Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit aims to describe the competencies needed to monitor pest problems in the community that could potentially affect the health of householders and community members and identify appropriate methods of control

Application 

Working in compliance with relevant legislation and regulations within which the worker's organisation operates is essential

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify potential pest and rodent  problems in the community

1.1 Monitor, as part of job role, signs of pest and rodent problems  in the household and community that could potentially pose a risk to people's health

1.2 Identify, where relevant, environmental  (physical ) conditions that may be attributing to problems 

1.3 Discuss potential problems with householders and community members to ascertain the nature and extent of problems

1.4 Identify type of pest, activity level and location of harbourages

1.5 Estimate density of infestation from available evidence of pest activity

1.6 Report findings in accordance with organisational policy and procedures

2. Identify strategies to assist with the control of pests and rodents in the community

2.1 Seek information on strategies and methods that can be adopted to control different pests and rodents in the community

2.2 Obtain information on advantages/disadvantages and any obstacles that may exist in relation to various methods

2.3 Seek additional advice from key people and outside agencies as required

3. Determine the best form of pest eradication/ control methods for the community

3.1 Discuss potential strategies  with the organisation, community, and relevant others to determine the best course of action for the particular problem(s) to be addressed

3.2 Assess options in accordance with job role to determine if they will be the most effective solutions for the identified problem(s)

3.3 Recognise and demonstrate understanding of roles and responsibilities of the organisation, worker, householder, community and other key people and/ or outside agencies in relation to the identified strategies

3.4 Develop a work plan  in relation to the identified strategies in conjunction with supervisor

3.5 Make referrals to key people and outside agencies where appropriate and in accordance with job role

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes knowledge of:

• Basic knowledge of the diseases highlighted/ accentuated by different pests and rodents
• Different pests at different stages of their lifecycle
• How to set mosquito traps if necessary
• The links between pests, rodents and disease transmission
• Understanding of the living and breeding places of different pests and rodents, and the environmental conditions which encourage them to live and breed
• Understanding of what pests and rodents are

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes the ability to:

• Apply problem solving skills in identifying environmental (physical) conditions that may be attributing to pest problems in the household or community if relevant
• Basic reading skills may be required in relation to obtaining information from books or other resources which are not in the worker's first language
• Collaborate effectively with householders and community members in order to gain their support and approval for the strategies that have been identified and agreed to
• Effectively network and communicate with the employing organisation, householders, community members, key people and outside agencies
• Identify environmental conditions and strategies to control pests
• Use phone/ fax

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
• Competency must be demonstrated in relation to identifying environmental conditions and strategies to control pests as part of this unit
• The worker must collaborate effectively with householders and community members in order to gain their support and approval for the strategies that have been identified and agreed to
• Consistency in performance should consider the worker's ability to be able to monitor environmental (physical) conditions to determine if they might be attributing to any problems and needs to occur more than once and 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 on the job
• Assessment of competency may be through practical demonstration in the work environment or in an approved simulated work environment
• Access required to:

• a phone/ fax (to assess competency in networking - to obtain information and advice on various strategies)
• books and resources if required
• simulation of realistic work place setting

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.

Pests and rodents that could potentially pose a risk to people's health may include :

• Cockroaches
• Mosquitoes
• Flies
• Rats/ mice

Signs of pest and rodent problems may include :

• Illness:

• signs of pest related illnesses, e.g. Outbreaks of Ross River Fever, etc.

• Flies and mosquitoes:

• annoying
• easy to see
• mosquito bites

• Rats and mice:

• rat and mice droppings
• rat and mice holes
• running, chewing and/or scratching noises
• teeth marks and damage from chewing
• sometimes there is a noticeable smell of vermin in the house
• chewed through packets of dry food

• Cockroaches:

• a sweet sickly smell
• lots of little black droppings
• dead cockroaches
• empty egg cases
• chewed labels, paper and plastic

Monitored as part of job role may refer to :

• Receiving reports of pest problems from householders/ community members
• Observing signs of pest problems as part of daily activities
• Setting mosquito traps to monitor mosquito numbers if relevant

Environmental  (physical ) conditions attributing to problems may include :

