Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers preparing safe operating procedures for calibration of equipment and defines the standard required to: compile information on the equipment, the rate of application required, and the expertise of the operator; develop operating procedures to ensure accurate calibration; carry out an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) risk assessment of the calibration task and incorporate risk controls into the safe operating procedures; review the safe operating procedures in case of accident or incident, and at regular intervals.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to those whose job role includes preparing enterprise procedures for the calibration of equipment used in the application of weed control chemicals and bioagents.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify needs

1.1. Equipment requiring calibration procedures is identified correctly in line with manufacturers' instructions, enterprise practice and regulatory requirements as appropriate.

1.2. Skill levels of operators relating to calibration are assessed in consultation with operators and supervisors where appropriate.

2. Compile relevant information

2.1. Information required for procedures is acquired from appropriate sources.

3. Prepare procedure

3.1. Information in procedures complies with relevant regulatory requirements, manufacturers' instructions and industry practice as applicable.

3.2. Procedures are in a form clearly understandable to the intended users.

3.3. OHS issues relevant to the activities in the procedures are made clear to the users.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• identify needs for calibration
• analyse tasks involved in calibration
• prepare procedures for calibration clearly and accurately in a manner suited to the users
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• relevant OHS, pesticides and environmental legislation, codes of practice and enterprise procedures
• chemical handling and application
• OHS issues involved in calibration
• mechanical and electronic controls on application equipment.

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 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• compile information on the equipment, the rate of application required, and the expertise of the operator
• develop operating procedures to ensure accurate calibration
• carry out an OHS risk assessment of the calibration task and incorporate risk controls into the safe operating procedures
• review the safe operating procedures in case of accident or incident, and at regular intervals.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Equipment may include:

• the range of equipment used in the application of weed control chemicals and bioagents.

Unit sector 

Chemicals

Co-requisite units 

Competency field