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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. |
Animals may include: | animals commonly encountered within the industry workplace and may cover both native and introduced speciesanimals from the six major animal groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates). |
Personal health and hygiene standards may include: | appropriate handling reprocessing of reusable equipmentaseptic techniquecover cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressing and change as necessarymaintain personal immunisation/vaccination requirements for working with animals where requiredpersonal hygiene practices especially washing and drying hands before and after animal contact and/or any activity likely to cause cross-contaminationsafe handling and disposal of sharps and other clinical, related and general wasteuse of personal protective clothing and equipment and change as appropriate for the intended use. |
OHS risks when working with animals may include: | animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches and crush injuriesbiological hazardous waste and sharps disposalhandling of chemicals and medicinesgas leakageinhalation of aerosol particlesintraocular contaminationmanual handling, including carrying, lifting and shiftingneedle pricks and cuts from other sharpsrelease of infective agents (animal and human)slippery or uneven work surfaceszoonoses. |
Animal diseases may include: | infectious diseases:bacteriafungiinternal and external parasitesviruszoonosesnon-infectious diseases:allergieschemical toxicitiesgeneticmetabolicneoplasticnutritionalphysical traumas. |
Parasitic infestations may include: | external parasites: fleas, mites, lice or ticksflies and midgesclasses of internal parasites: cetodanemotodatrematoda. |
Quarantine requirements may include: | procedures and hygiene standards appliedreasons for quarantinemaintaining required recordsquarantine periods for various species. |
Indicators of animal health monitoring may include: | observing and reporting unusual behaviour for nominated animal:aggression or docility (depending on animal)disinterest in surroundings, other animals, people or usual stimuliexcessive licking, scratching and rubbing lethargynest buildingself mutilationtremblingvocalisingobserving and reporting indicators of illness or injury:bleedingchanges in drinking or eating patternslameness or reluctance to move and vocalising when attempting to moveswellingunusual amounts, colour or texture of faeces. |
Physical environment of animals may include: | absence or presence of vermin and pestsability to maintain appropriate hygiene standards to ensure animal healthability to maintain enclosure securityaccess to sunlight, air flow and draughtconstruction materials of enclosure, housing, bedding, feed and water containers, behaviour enrichment items and floor surfacelocation of enclosure and construction materials that may provide for or hinder positive behavioural stimulation location of enclosure in regard to other animals, noise and other potentially threatening or challenging stimuli protection from weather extremes (e.g. heat, cold, precipitation and wind)temperature range in enclosure and in housing area |
Signs of illness or injury may include: | chewing or licking own body excessivelydefensive behavioursdrooling and regurgitating foodexcessive drinkingexcessive rollinggeneral changes in normal behaviour or routineslamenesslistlessness or disinterest in surroundingspresence of blood, swelling, excessive heatreluctance or refusal to eat or drinkreluctance to movesweatingyelping or other vocalising when touched or if animal attempts to move or perform particular tasks or grooming. |
Abnormal animal behaviour and conditions may include: | aggression in non-aggressive speciescannibalismreluctance to eat and drink, socialise or move in relation to the usual patterns for nominated speciesrepetitive movements or behaviours that prevent the animal from functioning normally or lead to injury. |
Samples may include: | bloodfaeceshairmusclesalivasemenskinuterine secretions. |
Authorised animal treatments may include: | treatments used in the routine preventative health care of animals that are available over the counter and have been approved by supervisor or are part of the approved animal care plantreatments prescribed by a veterinarian. |
Routine preventative health treatments may include: | control of parasitesgroomingimmunisation/vaccinations as requiredinsect controlquarantineroutine health check-uproutine observation of waste elimination and faecal examination. |