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 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set
AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set
principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)
Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP)
safety manuals
quality manuals and equipment and procedure manuals
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
production and laboratory schedules
material, production and product specifications
Preparation of samples
Preparation of samples may include:
aseptic transfer of specimen
centrifugation
cooling
drying
filling a counting chamber in one continuous flow without bubbles or overflow
filtration
fixing of films to minimise cell damage and the production of artefacts
labelling
mounting of stained films, sections and whole mounts to ensure long term preservation
permanent labels for smears, films and sections for presentation, storage and retrieval
physical or chemical separation
selection of diluent to preserve or enhance visibility of the cells to be counted
selection, filling and cover slipping of a clean, dry counting chamber to ensure even distribution of cells during filling
serial dilution to enable individual cells to be reliably counted
staining of fixed material to illustrate required characteristics
sub-sampling
thin film or smear on a slide
Checking sample condition
Checking sample condition may include:
labelling
spillage
spoilage due to incorrect storage and transport conditions
temperature control
suitability for the examination
Pre-use checks
Pre-use checks may include:
calibration
cleaning/checking use by dates of reagents
routine maintenance
Equipment
Equipment may include:
glass slides
counting chambers (e.g. haemocytometer)
optical graticules and stage micrometers
tissue culture flasks
Light microscopes
Light microscopes may include:
bright field illumination microscopic examination up to 1000x magnification
stereomicroscopes and dissection microscopes
compound microscopes
phase contrast microscopes
inverted microscopes
Biological samples
Biological samples may include:
smears, impression smears, sections, squashes, films and whole mounts
a monolayer of cells in smears and films
fixed smears for demonstration of bacteria by the methylene blue and Gram staining techniques
blood films stained by a Romanowsky technique to clearly show differentiation of granulocytes
stained sections of animal tissues using regressive haematoxylin and eosin to differentiate cytoplasmic and nuclear detail
differentially stained monocotyledon and dicotyledon stem sections to demonstrate the structure of vascular bundles (xylem, phloem and cambium)
stained whole mounts of helminths
whole mounts, such as liver flukes, planaria and samples of animal faeces to demonstrate ova, cysts and larvae
pond water organisms
onion root tip squash
midstream sample of urine
Physical samples
Physical samples may include:
sand
asbestos fibres
coal samples
construction testing materials
geological specimens
Checking prepared samples
Checking prepared samples may include looking for:
clean and scratch-free microscope slides to reduce artefacts
preparation according to SOPs
a homogeneous suspension of sample
films and smears that have been fixed rapidly
thin films with a monolayer of cells
appropriate whole mounts for intact organisms
correct sample identification during and after processing
Sample characteristics
Sample characteristics are restricted to what can be viewed by bright light microscopy and may include:
shape and size of particles
presence of contamination
colour
consistency and variability
number of cells (e.g. cells in blood or other particulate samples, such as a yeast suspension or pollen grains)
type of cells, percentage of atypical cells, presence/absence of cells, size of cells, viable and non-viable cells and trajectory
presence of stained material, such as starch
colour/staining and morphology
motility
Calculations
Calculations may include:
dilutions
percentage viability
number of cells in original sample after dilution
calculation of cells/ml in a number of squares of a counting chamber
Hazards
Hazards may include:
micro-organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products and human or animal tissue and fluids
chemicals and stains
sharps and broken glassware
aerosols
Safety practices and personal protective equipment
Safety practices and personal protective equipment may include:
use of MSDS
use of personal protective equipment, such as safety glasses, gloves and coveralls
use of biohazard containers and laminar flow cabinet
correct labelling of reagents and hazardous materials
handling and storing hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS and manufacturer's instructions
ergonomic layout, correct illumination and organisation of workbench
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:
follow enterprise standards, procedures and practices
prepare suitable samples
recognise, identify and document significant sample characteristics
set up a light microscope for optimal resolution
maintain personal safety and that of others
minimise cross-contamination and contamination of the laboratory and environment.

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:
MSL922001A Record and present data
MSL933002A Contribute to the achievement of quality objectives
MSL943002A Participate in laboratory/field workplace safety
MSL953001A Receive and prepare samples for testing.
Resources may include:
standard laboratory equipped with appropriate equipment, such as light microscopes and samples
enterprise procedures, standard methods and materials.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
observation of the candidate performing microscopic examinations
review of data records prepared by the candidate, such as counts, observations and results
feedback from supervisors and peers about adherence to enterprise/technical procedures
questioning to assess underpinning knowledge.
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.
Construction materials testing
The supply of river sand is running out and quarries are accessing alternative sources of sand for use in concrete mixes in construction. The sand should not be an aggregate that is likely to break down into smaller particles. A technician in a quarry company is required to analyse samples of crushed rock using a light microscope. The technician looks for characteristics of the sample, such as angularities, roundness, sharpness, cracks, presence of organic matter, mineral structure and whether the particles are a conglomerate. If the sample does not meet the characteristics, the company will need to treat it to make it suitable for use in concrete mixes (for example by washing, crushing and sieving).
Food processing
A customer complaint is received about the baking properties of a flour delivery. The laboratory assistant at the flour mill is given the task of testing the starch content of the suspect flour. He/she prepares iodine stained samples of the returned flour and a range of baked and partially baked products prepared from it. First, the assistant makes up fresh iodine staining solution and then prepares slides of each sample for microscopic examination. He/she identifies the characteristic starch granules of the flour sample and records the degree of gelatinisation in the starch granules in the baked samples. He/she discusses the results with the supervisor and prepares a report for the customer.
Biomedical
A laboratory assistant works in the microbiology laboratory of a public hospital and is responsible for preparing and staining sputum smears from patients for micro and culture. The assistant puts on a clean gown and gloves before collecting the specimens from the reception area of the laboratory. The assistant prepares cultures of the sputum specimens on simple and selective media before preparing, fixing and staining smears for microscopic examination. The results are checked by the supervisor, entered into the laboratory information management system (LIMS) and sent to the appropriate section of the hospital.
Environmental
A laboratory assistant prepares media for plant tissue culture. There has been some contamination of Gram-positive bacteria in the last two batches and the supervisor has initiated an overhaul of the preparation and aliquotting procedure. The laboratory assistant has been asked to follow the new procedure exactly and to remove samples at each stage of ingredient addition for microscopic examination. The laboratory assistant records the exact addition amounts, batch numbers and brands of the reagents, the location of the addition (which biohazard cabinet), the equipment used and the pre-sterilisation records of all equipment.
The laboratory assistant then prepares slides, fixes them and performs a Gram stain on each of the aliquots removed from the new preparation run. Microscopic analysis of each aliquot reveals nil contamination. The supervisor decides that there has been a breach in the old procedure and the laboratory assistant is asked to follow the new procedure and to perform a routine microscopic check on all batches for the next month.