Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to clean wet areas, including bathrooms, toilets, change rooms and laundries and their associated fixtures and fittings, so that they are free from soil, odour and hazards. The unit covers assessing the extent of cleaning required; selecting required equipment, chemicals and methods; and performing the cleaning task safely and efficiently.
The unit supports cleaners who work alone or in teams. It applies 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 wet area. | 1.1. | Wet areas to be cleaned are assessed, soiltypes are identified by observation, and areas requiring special treatment, including graffiti, are identified and reported according to company requirements. |
1.2. | Work site hazards are assessed and risks controlled according to company, legislative, and health and safety requirements. | ||
1.3. | Operation and condition of fixtures and fittings are checked and pre-existing damage at work site is reported according to company requirements. | ||
1.4. | Cleaning chemicals and techniques for wet areas are selected 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. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected and used according to manufacturer specifications, and health and safety and company requirements. | ||
1.7. | Signs and barricades are selected and installed according to health and safety and company requirements. | ||
2. | Clean work site. | 2.1. | Loose soil is removed before commencing surface cleaning according to health and safety, and company requirements. |
2.2. | Fixtures, fittings and surfaces are cleaned using equipment, chemicals and cleaning techniques according to company requirements. | ||
2.3. | Remaining heavy soil, graffiti and stained surfaces are treated or reported for follow-up action according to company requirements. | ||
2.4. | Soiled items are despatched for laundering according to company requirements. | ||
3. | Replenish consumables and tidy work site. | 3.1. | Consumables are replenished according to client requests and company requirements. |
3.2. | Collected soil and waste are disposed of according to client and company specifications, and legislative, environmental, and health and safety requirements. | ||
3.3. | 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 of the following wet areas, and their fixtures and fittings:
bathroom
change rooms
laundry
shower facilities
toilet.
During the above work, the person must select and use three of the following cleaning techniques:
buffing
cobwebbing
dusting
hosing
mopping
polishing
pre-spraying
scrubbing
spot cleaning
sweeping
wet wiping.
During the above work, the person must also:
identify site hazards and control risks before commencing task
identify fittings, surfaces and soil types found in wet areas
select and prepare cleaning equipment and chemicals required for the task
use safe and efficient cleaning methods
correctly and safely handle waste, including contaminated materials
replenish three of the following consumables in each wet area:
air fresheners
bin liners
cloth towels and tea towels
deodorant blocks
hand towels, such as cloth, rolls and sheets
liquid and bar soap
personal toiletries
toilet paper.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
range, application and limitation of cleaning chemicals and equipment available for wet areas
cleaning chemicals and methods suitable for wet area surfaces, including:
ceramics and porcelain
chrome
concrete
glass
laminate
metal
paint
plastic
stainless steel
stone
terracotta
vinyl
environmental requirements relating to cleaning wet areas, including:
clean-up, containment and isolation procedures
emergency chemical spill control measures
environmental protection agency requirements relating to using and disposing of cleaning chemicals
hazardous materials handling
use of low water-use equipment and other water-efficient cleaning methods to clean wet areas
processes for safely handling and disposing of waste, including:
chemicals past their expiry date
contaminated waste
obsolete equipment
used cleaning cloths
used containers
used or contaminated PPE
used or unused chemicals
routes of entry and potential symptoms of exposure to chemicals.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
as listed in the range of conditions
personal protective equipment (PPE) as listed in the range of conditions
materials:
cleaning chemicals as listed in the range of conditions
consumables as listed in the range of conditions
specifications:
equipment operating manuals
product labels
safety data sheets (SDS)
physical conditions:
suitable work site or venue with wet areas 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. |
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. |
Teamwork skills to: | work collaboratively with others on the same work site. |
Problem-solving skills to: | identify and select required cleaning products and equipment for a range of cleaning challenges apply required chemicals and cleaning processes to different surfaces in wet areas. |
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. | |
Soil types must include at least five of the following: | blood cobwebs dust food and residue grease human and animal waste litter mould and mildew mud and dirt pen, texta and pencil rust soap scum. |
Hazards that must be assessed include: | biological contaminants chemical exposure via absorption and ingestion chemical reactivity contaminated waste material dust and fibre particulates electrocution environmental allergens fatigue loud and repeated noise levels respiratory hazards and poor ventilation slips and falls from wet or uneven surfaces strains or injury from damaged, heavy or awkward equipment 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. |
Fixtures and fittings must include at least ten of the following: | baths bidets bins cleaner’s sluices hand basins hand dryers mirrors paper dispensers personal item product dispensers racks showers sinks soap dispensers spas taps toilet bowls, seats and cisterns troughs urinal trough and wall vanity units. |
Cleaning chemicals must include at least one of the following: | acid cleaners alkaline cleaners low environmental impact chemicals neutral cleaners solvent cleaners. |
Cleaning techniques must include at least three of the following: | buffing cobwebbing dusting hosing mopping polishing pre-spraying scrubbing spot cleaning sweeping wet wiping. |
Equipment must include at least six of the following: | absorbent cleaning cloths brooms buckets damp cloths doodle bugs dry cloths microfibre products hoses and nozzles lint-free cloths long-handled brushes and dustpan tongs mops sharps disposal units nylon scourers scrapers scrubbing brushes scrubbing and polishing machines toilet brushes squeegees wringer buckets. |
Personal protective equipment must include at least three of the following: | safety shoes gloves eye protection masks tongs wet-work clothing. |
Surfaces must include at least five of the following: | ceramics and porcelain chrome concrete glass laminate metal paint plastic stainless steel stone terracotta vinyl. |
Consumables must include at least three of the following: | air fresheners bin liners cloth towels and tea towels deodorant blocks hand towels, such as cloth, rolls and sheets liquid and bar soap personal toiletries toilet paper. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations