manufacturer must use special aggregates and cement to meet the durability and strength specifications for the project. The laboratory manager obtains quantities of the materials for evaluation purposes. The assistant tests the aggregates to determine their grading properties. From these results, he/she designs a mix to satisfy the project specifications using a standard design method. The mix requires the use of pozzolanic materials and admixtures that were obtained from the suppliers.
The manager provides the assistant with the batch quantities required to produce one cubic metre of concrete. To test the mix design, the assistant will produce a 20litre batch in the laboratory. He/she calculates that this quantity will provide sufficient material for the required tests, without undue waste. He/she calculates the quantity of each material required for the trial batch. The assistant selects and prepares the tools and equipment she needs to mix, sample and test the concrete. He/she wears overalls, safety boots and glasses, and uses a barrier cream. He/she measures out the quantities required for the trial batch, charges the mixer and allows it to mix for the specified time. He/she then discharges the concrete onto a suitable surface. He/she checks its slump, cohesiveness and air content, recording the data on standard enterprise forms. The manager inspects the concrete, and decides that it is over-sanded and has excessive slump. He/she adjusts the batch quantities and draws up amended values. He/she disposes of the excess concrete and cleans the equipment and tools.
He/she then mixes a new batch using the amended figures. This process continues until the manager is satisfied with the concrete quality. He/she then mixes a larger batch so that he/she can prepare specimens for testing its hardened-state properties.