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. Add any 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.


Basic germ theory may include:
What germs are, including conflict/compatibility with traditional knowledge
Where germs live
Their source e.g. raw meat, rubbish, sewerage, sick animals
Conditions that germs need for growth e.g. temperature, food, water and time
What parasites are, and types of parasites e.g. protozoa, worms, mites and lice
Disease categories (bacterial, viral), types of diseases and their signs and symptoms
Diseases or infection that can be attributed to parasites, types of diseases and their signs and symptoms


Bacterial diseases may include:
Salmonella
Staphylococcus
Campylobacter


Signs and symptoms may include:
Diarrhoea
Vomiting and/or nausea
Fever
Abdominal cramps and pains
Headaches
Lethargy


E-Coli signs and symptoms may include:
Abdominal cramps and pains
Severe diarrhoea
Vomiting and/or nausea
Lethargy
Dehydration
Fever
Indigestion


Tetanus signs and symptoms may include:
Very painful muscles
Severe spasms and cramps in the neck, face, and body
Inability to control movements
Death


Viral diseases may include:
Colds and flu
Hepatitis A
Gastroenteritis
Trachoma
Ross River Fever
Australian Encephalitis


Colds and flu signs and symptoms may include:
Blocked and runny nose
Coughs and sneezes
Dry or sore throat
Headache and fever


Hepatitis A signs and symptoms may include:
Vomiting and/or nausea
Abdominal cramps and pains
Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
Liver dysfunction
Death


Gastroenteritis signs and symptoms may include:
Diarrhoea
Vomiting and/or nausea
Dehydration
Fever
Lethargy
Abdominal cramps and pains


Trachoma signs and symptoms may include:
Sore eyes
Red eyes
Watering eyes


Ross River Fever signs and symptoms may include:
Severe joint pain
Skin rash
Lethargy
Fever and headaches


Australian encephalitis - signs and symptoms may include:
Very severe headache
Fever
Convulsions
Paralysis
Inflammation of the brain
Coma
Brain damage
Death


Diseases attributed to parasites may include:
Dwarf Tape Worm infection
Giardiasis
Hookworm infection
Threadworm (or Pinworm) infection
Scabies infection


Dwarf Tape Worm infection - signs and symptoms may include:
Diarrhoea
Weight loss
Lethargy
Abdominal pain


Giardiasis signs and symptoms may include:
Very severe or chronic diarrhoea
Abdominal cramps and pains
Lethargy
Fatigue
Weight loss


Hookworm infection signs and symptoms may include:
Anaemia
Fever
Diarrhoea or constipation


Threadworm (or Pinworm) infection signs and symptoms may include:
Anal itching
Disturbed sleep
Irritability


Scabies infection signs and symptoms may include:
Itchy skin
Excessive scratching
Infections from breaks in the skin as a result of excessive scratching
Irritability


Vehicles/agents of transmission may include:
Water droplets in the air
Hands
Wind blown dust
Water
Vectors (insects and rodents)
The blood which carries germs around in the body


The way in which diseases are transmitted may be via:
A person with a cold or flu coughing or sneezing near other people without covering their mouth/nose, others breathe in the water droplets containing the flu germ and contract the disease
Not washing hands after going to the toilet, carrying germs from faeces onto the hands, and then eating food: faecal-oral (mouth) route
A person with trachoma sharing clothes, towels etc. with others
Insects and rodents crawling over rubbish, and then onto food which is then eaten
Directly from insects such as mosquitoes that are carrying diseases from animals to people e.g. Australian Encephalitis, Ross River Fever, etc.
Direct contact with germs through the skin e.g. open cuts, sores or other kind of breaks in the skin
The burrowing of larvae (hookworm) or mites (scabies) through the skin


Destination of germs refers to:
The place where the germs and parasites finally land and cause infection


Destination of germs may include:
The eyes
The skin
The stomach
Strategies to prevent the transmission of disease in a housing context may include:
The provision of functional and durable health hardware, e.g. taps, drains, toilets, washing machines, shower roses, hot water systems
Ongoing repairs and maintenance to health hardware
Good domestic hygiene practices
Environmental pest control strategies in relation to housing e.g. fly screens on the windows, fly-proofed toilet vent pipes, household bins with tight fighting lids, removal of rubbish in yard which could potentially become a breeding place for mosquitoes
Utilisation of the yard area for visitors to reduce the impact of overcrowding in the house, e.g. wind breaks, cooking areas and protected sleeping areas
Education/health promotion


Strategies to prevent the transmission of disease in a water supply context may include:
Assessing where and how a community accesses its water supply in order to monitor and prevent possible contamination either at the source, such as a river or bore, in storage such as elevated tanks, or in the pipe system which delivers water to the user
Identifying possible water supply contaminants, (organic and inorganic) that can contaminate or pollute a water supply, e.g. animal carcasses, animal and human sewage, decaying plant matter, oil, petrol, scrap metal and chemical etc.
Preventing possible contamination of surface water supply (rivers, lakes, billabongs etc.) by:
obtaining water upstream from any possible contamination sources such as effluent run off points, or swimming holes
obtaining water from the deepest possible point in the water supply
ensuring that people do not use the area around the water supply source for recreation uses
ensuring that there is little or no building development near the water supply
ensuring that septic tanks/leach drains and effluent disposal systems are 100m from the water supply etc.
Preventing possible contamination of bore water at the source e.g. fences around the bore head to keep animals away, raised bore head above ground level in case of flooding, septic tanks/leach drains and effluent disposal sites 100m away from the bore etc.
Preventing possible contamination of community water tanks, e.g. tanks need to have proper fitting lids, be clean, not leaking, and free from animals such as frogs. It is advisable to also have a high fence with a locked gate around the tank to keep people and animals out, etc.
Preventing possible contamination of domestic rain water tanks e.g. tanks need to have a proper fitting lid or some form of cover, be clean, not leaking. Roof and gutters also need to be clean and free from debris
continued ...