• Pools of water lying under leaking taps
• Rubbish lying around the yard or community that could potentially become a breeding ground for mosquito, flies, etc.
• Houses with broken or non existent fly wire screens and doors
• Toilet vents that are not fly proofed
• Bins without tight fitting lids to keep flies out
• Septic tanks that are not sealed, or lids broken
• Toilets that are blocked or broken
• Grass/ reeds growing around and in sewage lagoons
• Overflowing drains
• Dead animals and faeces lying around
• Dirty kitchen and food preparation surfaces
• Dirty cupboards
• Household rubbish that is not properly disposed of
• Cracks or crevices in walls or ceilings

Ascertain nature and extent of problems could refer to :

• Clarifying how long the problem has been occurring, or how long it has been noticed as occurring
• Clarifying whether or not environmental (physical) conditions have been attributing to problems

Location of harborages refers to :

• Places where pests and/ or rodents are living and breeding, e.g. cracks and crevices, kitchen cupboards, cool dark and damp places, holes in walls, insulation, ceilings, between and under floor boards, etc.

Reported may be :

• Verbal in either first language or English
• Written in either first language or English ie: notes, checklists, etc.

Information may be sought by :

• Making inquiries by phone/ fax
• Networking with key people or outside agencies
• Books and resources

Strategies refers to :

• Environmental (physical), e.g. preventing opportunities for pests and rodents to live and breed by reducing access to their living and breeding places (harborages), or to the environmental conditions which encourage them to live and breed; adopting hygiene measures to control problems where necessary
• Chemical, e.g. using pesticides or other chemicals to eliminate pests and rodents
• Biological, e.g. introducing the natural enemy of the pest/ rodent in order to control and reduce their numbers

Environmental  (physical ) strategies advantages / disadvantages may include :

• Advantages may include:

• in most but not all cases it is simple easy and cost effective
• reduces potential living and breeding places for pests and/ or rodents
• prevents the possibility of disease transmission
• community control

• Disadvantages/ obstacles may include:

• remote issues, e.g. if septic tank lid is broken it may take some time for replacement to be sent out to some remote areas

Chemical strategies advantages / disadvantages may include :

• Advantages may include:

• modern pesticides are generally very effective
• it is a quick method and the results are usually quick, e.g. pests are killed within a short time

• Disadvantages/ obstacles may include:

• if pesticides are not used correctly they can seriously affect the health of the pesticide operator, other people nearby or household/ community pets
• in some instances, pesticides used incorrectly may even kill the pesticide operator, other people nearby or household/ community pets
• pesticides used incorrectly or applied wrongly may be washed into rivers, or the soil
• pesticides can enter the food chain
• pesticides can kill other non target species

Biological strategies advantages /disadvantages may include :

• Advantages may include:

• natural way to control pests, no chemicals used

• Disadvantages/ obstacles may include:

• the natural enemy introduced in an effort to control the pest/ rodent may multiply and become more of a problem than the original pest/ rodent

Key people and outside agencies may refer to :

• Entomologists
• Environmental health officers
• Other specialists/ experts ie: pest control operators
• Poisons branch
• Relevant state/territory health services

Organisation may include :

• Community council
• Community clinic
• Other employer bodies/ agencies

Relevant others may include :

• Aboriginal health workers
• Other Indigenous environmental health workers
• Elders

Options are assessed in accordance with job role may refer to :

• Does the community/ householder approve and support options
• Does funding exist to address specific problems

A work plan may include :

• Providing information and support to householders/ community members in relation to environmental (physical) conditions that may have been identified
• Making inquiries, referring, or ordering in supplies to address environmental control strategies if needed e.g. fly wire, plaster for sealing cracks or crevices, parts for broken toilets, etc.
• Making inquiries referring, or ordering in supplies in relation to chemical control strategies, e.g. obtaining information on how pesticides enter pests/ rodents, and the most appropriate pesticide to use for the task required
• Making inquiries, referring, or ordering in supplies in relation to biological control methods if appropriate

Referrals may be by :

• Verbal or written correspondence e.g. fax, letter, email
• Photos of the problem/issue
• Video recording the problem issue