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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. |
Animal technology facilities may include: | animal research and breeding facilities biomedical research and production environments including laboratory and field based. |
Legislative requirements include: | federal, state and territory environmental legislation the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes relevant state or territory legislation and regulations in respect to animal welfare and OHS, including: the Federal Gene Technology Act the Quarantine Act. |
Daily routines may include: | approaching, catching and handling animals cleaning animal housing and facilities feeding and watering animals collecting, collating and recording data general animal husbandry tasks maintaining and storing records maintaining equipment. |
OHS risks associated with animal technician procedures include: | animal bites, kicks, scratches and crush injuries biological hazardous waste and sharps disposal handling of chemicals and medicines gas leakage inhalation of aerosol particles intraocular contamination manual handling, including carrying, lifting and shifting needle pricks and cuts from other sharps release of infective agents (animal and human) zoonoses. |
Environmentally sensitive work practices may include: | implementing strategies and resources to: minimise disturbance to animals and their living environment practise environmentally friendly waste management practise processes relevant to the individual's work area that support environment and resource efficiencies reduce noise and odour. |
Working ethically with animals requires: | adherence to all requirements of the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes and any requirements of the organisation's Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) applying the 3Rs principles: replace animals in research with non-animal alternatives reduce the number of animals used in experiments refine scientific procedures and animal husbandry to minimise suffering ensuring that the welfare of animals is always considered ensuring pain or distress in animals is avoided ensuring the use of animals in research is justified. |
Relevant policies and procedures may include: | animal welfare, including ethical use of animals for scientific or teaching purposes environmental sustainability practices infection control plans OHS policies and procedures: accident and incident reports standard work practices quality assurance systems standard operating procedures. |
Biosecurity protocols include: | standards precautions: aseptic technique personal hygiene practices especially washing and drying hands (e.g. before and after animal contact) use of personal protective equipment techniques to limit contamination appropriate reprocessing of reusable equipment surface cleaning and management of blood and body fluid spills safe handling and disposal of sharps and other clinical, related and general waste environmental controls (e.g. design and maintenance of premises and cleaning additional precautions: special ventilation requirements additional use of personal protective equipment dedicated equipment (e.g. to each animal or as appropriate to work function) use of a special facility isolation/cohorting restricted movement of animal, staff and visitors. |
Animals one would be expected to identify, subject to facility requirements, may include: | on most occasions the animal species will be common laboratory animals: guinea pigs mice rabbits rats on some occasions animal species may include: amphibians, fish and reptiles dogs and cats fish invertebrates livestock (e.g. sheep, cattle and pigs) native wildlife (e.g. marsupials and birds) primates poultry. |
Identification methods may include: | brands ear tags or notches enclosures leg bands microchips photographs tattoos. |
Types of situations or incidents that may result in distress or grief include: | planned experimental endpoints: single or colony euthanasia unplanned animal deaths caused by disease environmental failure fire or other traumas or accidents other causes of distress: working with animals that are in distressing, but ethically approved, research experiments regarding severe and negative environmental impact detrimental phenotypic abnormalities adverse animal reactions to an experiment. |
Grief and stress coping strategies may include: | advising workplace supervisor of the situation seeking and accepting support from colleagues seeking and accepting assistance from professional counsellors practising stress management techniques requesting and participating in formal or informal debriefing sessions. |
Security procedure requirements may include: | checking for pests within animal housing or enclosures checking that locks and slides are in good working order ensuring animals are safe and secure in their housing ensuring medications and treatments are stored in accordance with legislative requirements identifying any animal housing faults that may result in escape maintaining structures in good order restricting access to authorised personnel. |