Modification History
Not applicable.
Unit Descriptor
Unit descriptor |
This unit of competency covers planning, allocation of tasks, coordination, quality assurance, monitoring resource usage and recording and reporting of laboratory operations. This requires using significant judgement about work sequences and choosing appropriate technology and procedures to ensure that products and services meet customer expectations, and are provided safely and efficiently in keeping with the enterprise business plan. |
Application of the Unit
Application of the unit |
This unit of competency is applicable to senior technical officers and laboratory supervisors working in all industry sectors. Responsibility is undertaken for the day-to-day operation of the functional area under broad direction from more senior staff such as scientists, medical staff and engineers, Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These can be found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'. |
Licensing/Regulatory Information
Not applicable.
Pre-Requisites
Prerequisite units |
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Employability Skills Information
Employability skills |
This unit contains employability skills. |
Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. |
Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT |
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Monitor and direct work practices within functional area |
1.1. Ensure that personnel follow all relevant procedures, regulations and standards 1.2. Confirm that all technical work is performed in accordance with relevant standards, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and schedules 1.3. Ensure that analytical results/data are checked, collated and distributed in accordance with enterprise requirements 1.4. Monitor testing and sampling procedures for quality control in accordance with enterprise requirements 1.5. Identify and resolve complex problems by using agreed problem solving strategies and act to prevent their recurrence |
2. Manage personnel within work area |
2.1. Develop and coordinate rosters to balance job requirements, laboratory efficiency and skill development opportunities 2.2. Empower work groups/teams in dealing with technical and work flow problems and suggesting improvements 2.3. Provide coaching and mentoring to support personnel who have difficulties with meeting targets for performance and/or resource usage 2.4. Establish and maintain effective communication with all personnel and clients to ensure smooth and efficient operations |
3. Establish resource requirements and operating budgets |
3.1. Collect and analyse available resource information in consultation with appropriate personnel 3.2. Prepare operational plans which make the best use of available resources, taking into account client needs and enterprise plans 3.3. Identify and analyse possible variances due to external/internal factors and prepare contingency plans 3.4. Compile operating budgets as required |
4. Procure resources to achieve operational plans |
4.1. Analyse resource requirements and sources of supply in terms of suitability, cost, quality and availability 4.2. Select and purchase new materials and equipment in accordance with enterprise procedures 4.3. Coordinate stocktaking of materials and equipment to ensure maintenance of stock at prescribed levels 4.4. Ensure that personnel are competent to perform required tasks and organise training if required 4.5. Arrange for the recruitment and induction of personnel as appropriate |
5. Monitor and optimise operational performance and resource usage |
5.1. Monitor the relationship between budget and actual performance to foresee problems 5.2. Analyse variations in budget performance and either report or rectify abnormal/sub-optimal performance 5.3. Negotiate with designated personnel and seek approval for variations to operational plans as required 5.4. Assess utilisation of plant, equipment and consumables and compare with planned usage 5.5. Rectify sub-optimal utilisation of plant, equipment and consumables 5.6. Program and arrange for maintenance of plant and equipment in accordance with enterprise maintenance schedules 5.7. Maintain systems, procedures and records associated with resource usage in accordance with enterprise requirements |
Required Skills and Knowledge
REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE |
This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit. |
Required skills |
Required skills include:
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Required knowledge |
Required knowledge includes:
Specific industry Additional knowledge requirements may apply for different industry sectors. For example: Biomedical and environmental:
Food processing:
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Evidence Guide
EVIDENCE GUIDE |
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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. |
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Overview of assessment |
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Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit |
Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
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Context of and specific resources for assessment |
This unit of competency should be assessed in a laboratory environment that meets Australian standards for working laboratories or is accredited by NATA or the Royal College of Pathology. The assessment timeframe must allow for adequate assessment over a planning cycle. This unit of competency may be assessed with:
Resources may include:
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Method of assessment |
The following assessment methods are suggested:
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 to show its relevance in a workplace setting. Manufacturing A laboratory supervisor analysed the costs of regular heavy metal testing of the wastewater stream leaving the company's plant. He/she compared these costs with a quotation from an external environmental consulting company and noted that it would be more cost effective to outsource the current level of testing. However, the supervisor argued that the company should retain this capability in-house given the impact of impending legislation which will require it to develop an environmental management plan and introduce more complex monitoring. He/she demonstrated that it would benefit the company more in the long run if they recruited one new technician, retrained existing laboratory staff and continued to perform all wastewater testing on site. Food processing A technical officer had to complete a wide range of chemical analyses that required samples to be ignited for many hours in a muffler furnace, digested with acid, prepared for analysis by atomic absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography (GC), and titrated against standard solutions. The laboratory supervisor noticed that the number of analyses performed each day by the technician tended to fluctuate widely without an obvious cause. Closer observation showed that the technician's efficiency was dependent on the order in which the analyses were begun and the use of the auto sampler for overnight operation of the GC. The supervisor suggested several ways to improve the technician's time management. The supervisor installed a timer on the muffler furnace so that it could be operated overnight and organised the technician to perform labour intensive tasks after automated analyses had been initiated. The supervisor then showed the technician the optimum order to perform individual tasks and verified that his instructions were followed over succeeding weeks. The supervisor's actions significantly improved the productivity of the laboratory. Later it became obvious that the technician's time management system was not working as effectively as it had. Again, the supervisor monitored the technician's work and realised that since the daily analytical load was seasonal, a second management system had to be developed that was dedicated to the new season. Both systems were sufficiently flexible to take account of short term fluctuations in workload. In summary, the organisational skills of the supervisor and technician's ability to follow detailed instructions resulted in a more efficient use of company time, labour and resources. |
Range Statement
RANGE STATEMENT |
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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. |
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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:
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Equipment and systems |
Equipment and systems may include:
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Problem solving |
Problem solving may include:
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Communication |
Communication may be with:
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Supervisory responsibilities |
Supervisory responsibilities may include:
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Occupational health and safety (OHS ) and environmental management requirements |
OHS and environmental management requirements:
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Unit Sector(s)
Unit sector |
Communication/organisation |
Competency field
Competency field |
Co-requisite units
Co-requisite units |
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