Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to determine linen rental requirements for a client.

Application of the Unit 

This unit applies to selecting appropriate linen rental product and volume, ensuring the efficient scheduling of pick up and delivery timetables, and monitoring rental procedures. It includes identifying quality standards and laundry processing requirements.

Work may be conducted in small to large scale enterprises and may involve individual and team-related activities.

This unit is applied according to OHS and workplace practices of the enterprise, which may include:

• requirements prescribed by legislation, awards, agreements and conditions of employment
• standard operating procedures
• work instructions
• oral, written and visual communication
• quality practices, including responsibility for maintenance of own work quality and contribution to quality improvement of team or section output
• housekeeping
• tasks related to environmental protection, waste disposal, pollution control and recycling

This unit requires the application of skills associated with written and verbal communication and calculations, when obtaining and confirming information on rental requirements. This unit also requires the ability to apply initiative and enterprise, problem solving and planning and organising skills to determining cost effective and quality linen rental services. An understanding of laundry operations is required to ensure rental services comply with the processes of other sections of the enterprise.

Prerequisites 

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify rental requirements

1.1 Typical linen requirements  for types of businesses are identified

1.2 Quality standards  of the clients' industry are identified

1.3 Volume of linen and duration of rental period required is determined

1.4 Appropriate linen is identified according to function and style requirements 

1.5 Preferred linen is considered in terms of cost requirements

1.6 Linen is selected and requirements documented

2. Coordinate delivery and collection timetables

2.1 Selected linen is checked against stock availability and ordering requirements

2.2 Pick up and delivery frequency is identified, according to required volume, and client location

2.3 Pick up and delivery frequency is confirmed against production and ordering requirements

2.4 Pick up and delivery schedule is coordinated

2.5 Linen order and schedule are finalised and confirmed with client and correctly documented

3 Complete linen rental

3.1 Orders and delivery and collection requirements are documented

3.2 Orders and delivery and collection requirements are discussed and confirmed with production supervisors

3.3 Linen rental costs are calculated and provided for client consideration

3.4 Linen rental terms and conditions are confirmed with the client

3.5 Linen rental orders and schedules are documented

3.6 Work is conducted according to OHS practices 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level

Demonstrates knowledge of:

• types and functions of various linen for table, bed, bath and kitchen use
• quality standards for linen use in the hospitality and health industries
• ordering and scheduling guidelines
• despatch and receival procedures
• workplace practices
• OHS practices, including hazard identification and control measures
• quality practices
• practices for recording and reporting

Demonstrates skills to:

• communicate effectively with clients and production personnel
• identify client requirements
• calculate required volume and frequency of linen
• provide accurate costing
• coordinate pick up and delivery timetables
• check orders against delivery and collection timetables
• meet customer and workplace specifications and requirements
• document, assess, and transfer information
• read, interpret, and follow information on work specifications, standard operating procedures and work instructions, and other reference material
• maintain accurate records
• communicate within the workplace
• sequence operations
• clarify and check task-related information
• carry out work according to OHS practices

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 the Training Package.

Critical aspects of evidence to be considered 

Demonstrates skills and knowledge to:

• accurately identify client requirements
• correctly determine appropriate linen order, volume and frequency
• coordinate delivery and collection timetables
• document rental orders and schedules

Consistency in performance 

Consistently applies skills and knowledge when:

• organising work
• completing tasks
• identifying improvements
• using workplace practices
• using OHS practices
• recording and reporting accidents and incidents
• assessing operational readiness of equipment used and work processes
• recognising and adapting to cultural differences in the workplace, including modes of behaviour and interactions
• completing work systematically with attention to detail without damage to goods and equipment

Resource implications 

Access is required to real or appropriately simulated situations, including work areas, materials and equipment, and to information on workplace practices and OHS practices.

Context for assessment 

Assessment may occur on the job or in an appropriately simulated environment.

Interdependent assessment 

This unit may be assessed independently or in combination with other relevant units.

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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Legislative/regulatory requirements

All work must comply with relevant Federal and State or Territory legislative or regulatory requirements.

Typical linen requirements may include:

• bedding and bathroom linen for motels
• table and kitchen linen for a restaurant
• hospital linen

Quality standards include:

General guidelines or conventions for a particular industry or sector of an industry in terms of quality of linens typically used, eg:

• the quality of linen usually required for a four-star hotel.

Function and style requirements include but are not limited to:

• colour
• size
• weight
• warmth
• fibre
• design
• stain resistance
• durability

OHS practices

OHS practices must include hazard identification and control, risk assessment and implementation of risk reduction measures specific to the tasks described by this unit, and may include:

• manual handling techniques
• standard operating procedures
• personal protective equipment
• safe materials handling
• taking of rest breaks
• ergonomic arrangement of workplaces
• following marked walkways
• safe storage of equipment
• housekeeping
• reporting accidents and incidents
• other OHS practices relevant to the job and enterprise

Sector 

Laundry Operations