Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to modify medical grade footwear to meet changed foot conditions.
This unit of competency applies to activities associated with maintaining or modifying medical grade footwear. The unit of competency relates to modifying and repairing footwear for medical grade applications generated by direct contact by client, referral or prescription. Significant judgement is required in planning, design, technical or supervisory activities related to products or processes.
Work is generally conducted in a small business situation. Work role may include:
sole practitioner
member of a team of medical grade footwear specialists
member of an enterprise or regional health care team.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Review medical grade footwear | 1.1 | Review modification requirements and specifications to confirm required information has been provided prior to modification |
1.2 | Examine footwear to determine modification specification is suitable and practical | ||
1.3 | Communicate effectively with the client to obtain clear and precise information about problems with the footwear | ||
2 | Determine resources required to modify or repair medical grade footwear | 2.1 | Evaluate footwear modification requirements and identify solutions to solve a variety of design and modification problems |
2.2 | Select compatible and durable modification techniques | ||
2.3 | Select materials to make modifications and repairs to match medical grade footwear design requirements | ||
2.4 | Identify any special construction details and constraints | ||
3 | Make modifications or repairs | 3.1 | Check equipment to confirm it complies with manufacturer operating instructions and use hand tools and machinery to undertake modifications |
3.2 | Store and use modification and repair compounds such as glues and resins in accordance with work health and safety (WHS) practices and manufacturer guidelines | ||
3.3 | Prepare footwear appropriately for modification | ||
3.4 | Conduct modification to comply with specifications or requirements | ||
4 | Finish medical grade footwear | 4.1 | Review detailed information from final fitting to initiate changes to footwear if required |
4.2 | Finish off, add final components and do final check of product to ensure it complies with established quality standards prior to delivery to client | ||
4.3 | Maintain client files and complete administrative tasks | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include:
reading and following work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), safe work practices and other reference material
applying relevant standards
interpret order forms and specifications defining footwear modification requirements
identifying any special construction details and constraints
selecting suitable materials and techniques to modify footwear
resolving a variety of design and modification problems
performing a full range of standard orthopaedic footwear modifications in relation to footwear problem on at least two(2) occasions
communicating effectively with clients
applying work health and safety (WHS) policies in work operations
completing a final check of product to ensure it complies with established quality standards prior to delivery to client
maintaining client files and completing administrative tasks.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
safe work practices and procedures and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
relevant Australian Standards
full range of procedures to review footwear
assessment criteria to determine modification requirements of new and old footwear (design, fit/size, structure, features, function and technical)
full range of modification designs and their purposes in relation to footwear problems
procedures for making modifications or repairs, including inclusion and allowance for orthoses, newness of materials and tissue tolerance
applied anthropometrics of the foot, the variables in and effects of physical force systems (orthoses and footwear) on the body and dimensional, shape and other physical characteristics of commercial footwear
footwear construction and standards, terminology, diagnostic and definitive constructions, modification processes, materials and tools and equipment used
other practitioners in the field and in major related fields, including their roles, capabilities and limitations
WHS and environmental aspects of relevant workplace activities
WHS practices, including hazard identification and control measures
quality practices
workplace practices
recording and reporting practices.
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must:
satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment, as set by the VET regulator
have vocational competency in modifying medical grade footwear, at least to the level being assessed, with relevant industry knowledge and experience.
Assessment should occur in operational workplace situations. Where this is not possible, or where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment must occur in a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different 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. | |
Workplace procedures include one or more of the following: | requirements prescribed by legislation, awards, agreements and conditions of employment standard operating procedures (SOPs) work instructions oral, written and visual communication quality practices, including responsibility for maintenance of own work quality and contribution to quality improvement of team or section output housekeeping tasks related to environmental protection, waste disposal, pollution control and recycling WHS practices |
Australian Standards include: | the relevant industry or Australian Standards that are current at the time this unit is being undertaken |
Materials include one or more of the following: | conventional leathers textiles plastic sheeting padding reinforcement sole and related materials fastening or closing devices, such as: Velcro laces buckles other items such as adhesives and threads |
WHS practices | WHS practices must include hazard identification and control, risk assessment and implementation of risk reduction measures specific to the tasks described by this unit, and include one or more of the following: manual handling techniques SOPs personal protective equipment (PPE) safe materials handling taking of rest breaks ergonomic arrangement of workplaces following marked walkways safe storage of equipment housekeeping reporting accidents and incidents other WHS practices relevant to the job and enterprise |
Sectors
Not applicable
Competency Field
Medical grade footwear