MSL935004 - Maintain instruments and equipment assessment tool

Assessor Resource

MSL935004
Maintain instruments and equipment

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024

This unit of competency covers the ability to check the serviceability and calibration of laboratory/field instruments and equipment and perform routine maintenance, such as cleaning and replacement of consumables and minor components. Personnel are also required to perform basic troubleshooting and repairs consistent with warranty and service agreements.

This unit of competency is applicable to technical assistants, instrument operators and technical officers working in all industry sectors.

While no specific licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication, laboratory operations are governed by relevant legislation, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements. Local requirements should be checked.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

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.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.		Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1	Perform serviceability checks	1.1	Perform pre-use and after-use checks in accordance with appropriate workplace and manufacturer procedures
		1.2	Identify faulty or unsafe components and equipment
		1.3	Troubleshoot basic faults or report the need for major maintenance and/or repairs
		1.4	Complete instrument/equipment logbooks to workplace requirements

2	Conduct routine maintenance safely	2.1	Identify maintenance procedures, records and safety requirements
		2.2	Plan and adjust maintenance schedules in accordance with operational requirements
		2.3	Identify and replace or repair damaged, worn and/or spent components or items
		2.4	Clean instruments and equipment using recommended cleaning agents and techniques
		2.5	Store instruments and equipment in accordance with workplace and/or manufacturer requirements
		2.6	Update maintenance records in accordance with workplace procedures
		2.7	Arrange for reordering of consumable stocks and equipment components as necessary

3	Perform calibration/qualification checks	3.1	Operate instruments and equipment in accordance with workplace and/or manufacturer procedures
		3.2	Check calibration/qualification using specified standards and/or procedures
		3.3	Record all calibration/qualification data accurately and legibly
		3.4	Document calibration status and report out-of-calibration equipment/instruments
		3.5	Quarantine out-of-calibration items

4	Arrange instrument servicing where appropriate	4.1	Assess instrument repair status and determine if local repair or maintenance is possible and economical
	Arrange instrument servicing where appropriate	4.2	Arrange for repair or maintenance of equipment from accredited service agent or other appropriate personnel in accordance with workplace procedures

Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:

checking the serviceability of at least three (3) laboratory/field instruments or items of equipment and performing routine maintenance, such as cleaning, replacement of consumables and minor components, and correct storage

conducting calibration status/qualification checks for at least two (2) instruments or equipment

obtaining instrument/equipment readings with the required accuracy and precision

following workplace data recording and reporting procedures

determining whether an item of equipment/instrument is in correct working order

recognising the need for specialist servicing and/or repairs

performing basic troubleshooting to locate and rectify basic faults

performing basic repairs consistent with warranty and service agreements

following all relevant work health and safety (WHS) requirements.

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:

role and importance of regular calibration checks and maintenance of instruments and equipment, and maintenance schedules and procedures

function of key components of the instrument or equipment operating principles, details of the pre-use, calibration and safety checks, and operating procedures for the items used

sources of uncertainty in instrument or equipment operation and their control

common sources of faults in the instruments or equipment used and details of their repair

basic equipment cleaning, maintenance and storage procedures for items of equipment used

workplace procedures for recording data and reporting results, communicating with service agents and suppliers and ordering stocks

relevant hazards, WHS and environmental management, and control measures.

Judgement of competence must be based on holistic assessment of the evidence. Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time, rather than a single assessment event.

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment. A simulated workplace environment must reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including the environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept in each case).

This unit of competency may be assessed with:

relevant MSL974000 series units of competency

relevant MSL975000 series units of competency

Holistic assessment methods include:

review of maintenance records and instrument/equipment logbooks completed by the candidate

observation of the candidate safely performing serviceability and calibration/qualification checks and routine maintenance

feedback from peers and supervisors about the ability of the candidate to maintain instruments and equipment

oral or written questioning to check required knowledge of workplace procedures for the safe use, calibration/qualification checks, cleaning, maintenance and storage of the instruments or items of equipment used.

Access is required to all instruments, equipment, materials, workplace documentation, procedures and specifications associated with this unit, including, but not limited to:

standard laboratory equipped with appropriate instruments and equipment, reference materials, consumables; cleaning, decontamination and/or disinfection agents and equipment; and personal protective equipment (PPE)

workplace procedures, calibration and maintenance schedules, equipment manuals, supplier catalogues and information/records management system.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

The assessor must demonstrate both technical competence and currency.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR

relevant workplace experience.