Strategies to prevent the transmission of disease in a water supply context may include (contd):
Preventing possible contamination in the pipe system e.g. all joints need to be maintained free of leaks, pipes placed below ground whenever possible to protect them from damage, any above ground pipes held secure to protect them from damage especially from vehicles, any leaks or broken pipes repaired as soon as possible, and connections to tanks, pumps and bores maintained free of leaks
Testing water supply (bacterial/chemical)
Disinfection of water supply
Basic plumbing e.g. changing washers, reseating taps, unblocking drains etc.
Education/heath promotion


Strategies to prevent the transmission of disease in a sewage context may include:
Maintenance of sewerage disposal systems to ensure that all faulty, blocked, damaged broken or worn out parts are mended as soon as possible
Monitoring and reporting sewage or effluent collecting in pools as a result of overflowing sewage lagoons or broken sewerage pipes
Monitoring and maintaining sewage lagoons e.g. eroded or broken lagoon banks, trees and /or other vegetation growing in or around the sewage lagoon, signs of mosquitoes breeding, rubbish in the water, a damaged gate or fence that can not be locked properly to keep out animals and children etc.
Checking for signs of potential problems with sewage ponds e.g. bad smells, still areas on the surface of the pond, water which is not a light flecked green colour, water depth not being maintained at one metre etc.
All installations of septic systems on communities need to meet adequate environmental health standards e.g. septic tanks/leach drains need to be 100m away from the water supply, and large enough to cope with fluctuating occupancies in the household etc.
Monitoring and maintaining septic tanks e.g. check scum bucket, blanket, inlet/outlet pipes, sludge, and the lid of the tank for cracks and damage. Also need to check for overflow, and if drain has collapsed.
Checking for signs of potential problems with on site systems e.g. the sewage in the toilet or the liquid waste from other fixtures flows away very slowly, liquid waste overflows from the disconnector traps, bad smells near the septic tank, wet areas on top of the tank, the grass around the tank is very green and growing well etc.
Septic tanks need to be pumped out and leach drains replaced when required
Adopting strategies for communities and/or outstations without a sewerage disposal system e.g. grease traps, soakage pits, pit toilets etc.
Education/health promotion


Strategies to prevent the transmission of disease in a rubbish collection and disposal context may include:
The promotion and implementation of special clean up days in the community e.g. larger items such as washing machines, car bodies, fridges and freezers to reduce potential mosquito breeding areas, and safety hazards
Rubbish must be collected and disposed of at an approved tip site at least twice a week to prevent pest breeding cycles
Ensuring that there is all season access to the tip site
Ensuring that the collection vehicle is adequate e.g. constructed so that collected rubbish can not "fall" or be blown out as it is being transported to the disposal site
Ensuring that tip sites are constructed and operated appropriately e.g. location of tip site in relation to the community, roads leading in and out, appropriate signage, access, depth of trenches etc.
Education/health promotion


Strategies to prevent the transmission of disease in a food storage and handling context may include:
Assessing and monitoring community food stores to ensure that adequate environmental health standards are being met/enforced
The development of store management plans which take into account food handling training protocols, stock rotation practices, quality control check points and equipment maintenance log
Education/health promotion in relation to food storage and handling practices in the home and community e.g. the dangers of food being left uncovered, or out overnight on the stove or near the camp fire, not washing hands after going to the toilet, sneezing or coughing on food, re- freezing food that has already thawed out etc
Appropriate use of cleaning equipment and agents in relation to food hygiene practice
Provision of, or access to, functional and durable refrigerators and freezers for use of householders and community members
Adequate dry storage areas, as well as food preparation and storage surfaces, in the household and/or living areas


Other key people and agencies may include:
Environmental Health Officers
Other health service professionals
Essential Services Officers
Aboriginal Health Workers
Relevant government authorities
Other community workers
Householders and community members
Community council
Community store manager/owner


Points of contact refers to:
Names and contact numbers of people and/or organisations who are responsible for the overseeing and implementation of various preventative strategies in relation to housing, water supply, sewerage, rubbish collection and disposal and food storage and handling


Organisation may include:
Community council
Community clinic
Other employer body/agency

EVIDENCE GUIDE

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
Competence is to be demonstrated over a full range of performance criteria
Consideration should be given to assessing consistency of performance over a period of time


Access and equity considerations:
All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities


Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit is best assessed in the workplace, or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of workplace conditions
Knowledge obtained from this unit can also be applied to other areas of environment health that may be within the worker's responsibility i.e.: dog health, land care, pest control, domestic and personal hygiene
Access to:
telephone directories, staff telephone and fax listings for relevant others
duty statements and position descriptions for the worker and/or relevant others
a simulation of realistic work place setting


Method of assessment may include:
Assessment may include:
observations
questioning
evidence gathered from the work place
Assessment may also include the way in which competency is applied to other environmental health specific units over a period of time