- MSL933001A - Maintain the laboratory_field workplace fit for purpose
Assessor Resource
MSL933001A
Maintain the laboratory_field workplace fit for purpose
Assessment tool
Version 1.0
Issue Date: June 2024
This unit of competency is applicable to laboratory assistants and instrument operators working in all industry sectors.
This unit of competency forms a major part of the work of laboratory assistants. They work in accordance with work instructions and standard operating procedures which incorporate all relevant aspects of occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation and the codes, guidelines, regulations and Australian standards applying to environmental hazards and dangerous goods.
Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These are found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'.
This unit of competency covers the general cleaning of work surfaces, cleaning and storage of equipment and the monitoring of laboratory stocks under direct supervision.
You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Evidence Required
List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.
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: follow enterprise procedures, relevant codes and guidelines when maintaining the laboratory/field workplace work safely and minimise exposure of hazards to self, others and the laboratory keep accurate up-to-date records and report potential hazards and maintenance issues. |
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: MSL943002A Participate in laboratory/field workplace safety. Resources may include: access to work preparation areas, stocks, materials and equipment cleaning, decontamination and/or disinfection agents and equipment personal protective equipment stock order firms, labels and records/forms. |
Method of assessment | The following assessment methods are suggested: observation of the candidate's techniques for cleaning and/or removal of spillages and waste disposal review of stock records completed by the candidate feedback from supervisors and peers questioning to assess underpinning knowledge of regulations and procedures where direct observation is difficult (such as dealing with hazards) and choice of materials and equipment. 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 show its relevance in a workplace setting. Manufacturing On receipt of a bulk container of cleaning or sanitising agent, a laboratory assistant always attached to the container a description of its method of use. The assistant also attached a list of the surfaces, apparatus, utensils and machines that could be safely treated with that chemical agent as outlined in the company's quality manual. This practice reduced the likelihood of misuse of the chemical, wastage, damage to equipment and inadequate cleaning and sanitation. Biomedical and environmental Laboratory assistants and technical officers routinely examine fluids for micro-organisms using a microscope. They examine fluids, such as urine, seawater, chlorinated pool water, water from catchment areas and bottled water. To maintain microscopes in working order, they thoroughly clean the stage, oculars and each objective after use and sometimes between samples. The 100X objective requires particular care since this is the oil immersion objective. The oil is slightly acidic and will slowly corrode the objective if it is not cleaned thoroughly and regularly. After using the 100X objective they also take care not to drag the other objectives through the oil. Food processing A laboratory assistant regularly uses standard pH solutions to calibrate the laboratory's pH meters. The assistant is aware from the label that the shelf life of these solutions after opening is two months and records the opening and disposal dates on the container. The assistant is also aware that the shelf life of unopened buffer solutions is twelve months from the date of manufacture and monitors this by noting the production date on the bottle. Requests for stock replacement take into account the normal rate of use of these buffer solutions so that unopened bottles have not reached their expiry date before use. |
Submission Requirements
List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here
Assessment task 1: [title] Due date:
(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)
Assessment Tasks
Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.
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Required skills |
Required skills include: safely cleaning work preparation areas and equipment using appropriate cleaning agents, equipment and techniques safely removing spillages and disposing of wastes minimising the exposure to hazards of self, others and the laboratory safely storing equipment and materials using enterprise procedures, relevant codes and guidelines monitoring and reporting stock levels and the condition of laboratory materials and equipment keeping accurate, up-to-date records reporting potential hazards and maintenance issues using enterprise procedures |
Required knowledge |
Required knowledge includes: enterprise procedures for the cleaning of work preparation areas, materials and equipment storage requirements for specific materials and equipment enterprise procedures for minimisation and disposal of waste enterprise procedures for monitoring of laboratory stocks information contained in material safety data sheets (MSDS) for materials handled regularly during the performance of maintenance tasks relevant health, safety and environment requirements |
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 1678 Emergency procedure guide - Transport AS 1940-2004 Storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids AS 2252 Biological safety cabinets AS 3780-2008 The storage and handling of corrosive substances AS 4332-2004 The storage and handling of gases in cylinders AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories AS/NZS 1269 Set:2005 Occupational noise management set AS/NZS 1337 Eye protection AS/NZS 2161 Set:2008 Occupational protective gloves set AS/NZS 2210:1994 Occupational protective footwear AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set AS/NZS 2243.8:2006 Safety in laboratories - Fume cupboards AS/NZS 2865 Set:2005 Safe working in a confined space set AS/NZS 2982.1:1997 Laboratory design and construction - General requirements AS/NZS 4187:2003 Cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment, and maintenance of associated environments in health care facilities AS/NZS 4452:1997 The storage and handling of toxic substances AS/NZS 4501 Set:2008 Occupational clothing set AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set animal welfare legislation and codes of practice Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP) Australian Dangerous Goods Code Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Orders) Regulations 1982 Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Import Guidelines Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Codes of Practice enterprise or standard operating procedures (SOPs) equipment manuals and warranties, supplier catalogues and handbooks gene technology regulations guide to physical containment levels and facility types HB 9-1994 Occupational personal protection material safety data sheets (MSDS) National Code of Practice for the labelling of workplace substances (NOHSC:2012 (1994)) national environment protection measures National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines national measurement regulations and guidelines occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice principles of good laboratory practice (GLP) Therapeutic Goods Regulations 1009 |
Equipment, material procedures and facilities | Equipment, material procedures and facilities may include: animal cages autoclaves balances blenders, centrifuges and separating equipment brushes cell counters and staining machines colorimeters/spectrometers and polarimeters compaction rammers and soil classification equipment conductivity meters and pH meters dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, ovens, microwave ovens, incubators and water baths disintegration apparatus, thermometers and incubators fume hoods, biohazard containers and biological safety cabinets gas cylinders glassware, plastic ware; glass, plastic and quartz cuvettes hotplates, mantles, burners and muffle furnaces instrument chart recorders, penetrometers, force measuring equipment and tensiometers light and fluorescence microscopes melting point apparatus, viscometers and hardness testing equipment microtomes and tissue processors mixing and separating equipment such as centrifuges, rifflers and splitters and mixers noise meters and blasting meters optical microscopes pipettes, burettes and volumetric glassware shovels, scoops, plates, rods, cylinder moulds and buckets steel ruler/tapes and spirit levels thermometers, thermohygrographs, instrument chart recorders, hydrometers, pH meters and ion-selective electrodes ultrasonic cleaners vehicles |
Typical materials | Typical materials may include: consumable items, such as syringes, pipette tips, weigh boats disposable clothing and personal protective equipment distilled water, reagents, chemicals, disinfectants, detergents, agar media and plates equipment spares, such as fuses, bulbs and batteries oils/lubricants, fuels, industrial gases and cryogenics, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen paper and stationery reference samples and standards |
Maintenance | Maintenance may include: checking serviceability before storage cleaning prevention of contamination storing |
Cleaning requirements | Cleaning requirements may include: decontamination and/or disinfection hygiene monitoring minimising environmental impacts operation of automatic cleaning apparatus, such as pipette washer, ultrasonic cleaners and dishwashers sterilisation and disposal of wastes using boiling, high pressure air or steam, microwaves, chemicals, gas, filtration, ultraviolet radiation and autoclaving use of specialised techniques, such as chromic acid baths and soaking in hypochlorite |
Preparation areas | Preparation areas may include: benches fume cupboards sheds sinks |
Agents for cleaning | Agents for cleaning may include: cleaning solutions decontaminants organic solvents |
Spillages | Spillages may include: chemicals radioactive materials biologically active materials |
Wastes | Wastes may include: broken glass batteries disposable personal protective equipment excess test samples micro-organisms plastic and metals sharps solvents spent reagents spent samples and test pieces used containers, boxes, bags and palettes |
Stock records | Stock records may include: calibration and maintenance history data sheets handbooks, warranty documents, catalogues, manuals and MSDS records of usage, loans and breakages |
Communication | Communication could involve other people, such as: laboratory, production, administration and cleaning staff internal/external contractors emergency personnel |
Maintenance issues | Maintenance issues could involve: checking materials and equipment are fit for purpose equipment malfunction hygiene issues potential hazards, incidents and emergencies recycling and waste disposal spillages, leakages, breakages and contamination stock requirements and shortages |
Hazards | Hazards may include: aerosols from broken centrifuge tubes and pipetting chemicals, such as acids, heavy metals, pesticides and hydrocarbons crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery or falling objects cryogenics, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen electric shock fluids under pressure, such as steam and industrial gas cylinders manual handling, working at heights and working in confined spaces microbiological organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products, and human or animal tissue and fluids occupational overuse syndrome, slips, trips and falls pedestrian and vehicular traffic sharps, broken glassware and hand tools solar radiation, dust and noise sources of ignition, flammable liquids and gases |
Established safe work practices | Established safe work practices may include: applying containment procedures through the use of appropriate equipment, such as biohazard containers, laminar flow cabinets, Class I, II and III biohazard cabinets and Class PCII, PCIII, and PCIV physical containment facilities ensuring access to service shut-off points following established manual handling procedures for tasks involving manual handling handling and storage of all hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, MSDS and manufacturer's instructions identifying and reporting operating problems or equipment malfunctions labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials recognising and observing hazard warnings and safety signs reporting to appropriate personnel of abnormal emissions, discharges and airborne contaminants, such as noise, light, solids, liquids, water/waste water, gases, smoke, vapour, fumes, odour and particulates use of MSDS use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls, gown, body suits, respirators and safety boots |
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 |
Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.
Observation Checklist
Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice | Yes | No | Comments/feedback |
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Clean preparation areas using appropriate cleaning agents and equipment according to enterprise procedures | |||
Remove spillages, if they occur, using appropriate agents, personal protective equipment and enterprise procedures | |||
Collect and segregate wastes in accordance with enterprise procedures, relevant codes and regulations | |||
Collect used equipment, inspect for faults and, where necessary, remove from service | |||
Use appropriate agents, apparatus and techniques to clean equipment | |||
Store clean equipment in the designated locations and manner | |||
Perform stock checks and maintain records of usage as directed | |||
Store labelled stocks for safe and efficient retrieval | |||
Inform appropriate personnel of impending stock shortages to maintain continuity of supply | |||
Use established safe work practices and personal protective equipment to ensure personal safety and that of other personnel | |||
Report potential hazards and/or maintenance issues in own work area to designated personnel | |||
Minimise the generation of wastes and environmental impacts | |||
Dispose of wastes in accordance with enterprise procedures, relevant codes and regulations |
Forms
Assessment Cover Sheet
MSL933001A - Maintain the laboratory_field workplace fit for purpose
Assessment task 1: [title]
Student name:
Student ID:
I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.
Student signature:
Result: Competent Not yet competent
Feedback to student
Assessor name:
Signature:
Date:
Assessment Record Sheet
MSL933001A - Maintain the laboratory_field workplace fit for purpose
Student name:
Student ID:
Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent
(add lines for each task)
Feedback to student:
Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent
Assessor name:
Signature:
Date:
Student signature:
Date: