Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to clean ceiling surfaces and their fittings. It covers assessing the ceiling and fittings to identify the type of soil present, and then selecting and preparing required equipment and cleaning processes. Ceiling surfaces and fittings may be accessed using extension poles or ladders; and surfaces are cleaned to ensure they are free from adhered soil, cobwebs and dust.
The unit supports cleaners who work alone or in teams. It applies in a range of commercial and residential work sites. Ceiling surfaces can be flat, suspended or raked, and made of hard or absorbent materials.
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. | 1.1. | Ceiling surface area and fittings to be cleaned are assessed, soil types are identified, job requirements are reviewed, and issues are clarified. |
1.2. | Work site hazards are assessed and risks controlled according to company, legislative, and health and safetyrequirements. | ||
1.3. | Cleaning techniques are selected according to company requirements. | ||
1.4. | Equipment is | ||
1.5. | Required cleaning chemicals are selected and prepared. | ||
1.6. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is sourced 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. | ||
1.8. | Pre-existing damage is identified and reported according to company requirements. | ||
2. | Clean ceilings and fittings. | 2.1. | Floor, furniture and equipment are covered with drop sheets according to company requirements. |
2.2. | Cobwebs and dry dust are removed from ceiling and fittings using required equipment according to job requirements. | ||
2.3. | Difficult to reach areas are vacuumed according to job requirements. | ||
2.4. | Fittings are dry wiped according to job requirements. | ||
2.5. | Chemical solution is applied, if required, to surfaces and fittings, allowed to dwell, and rinsed from surfaces according to manufacturer specifications and job requirements. | ||
2.6. | Adhered soil is removed and delicate surfaces are cleaned using equipment, including stepladder, selected according to manufacturer safety recommendations. | ||
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. | Furniture and fittings are returned to original position according to job 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:
dust and cobweb one ceiling from the ground, using equipment selected for the job
use selected equipment and materials to clean five of the following fittings:
audiovisual equipment
cameras
ceiling fans
ceiling roses
cornices
lighting tracks
pendant lighting
recessed lights
skylights
sprinkler systems
vents and grilles
one of the above fittings must be accessed using a stepladder according to manufacturer and safety specifications.
In doing the above work, the person must:
identify site hazards and control risks before commencing the task
identify type and characteristics of ceiling surface and fittings
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
comply with company requirements.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
cleaning techniques for removing soil from ceiling surfaces and fittings
types and characteristics of cleaning chemicals and their application on different surfaces, including:
application techniques
risks of damage to surfaces caused by use of incompatible chemicals
environmental and health controls
key requirements of legislation, regulations, codes of practice and industry advisory standards relating to cleaning ceiling surfaces and fittings
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
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)
types of ceiling and fitting surfaces and their characteristics.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
as listed in the range of conditions
materials:
cleaning chemicals as listed in the range of conditions
specifications:
equipment operating manuals
product labels
SDS
safety instructions
physical conditions:
work site or venue with ceiling surfaces and fittings
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 required chemicals 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. |
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. | |
Fittings must include at least five of the following: | audiovisual equipment cameras ceiling fans ceiling roses cornices lighting tracks pendant lighting recessed lights skylights sprinkler systems vents and grilles. |
Hazards to be assessed must 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. |
Equipment must include at least three of the following: | buckets cleaning cloths cleaning trolleys cobwebbers drop sheets dust mops extension poles flat mop lamb’s wool applicators microfibre cloths sponges vacuum cleaner and accessories. |
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 goggles masks safety shoes. |
Sectors
Cleaning operations