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/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set
AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set
animal welfare legislation and codes of practice
OHS national standards and codes of practice
national environment protection measures
Guide to physical containment levels and facility types
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Orders) Regulations 1982
instructions to comply with new legislation, standards, guidelines and codes
enterprise procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and operating manuals
validated and authorised test procedures
laboratory sampling procedures for labelling, preparation, storage, transport and disposal
safety procedures to minimise contraction of zoonoses
safety requirements for equipment, materials or products
quality system and continued improvement processes
incident and accident/injury reports
schematics, work flows and laboratory layouts
stock records and inventory
waste minimisation, disposal protocols and environment protection procedures
Items of equipment, reagents, specimens and systems for botanical and zoological techniques
Items of equipment, reagents, specimens and systems for botanical and zoological techniques may include:
dissecting, stereo and other microscopes
hand lenses
dissecting equipment
balances and scales
calipers, rules and measuring tapes
pH meters, dissolved oxygen probes and other potentiometric equipment
spectrometers
physiological monitors for temperature and respiration
monitors for experimental variables, such as temperature and humidity
hand-held microtomes and microtome knives (non-disposable or disposable)
tissue processors
incubators, water baths and controlled environment chambers
greenhouse
volumetric glassware and measuring devices
general laboratory glassware and equipment identified with an anatomical pathology laboratory
chemicals for preparation of nutrient and culture requirements
chemicals for tests of plant and animal physiology and pathology
reference material for quality control and quality assurance systems
computer or other classification keys
laboratory information management systems (LIMS), databases, record and filing systems, including specimen accessioning
Communication
Communication may include:
scientists
field workers
local government professionals or representatives of state/territory authorities, such as environmental protection agencies
supervisors and managers (laboratory, quality and customer service)
clients
Hazards
Hazards may include:
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 acids, solvents and stains
sharps and broken glassware
flammable liquids and gases
fluids under pressure, such as steam and industrial gases
disturbance or interruption of services
Safe work practices
Safe work practices 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, material safety data sheets (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 equipment, such as gloves, safety glasses, coveralls, gowns, hearing protection and safety boots
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
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:
relate field and laboratory data for the generation of meaningful results
identify and classify animal and plantspecies for scientific and experimental purposes
maintain the viability of species during experimentation
monitor the physiology and interactions of plants and animals and their environments
take representative samples for analysis
work safely for the protection of self and co-workers
communicate appropriately with customers and be aware of cultural and social contexts
not contaminate sterile environments or specimens
dispose of wastes carefully for the protection of those who may handle and process wastes and to minimise contamination of the environment.

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:
MSL925001A Analyse data and report results
MSL974007AUndertake environmental field-based monitoring.
Resources may include:
equipment and resources for investigating the physiology of plants and animals in the laboratory
enterprise procedures, sampling plans, test methods and equipment manuals
computers and programs for simulated experiments or data analysis.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of data/results obtained by the candidate over time to ensure accuracy, consistency and timeliness of results
inspection of records and workplace documentation completed by the candidate
observation of the candidate processing specimens and/or conducting analyses
review of computer and literature research of data to support an experiment
questioning about procedures that form part of experiments in progress
review of case studies prepared by the candidate, such as:
relating field and laboratory data in an environmental impact statement
preservation of plant species and placement in a herbarium
plant propagation in a variety of controlled environments
maintenance of cultures of protozoans or invertebrates.
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.
Environmental (1)
A technical officer has been asked to preserve plant specimens and compile a report of classified species using material and data collected during a recent visit to a decommissioned open cut mine site and its adjacent areas. The supervising ecologist has been asked to advise the mine owner about replacement planting to restore the mine site in sympathy with its locality. The technical officer records descriptions of features of each specimen. They use this data to classify the species by referring to the field report, atlases and specimens in the reference herbarium. They then prepare each specimen for drying and preservation in readiness for labelling and cataloguing. To compile the report, the technical officer prepares a map of the area to be regenerated. The map details the topographic features and illustrates possible species which could be planted. To assist the landscape contractors, the technical officer advises where the required species can be purchased and the type of soils required for growth.
Environmental (2)
A technical officer, who worked for a large aluminium smelter, was asked to examine some grapevine leaves that a local farmer argued were affected by fluoride emissions from the plant. Initially, the leaves were subjected to a detailed microscopic examination using standard procedures developed by the company covering the effect of gaseous pollutants (such as ozone and fluoride) on major natural and/or agricultural plants. The preliminary findings suggested that the leaves were affected by a fungi rather than fluoride. However, given the sensitive nature of the issue, they checked with the supervisor and arranged to send the affected leaves to a nearby university for a second opinion. This additional study also concluded that the impact on the leaves was not due to fluoride.