Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that will affect performance.
Where reference is made to industry Codes of Practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used.
All operations must comply with relevant standards, appropriate procedures and/or enterprise requirements.

These procedures include or have been prepared from
Australian and international standards, Acts and regulations, such as -
AS ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code 2002 and amendments
ISO9000 series Quality management and quality assurance standards
Therapeutic Goods Act
AS2830 Good Laboratory Practice
Codes of Practice (such as GLP and GMP)
material safety data sheets (MSDSs)
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
quality, equipment and procedures manuals
equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures
calibration and maintenance schedules
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
production and laboratory schedules
material, production and product specifications.

Trial specifications may include
product specifications
recipe/formulations
processing parameters
trial size, production target and timeline
trial schedule, resources required
required product samples and tests
analysis of relevant OHS, food safety and environmental hazards and controls
storage requirements.

Hazards could include
electric shock
microbiological organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water
solar radiation, dust, noise
chemicals, such as acids, heavy metals, pesticides, hydrocarbons
aerosols from broken centrifuge tubes, pipetting
radiation, such as gamma, X-ray
sharps, broken glassware and hand tools
flammable liquids and gases
cryogenics, such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen
fluids under pressure, such as steam and industrial gases
sources of ignition
disturbance or interruption of services
manual handling, working at heights and in confined spaces
crushing, entanglement, cuts associated with moving machinery or falling objects
pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

Safety procedures and hazard control measures may include
ensuring access to service shut off points
recognising and observing hazard warnings and safety signs
labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials
handling and storage of hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, materials safety data sheets and manufacturer's instructions
identifying and reporting operating problems or equipment malfunctions
cleaning and decontaminating equipment and work areas regularly using enterprise procedures
using personal protective clothing and equipment, such as hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, safety glasses, coveralls, gown, body suits, respirators and safety boots
machinery guards
signage, barriers, flashing lights, traffic control
reporting abnormal emissions, discharges and airborne contaminants, such as noise, light, solids, liquids, water/waste water, gases, smoke, vapour, fumes, odour and particulates to appropriate personnel.

Resources may include
operators and personnel from affected work areas and functions
production, testing and sampling equipment
enterprise procedures and standard methods for sampling, testing
raw materials/ingredients, packaging components and consumables
trial documentation, such as technical specifications, plant or production line layout, MSDSs, trial request and result forms.

Health, safety and environment
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environmental (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
All operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied. Users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council and State and Territory Departments of Health. All operations are performed in accordance with standard operating procedures.

The Evidence Guide describes the underpinning knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated to prove competence.
Critical aspects of competency

Competency must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard. In particular, assessors should look to see that the candidate:

analyses trial objectives and specifications to accurately determine resource requirements
liaises with relevant personnel to ensure trials are organised and conducted efficiently
follows all safety requirements on the production floor
works within production constraints, priorities and pressures
communicates effectively with personnel from diverse cultural backgrounds
collects accurate trial data and samples in the time available
recognises, interprets and reports problems, atypical situations or unacceptable products
recommends product modifications and improvements within scope of responsibility
reports trial outcomes in accordance with enterprise procedures.

Underpinning knowledge

Competency includes the ability to apply and explain:

trial objectives, laboratory trial requirements, documentation and reporting requirements
recipes/formulations, technical specifications and quality parameters for trial products
effect on product properties of variations in recipes/formulations
general function of product properties, process stages and unit operations involved in the trial, such as-
classification of samples - screening, sieving
milling
mixing
separation - distillation, sieves, filtration, solvent extraction, chromatography
drying
concentrating
diluting
depositing - injecting, forming, extrusion
retorting
cooling, freezing, refrigeration, heat transfer
closure - vacuum sealing
weighing and packaging
materials handling and transport
warehousing
relationship between temperature and viscosity
friction, pumping, fluid flow
expected nature/condition of materials at each process stage
causes and remedies for common processing problems associated with trial products
sampling and test methods for trial products
OHS, food safety and /or environmental management procedures relevant to trial.

Assessment context and methods
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of trial documentation completed by candidate to ensure quality and timeliness
feedback from personnel involved in trials, supervisors
observation of candidate participating in production trials
oral or written questioning to check underpinning knowledge of trial procedures, sampling and test methods, common causes and remedies for product/processing problems.
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. Questioning techniques should suit the language and literacy levels of the candidate.

Interdependent assessment of unit

This unit of competency may be assessed with:

relevant PMLTEST400 and 500 series units of competency
PMLDATA400A Process and interpret data.

Resource implications

Resources may include:

access to operating plant or pilot plant for duration of trials

trials, sampling, testing enterprise procedures for:

sampling containers, sampling equipment
test equipment, laboratory instruments and reagents.

This competency in practice
A new manufacturing plant has been constructed to produce titanium dioxide TiO 2 for use in food and paint manufacture. An experienced laboratory technician is involved in the plant's commissioning process which has been designed by plant engineers. The commissioning involves trial operation of each section of the plant to achieve intermediate products, such as titanium tetra-chloride (TiCl 4) of acceptable quality for use in subsequent stages. The technician provides input to the trials by collecting and testing samples, analysing the results and providing regular reports to the engineers. The importance of the technician's work cannot be overestimated. They have to work under tight time deadlines, quality requirements and the overall pressure of commissioning the plant on time and within budget.
The laboratory is notified of an upcoming trial for sour cream using a new starter culture. A technician is assigned to perform the laboratory assessment of the trial. The technician discusses with the production supervisor about when the cream will be cultured. It is agreed that the technician will monitor the fermentation, collect samples, and coordinate testing of the final product. The technician obtains protective footwear and hearing protection to wear while in the production area. On the day of the trial the technician calibrates the process pH meter and monitors the pH of the vat as fermentation progresses. Once the desired pH is reached, the technician advises the production team to commence packing of the product. After collecting samples of the final product from the start, middle and end of packing, the technician records the sample details and distributes the sample for both internal and external laboratory testing. Final product results are collated by the technician, who reports any out of specification results to the Quality and Production Departments.

The seven key competencies represent generic skills considered for effective work participation. The bracketed numbering against each of the key competencies indicates the performance level required in this unit. These are stand-alone levels and do not correspond to levels in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Level (1) represents the competence to undertake tasks effectively
Level (2) represents the competence to manage tasks
Level (3) represents the competence to use concepts for evaluating and reshaping tasks.
Communicating ideas and information
(2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
(2)

Planning and organising activities
(2)

Working with others and in teams
(2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
(2)

Solving problems
(2)

Using technology
(2)