Assessor Resource
MSL975026A
Perform physical examination of forensic samples
Assessment tool
Version 1.0
Issue Date: June 2024
This unit of competency is applicable to technical officers working in all industry sectors and government agency laboratories, for example, in chemical, food, forensic, medical and environmental laboratories. The term forensic is used to describe tests which may have legal implications, for example, testing paint scrapings to verify claims for insurance companies or examining passports for forgery and tampering.
Examination of forensic physical samples is non-routine and may require the development of new or modified methods. The testing requires a high degree of analytical skill and knowledge and practical experience to perform the analysis and interpret the results. Physical (from a non-living origin) forensic samples include fingerprints, tyre marks, footprints, building materials, soil samples, glass particles, paint scrapings, documents and textile fibres.
All operations and analytical methods must comply with relevant standards, appropriate procedures and/or enterprise requirements. Although a supervisor may not always be present, the technical officer will follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) that clearly describe the scope of permitted practice including varying enterprise/test procedures and communicating results to people outside the laboratory.
This unit of competency covers the ability to perform physical examination and testing of samples that may be used as forensic evidence. Competency includes the ability to establish client needs for routine and non-routine forensic samples, select suitable techniques and methods and modify them if required, obtain valid and reliable data and report test results. Personnel are required to recognise atypical test data/results, troubleshoot common analytical procedure and equipment problems and ensure all testing and reporting meets judicial requirements.
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