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 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set
AS/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set
AS 2830.1 Good laboratory practice - Chemical analysis
ISO/IEC Guide 98-3:2008 Uncertainty of measurement - Part 3 Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM)
Eurachem/CITAC Guide CG4 Quantifying uncertainty in analytical measurement
Australian code of good manufacturing practice (GMP)
principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
national measurement regulations and guidelines
enterprise procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and operating manuals
quality manuals, equipment and procedure manuals
equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures
calibration and maintenance schedules
cleaning, hygiene and personal hygiene requirements
data quality procedures
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
material, production and product specifications
production and laboratory schedules
quality system and continued improvement processes
safety requirements for equipment, materials or products
sampling procedures (labelling, preparation, storage, transport and disposal)
schematics, work flows and laboratory layouts
statutory and enterprise occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements
stock records and inventory
test procedures (validated and authorised)
waste minimisation, containment, processing and disposal procedures
Analytical instruments
Analytical instruments may include:
gas chromatographs, specialised sampling devices and detectors
liquid chromatographs, specialised sampling devices and detectors
inductively coupled plasma spectrometers ICP-AES/OES or ICP-MS
UV-VIS spectrophotometers and accessories
IR/FTIR spectrophotometers and accessories
fluorimeters
Raman spectrometers
atomic absorption spectrometers, specialised sampling devices (graphite furnace) and detectors
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and diffraction (XRD)
electrometric instruments (e.g. anodic stripping voltammetry)
Specifications and features of instruments
Specifications and features of instruments may include:
suitability for analytes of interest and sample requirements
suitability for specific test methods
working/dynamic range, sensitivity and detection limits
response time
linearity and estimated uncertainty for each range
single or multi-species analysis
interfacing with data loggers and computers
power and battery requirements
size and weight
use under environmental conditions (thermal/ mechanical stress and magnetic/electrostatic fields)
use of consumables
generation of wastes
hazards
ease of use
run time and throughput of samples
purchase price and operating costs
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
corrosive chemicals
sharps and broken glassware
flammable liquids and gases
fluids under pressure and sources of ignition
disturbance or interruption of services
toxic fumes
ionising (X-ray, neutron) non-ionising radiation (UV, radio frequency (RF) and laser)
Addressing hazards
Addressing hazards may include:
use of MSDS
accurate labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials
personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety glasses and coveralls
use of fumehoods, direct extraction of vapours and gases
use of appropriate equipment such as biohazard containers, laminar flow cabinets, Class I, II and III biohazard cabinets
handling and storage of all hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, MSDS and manufacturer's instructions
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:
select analytical instruments that will satisfy enterprise needs and specifications
confirm that an analytical instrument is performing to specification
develop operating procedures, usage logs and maintenance schedules for analytical instruments
keep accurate and complete records relevant to job role

Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
Resources may include:
laboratory with specialised analytical instruments
laboratory reagents and equipment
SOPs and test methods.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
oral/written tests and calculations involving analytical quantities, setup, calibration, operation and basic maintenance of analytical instruments
review of records of instrument selection, use and maintenance generated by the candidate
review of instrument training materials/records generated by the candidate
observation of the candidate checking, using and maintaining analytical instruments.
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.
Laboratory operations
A technician has been requested by the laboratory manager to help develop the laboratory's capability to conduct testing for trace metals in water samples. He/she searches for relevant Australian standards, technical publications and supplier's brochures on the Internet and identifies two techniques that appear to suit the laboratory's testing requirements and constraints. The two techniques involve inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The technician carefully assesses of the performance of each type of instrument, the services and operating environment required, the purchase price and operating costs and the level of support that each supplier is prepared to provide. The technician decides that the ASV instrument is probably the most appropriate choice. He/she then provides a boiler water sample to several suppliers for analysis by ASV and discusses the results obtained in each case with his/her manager. The manager agrees with the technician's recommendation and notes that the ASV instrument will provide a much more favourable return on investment that the ICP-MS. The technician then contacts the supplier to confirm the purchase and arranges for the utilities, services and accommodation arrangements to be completed prior to instrument delivery.