Currency can be demonstrated through:

performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR

having consulted with a laboratory about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

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.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.		Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1	Perform serviceability checks	1.1	Perform pre-use and after-use checks in accordance with appropriate workplace and manufacturer procedures
		1.2	Identify faulty or unsafe components and equipment
		1.3	Troubleshoot basic faults or report the need for major maintenance and/or repairs
		1.4	Complete instrument/equipment logbooks to workplace requirements

2	Conduct routine maintenance safely	2.1	Identify maintenance procedures, records and safety requirements
		2.2	Plan and adjust maintenance schedules in accordance with operational requirements
		2.3	Identify and replace or repair damaged, worn and/or spent components or items
		2.4	Clean instruments and equipment using recommended cleaning agents and techniques
		2.5	Store instruments and equipment in accordance with workplace and/or manufacturer requirements
		2.6	Update maintenance records in accordance with workplace procedures
		2.7	Arrange for reordering of consumable stocks and equipment components as necessary

3	Perform calibration/qualification checks	3.1	Operate instruments and equipment in accordance with workplace and/or manufacturer procedures
		3.2	Check calibration/qualification using specified standards and/or procedures
		3.3	Record all calibration/qualification data accurately and legibly
		3.4	Document calibration status and report out-of-calibration equipment/instruments
		3.5	Quarantine out-of-calibration items

4	Arrange instrument servicing where appropriate	4.1	Assess instrument repair status and determine if local repair or maintenance is possible and economical
	Arrange instrument servicing where appropriate	4.2	Arrange for repair or maintenance of equipment from accredited service agent or other appropriate personnel in accordance with workplace procedures

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.
Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements	Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements include the latest version of one or more of: Australian, national and international standards, guidelines and codes covering competence of testing and calibration laboratories; laboratory design and construction; quality management; laboratory safety; occupational protective equipment; labelling of workplace substances; storage, handling and transport of dangerous goods; environmental management and physical containment levels and facility types national work health and safety (WHS) standards and codes of practice, national measurement regulations and guidelines, and national environment protection measures industry specific codes, regulations and guidelines, such as Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Codes of Practice; National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines, good laboratory practice (GLP) and Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP) workplace documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs); quality management; equipment manuals and warranties; supplier catalogues and handbooks; calibration and maintenance schedules; material safety data sheets (MSDS) and safety procedures; material, production and product specifications; production and laboratory schedules; workplace recording and reporting procedures; and waste minimisation and safe disposal procedures
Laboratory instruments and equipment	Laboratory instruments and equipment include, but are not limited to, one or more of: balances, glassware, plastic ware, glass, plastic and quartz cuvettes, pipettes, burettes and volumetric glassware, and density bottles blending, mixing and separating equipment, such as sieves and centrifuges autoclaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, ovens, hotplates, mantles, burners and muffle furnaces, microwave ovens, ultrasonic cleaners, incubators and water baths, and gas cylinders fume hoods, biohazard containers and biological safety cabinets microtomes and tissue processors, staining machines, cell analysers and cell counters colorimeters/spectrometers and polarimeters, light and fluorescence microscopes, refractometers, chromatographic equipment and electrochemical equipment thermometers, thermohygrographs, hydrometers, conductivity meters and pH meters and ion-selective electrodes, noise meters, melting point apparatus, viscometers and instrument chart recorders steel ruler/tapes and spirit levels, shovels, scoops, plates, rods, cylinder moulds and buckets rifflers and splitters and mixers, compaction rammers and soil classification equipment, disintegration apparatus, penetrometers and hardness testing equipment pressure gauges, torque testers, load cells, strain gauges and tensiometers motors, pumps and generators
Basic repairs	Basic repairs include, but are not limited to, one or more of: replacement of reagents and consumables, such as fuses; lamps; hoses and belts; and replacement or top-up of oils, lubricants or coolants connecting gas supplies cleaning and/or replacement of cells, torches and burners maintaining syringes/injection equipment basic electrical checks involving simple digital multimeters changing injection port ferrules, optimising nebulisers and realigning of components cleaning and/or changing detectors (for gas liquid and liquid chromatographs) installation, conditioning and removal of columns for gas chromatographs (packed and capillary) and liquid chromatographs (columns and guard columns) appropriate storage of columns and other equipment not currently in use
Calibration status/qualification checks	Calibration status/qualification checks include, but are not limited to, one or more of: matching cells (for dual beam instruments) checks for monochromator wavelength and photometric accuracy checks for baseline flatness and stray light checks on electrode performance checking sensitivity injection/use of standard mixtures comparison with manufacturer specifications/chromatogram use of standard masses and solutions use of calibrated thermometers and glassware to assess instrument/component performance
Hazards	Hazards include, but are not limited to, one or more of: electric shock chemicals, such as acids and cleaning agents fluids under pressure, such as steam and industrial gases sharps, such as broken glassware sources of heat, such as burners, ovens and furnaces manual handling of heavy equipment crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery
Safety procedures	Safety procedures, include but are not limited to, one or more of: ensuring access to service shut-off points following appropriate manual handling procedures regular cleaning of equipment and work areas machinery guards signage, barriers and service isolation tags lockout and tag-out procedures use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hearing protection, gloves, safety glasses, coveralls and safety boots handling and storing hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer instructions, and workplace procedures and regulations
WHS and environmental management requirements	WHS and environmental management requirements include: Â· complying with WHS and environmental management requirements at all times, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation. These requirements must not be compromised at any time Â· applying standard precautions relating to the potentially hazardous nature of samples accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health, where relevant