Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
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.
Codes of practice
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
Australian and international standards, such as:
AS ISO 1000-1998 The international system of units (SI) and its application
AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set
AS/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set
enterprise procedures for specific client measurements at particular sites
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
equipment manuals
equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures
maps and site plans
material safety data sheets (MSDS) and safety procedures
material, production and product specifications
national measurement regulations and guidelines
occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Concepts of metrology
Concepts of metrology may include:
that all measurements are estimates
measurements belong to a population of measurements of the measured parameters
repeatability
precision
accuracy
significant figures
sources of error
uncertainty
traceability
Hazards
Hazards may include:
solar radiation, dust and noise
wildlife, such as snakes, spiders and domestic animals
biohazards, such as micro-organisms and agents associated with soil, air and water
chemicals, such as acids and hydrocarbons
manual/handling of heavy equipment or materials
crushing, entanglement and cuts associated with moving machinery
falling objects, uneven surfaces, heights, slopes, wet surfaces, trenches and confined spaces
vehicle handling in rough terrain and boat handling in rough or flowing water
vehicular or pedestrian traffic
Safety practices
Safety practices may include:
use of MSDS
use personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face-guards, coveralls, gowns, body suits, respirators and safety boots
correct labelling of hazardous materials
handling and storing hazardous material and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer's instructions, enterprise procedures and regulations
regular cleaning and/or decontaminating of equipment
machinery guards
signage, barriers, service isolation tags, traffic control, flashing lights
lockout and tag-out procedures
Measurements
Measurements could include the use of instruments and/or kits to test:
pH, specific ions, such as iron in water using dipsticks
dissolved oxygen (DO)
electrical conductivity (EC)
Other measurements
Other measurements may include:
sound (e.g. dB level and dBA)
light levels and illumination
basic production/process parameters (e.g. flow, temperature, pressure, mass and depth)
simple surveys (e.g. number of trees in quadrant)
background radiation (e.g. Geiger counter)
dimensions
meteorological measurements (e.g. temperature, rainfall and wind)
Common measuring equipment
Common measuring equipment may include:
tape measure, rulers, micrometers callipers and water level indicators
balances
meter/probe systems (e.g. DO and EC)
analogue and digital meters (e.g. voltage, current, resistance, pressure, temperature, barometers, anemometers and hygrometers)
dipsticks or spot test kits
clocks and timing devices
Services
Services may include:
water supply, gas and electricity
telecommunications
irrigation, stormwater, drainage and sewerage systems
production plant
Appropriate corrective actions
Appropriate corrective actions may include:
logical check of equipment setup
check of calibration, zero error and drift for basic instruments
careful re-reading of procedures
repeat measurements
seek advice
Minimising environmental impacts
Minimising environmental impacts may involve:
disposal of surplus, spent or purged materials
recycling of wastes
responsible driving to avoid damage to vegetation and fauna
cleaning of vehicles to prevent transfer of pests and contaminants
Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements
OHS and environmental management requirements
all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time
all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied
where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
follow procedures when performing a variety of measurements at a range of sites
work safely and with minimal environmental impact
liaise with people effectively and courteously
maintain confidentiality and report problems and incidents in accordance with procedures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSL952001A Collect routine site samples.
Resources may include:
access to a variety of sites
measurement and safety procedures
a selection of measuring equipment and documentation.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of the quality of data and documentation provided by the candidate
observation of the candidate performing a range of measurements
feedback from supervisors and clients that relevant procedures were followed
oral/written questioning about measurement procedures.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.
The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice
Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Manufacturing and construction materials testing
A laboratory assistant is required to conduct daily routine site measurements around the plant. Each day they contact the engineering department to arrange for an engineer to accompany them to operate all mechanical systems (e.g. valves and pitcovers) associated with collection of samples and/or site measurements. The laboratory assistant locates the required safety equipment, ensures that all measurement equipment is operational and pre-calibrated and dons appropriate personal protective equipment. They record site measurements directly in the plant monitoring log book along with any comments concerning plant operating conditions. Upon returning to the laboratory they enter this information into the laboratory information management system (LIMS). The laboratory assistant then cleans and stores all equipment used in the routine site measurements.
Environmental
A field assistant is part of a team examining the rehabilitation of a mine site. They help to construct a grid map of the study area. The assistant is given identification photo cards for six species of plant and asked to count the number of each species in part of the grid, taking care to minimise environmental impact. They then record the data on a map using a predetermined key.