Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to clean glass surfaces, including mirrors, doors and windows, from the ground using extension poles to aid access if required. The unit covers assessing the extent of the cleaning task and selecting required equipment, chemicals and methods. All work is conducted according to job, health and safety, and company requirements.
The unit supports cleaners who work alone or in teams. It applies to ordinary or frosted glass or mirrors as well as to textured glass surfaces in a range of commercial and residential work sites.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Plan and prepare to clean glass surfaces. | 1.1. | Glass surfaces to be cleaned are assessed for extent of cleaning required and issues are clarified. |
1.2. | Work site hazards are assessed and risks controlled according to company, legislative, and health and safety requirements. | ||
1.3. | Surface soil is inspected and identified as organic or inorganic and required cleaning techniques are confirmed. | ||
1.4. | Glass surface is inspected for pre-existing damage and defects are reported according to company requirements. | ||
1.5. | Equipment is selected according to job requirements, checked for serviceability, and faults are rectified or reported before starting work. | ||
1.6. | Cleaning chemicals are selected and prepared according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
1.7. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is sourced according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
1.8. | Signs and barricades are selected and installed according to health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
2. | Clean glass. | 2.1. | Existing soil is carefully scraped from glass surface as required, using required equipment. |
2.2. | Spot cleaning techniques are used according to specified requirements. | ||
2.3. | Glass surface is washed and squeegeed according to specified requirements. | ||
2.4. | Window edges and sills are wiped to remove soil and waste. | ||
2.5. | Glass surface, surrounding areas and floor are checked to be free of chemicals, water and soil. | ||
3. | Tidy work site. | 3.1. | Collected soil and waste are disposed of according to client and company specifications, and legislative, environmental, and health and safety requirements. |
3.2. | Signs and barricades are removed according to health and safety, and company requirements. | ||
4. | Clean and safety check equipment, and store equipment and chemicals. | 4.1. | Equipment and PPE are cleaned, safety checked, and stored according to manufacturer specifications, and environmental, health and safety, and company requirements. |
4.2. | Unused chemicals are stored or disposed of according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also clean three different glass surfaces, including:
one ordinary glass (including mirror) or frosted glass surface measuring at least 1.5 metres in height or length, in which the work must involve:
selecting and using required cleaning equipment, including a squeegee
spot cleaning the glass
removing smears and drips from the glass and surrounding surfaces and floor
one textured glass surface, in which the work must involve:
selecting and using required cleaning equipment
spot cleaning the glass
conducting full clean of the glass to remove all soil
removing smears and drips from the glass and surrounding surfaces and floor
one ordinary frosted or textured glass surface, in which the work must involve:
removing three different inorganic soils from the glass surface using required cleaning techniques, one of which must require use of the scraping technique
selecting and using required cleaning equipment.
In doing the above work, the person must:
identify and plan for work site hazards
identify types and characteristics of glass surfaces and select cleaning equipment and chemicals required for the task
use safe and efficient cleaning techniques
correctly and safely handle waste, including contaminated materials.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
types of glass surfaces, their characteristics and required cleaning methods
types and characteristics of organic and inorganic soils and required cleaning chemicals, equipment and methods of treatment
application methods for cleaning glass using microfibre products, including using:
cloth and water in spray bottle to spot clean low-level stains
damp mops and cloths for surface cleaning and finishing
dry mopping techniques
environmental requirements relating to cleaning glass surfaces, including:
clean-up, containment and isolation procedures
emergency chemical spill control measures
environmental protection agency requirements relating to cleaning glass surfaces
hazardous materials handling
use of low-energy cleaning methods
use of low-moisture cleaning methods
use of low water-use equipment and water-efficient cleaning methods
use of non-chemical cleaning methods
methods for cleaning and maintaining cloths, including:
air drying for optimal performance
avoiding fabric softeners
regular hand or machine washing in hot soapy water
removing stains with hot water and washing liquid
washing products on their own to avoid static transfer of lint
processes for safely handling and disposing of waste, including:
chemicals past their expiry date
obsolete equipment
packaging
used containers
used or contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE)
used or unused chemicals
range and use of cleaning chemicals and equipment for cleaning glass surfaces
safe handling techniques for working with hazardous chemicals, including:
emergency chemical spill control measures
routes of entry and potential symptoms of exposure to chemicals
safe methods for diluting chemicals
working according to safety data sheets (SDS).
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
as listed in the range of conditions
PPE as listed in the range of conditions
materials:
cleaning chemicals as listed in the range of conditions
specifications:
equipment operating manuals
product labels
SDS
physical conditions:
venue with access to glass surfaces as listed in the performance evidence
relationships with team members and supervisor:
work may be conducted alone or as part of a team.
Timeframe:
as specified by the task.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Numeracy skills to: | dilute and mix chemicals required for cleaning tasks using whole numbers and routine fractions. |
Oral communication skills to: | ask questions to clarify job requirements respond clearly and concisely to client questions report faults or damage. |
Reading skills to: | interpret simple, structured manufacturer instructions when using equipment and preparing chemicals interpret directions and safety instructions, including: equipment operating manuals product labels safety data sheets (SDS). |
Writing skills to: | document and report faults in equipment to manufacturer and other personnel. |
Range Statement
This section specifies 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. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Hazards that must be assessed include: | biological and environmental contaminants chemical exposure via absorption, ingestion and inhalation chemical reactivity dust and fibre particulates electrical environmental allergens explosions fatigue fire manual handling noise poor ventilation slips, trips and falls syringes and sharps working in confined spaces. |
Health and safety requirements must include: | access to communication devices when working alone compliance with Safe Work Australia regulations and guidelines electrical equipment test and tag compliance emergency response procedures environmental controls hazard signs and barricades health and safety induction and refresher training manual handling techniques processes for safely dispensing chemicals risk assessment procedures, including: hazardous chemicals register hierarchy of control job safety analyses (JSA) for low-risk situations safe work method statements (SWMS) for high-risk situations incident reporting SDS selection and use of required PPE storage and maintenance of equipment according to manufacturer specifications use of first aid according to SDS information. |
Cleaning techniques must include: | pre-spraying scraping spot cleaning squeegeeing wiping. |
Equipment must include a squeegee and at least two of the following: | bucket chamois cobwebber extension pole glass scraper hose lamb’s wool applicator lint-free cloths microfibre products. |
Cleaning chemicals must include at least one of the following: | glass cleaners solvent cleaners surfactants. |
Personal protective equipment must include at least two of the following: | eye protection gloves masks safety shoes sun protection. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations