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
calibration and maintenance schedules
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
equipment manuals
equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures
industry codes of practice
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
material, production and product specifications
national environment protection measures
occupational health and safety national standards and codes of practice
production and laboratory schedules
quality manuals
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Tools and equipment
Tools and equipment may include:
coating solutions and baths
grinding tools and abrasives
bench, handlamp and ribbon burners
gas supplies and gas economisers
glass working lathes
annealing ovens
measuring and recording equipment
hand tools, such as carbon paddles and mandrels, range of forceps, glass tubing gauges, angle setting jigs, calipers, glass support rollers, brass shapers, carbon rods, glass knife, stainless steel gauze, vernier calipers and other measuring tools, and strain viewer
mechanical glass cutters and saws
mechanical glass grinding equipment
safety clothing and equipment
Glass coating
Glass coating may include:
cleaning and preparation of glass
preparing coating solutions
coating/strip coating and dedicated coating
protecting coated surfaces
electroplating
removal/partial removal of coating
Grinding
Grinding may include:
selection of abrasives and metal grinding tools
interpreting specifications for glass-ground joints
using grinding procedures
testing ground surfaces for leakage
preparing glass stopcocks
Finishing
Finishing may include:
cleaning, rinsing and drying
evacuating and sealing
metallising (if applicable)
flame and/or mechanical polishing
Hazards
Hazards may include:
sharps and broken glassware
residues on used glassware, such as mercury
heat sources, such as burners and ovens
fluids under pressure (acetylene and oxygen)
glass dust
cuts associated with glass grinders and cutters
manual handling of heavy equipment and containers
Safety practices
Safety practices may include:
use of personal protective equipment, such as heat resistant gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls, respirators and safety boots
correct labelling of reagents and hazardous materials
handling, and storing hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer's instructions, and enterprise procedures and regulations
regular cleaning and/or decontamination of equipment and work areas
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:
apply appropriate techniques to clean and prepare glass surfaces
apply knowledge of chemical and physical science to glassblowing situations and make appropriate conclusions
metal coat glass surfaces or apply opaque treatments to industry standards
grind and hand lap glass to be used in fabrication and for precision fit
apply finishing techniques to complete job
identify atypical situations and take appropriate action
select appropriate grades of glass, coating materials, abrasives and finishing agents for job
optimise and use materials and equipment
communicate with customers/research team to meet timeline commitments
record and report work results
follow correct OHS and principles of GLP.

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:
MSL965001A Design and manufacture glass apparatus and glass systems
MSL965003A Construct, modify and maintain vacuum systems.
Resources may include:
access to scientific glassblowing facility, appropriate equipment, materials and procedures which will allow for appropriate and realistic simulation
access to more than one workplace or simulated learning environment if the primary workplace or learning environment is unable to provide a suitable range of equipment.

Method of assessment
It is strongly recommended that assessment is conducted through observation over time. The timeframe must allow for adequate assessment of operation under all normal and a range of abnormal conditions. Where this is not practical additional assessment techniques must be used.
The following assessment methods are suggested:
inspection of examples of glasswork and workplace documentation completed by the candidate
analysis of the candidate's work records over a period of time to ensure accurate and consistent work is obtained within required timelines
feedback from peers and supervisors
oral/written questioning.
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 study below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Education
A request has been made for a non-standard, 30mm diameter optical cell with a 125mm path length that has a silvered evacuated jacket for insulation properties and stopcock for filling. The scientific glassblower completes a full scale drawing from the schematic sketch provided with the request and determines the type of glass to be used from the transmittance wavelength properties of the light source used. The two optical discs are then ground and polished and tested for flatness. The custom dimension stopcock is manufactured and stopcock barrel and key are ground on specialised mandrel tapers using carborundum slurries. The stopcock is then tested to British Standards to ensure compliance with leakage rates. The cell is then assembled by sealing the stopcock and optical discs to the insulated jacketed glass tube. Annealing protocols are followed and then the jacket is silvered, mindful of the safety issues related to the chemicals used. The jacket is emptied of the silver solution, dried, evacuated using a vacuum line and then sealed. The optical cell is then delivered for use.