Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to clean up plant, equipment and worksite in accordance with safeworking and regulatory requirements and workplace procedures. It includes planning and preparing work, arranging the clear up and disposal/reclamation of material, operating cleaning equipment and mobile plant, finalising the work and restoring the site. Licensing or certification requirements are not applicable to this unit.

Application of the Unit 

Persons achieving competence in this unit will need to fulfil the applicable legislated rail safety requirements including acts and regulations from each state and territory together with any nationally approved compliance codes and/or guidelines.

Work is performed under some supervision, generally within a team environment. It involves the application of routine operational principles and procedures to the cleaning up of plant, equipment and worksites as part of workplace activities across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian rail system.

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Plan and prepare work 

1.1 Details of cleaning requirements are identified by instructions, inspections, work orders and schedules

1.2 Materials and equipment are identified and obtained

1.3 Required materials to be removed and methods of removal are identified to facilitate clean up

2 Clear up and dispose of or reclaim material 

2.1 Storage/disposal areas and quarantine zones are identified to ensure environmentally sound disposal

2.2 Reclaimed material is removed to storage areas using appropriate methods

2.3 Non-required materials/services are removed and disposed of in appropriate manner to ensure clean and environmentally stable site

2.4 Site is inspected for overlooked materials to minimise wastage and losses

3 Operate cleaning equipment and mobile plant 

3.1 Cleaning and mobile plant is operated to site/manufacturers requirements

3.2 Operator maintenance is performed to manufacturers/site standards

3.3 Cleaning equipment is cleaned and stored

4 Finalise work and restore site 

4.1 Where used, barriers are removed or checked for integrity to ensure access to correct areas

4.2 Site is left in suitable surface condition to ensure an environmentally sound, safe and clean site

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

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

Required knowledge :

• Relevant safety, OH&S and environmental procedures and regulations

• Workplace procedures for the cleaning up of plant, equipment and worksites

• Problems that may occur during the cleaning up of plant, equipment and worksites, and action that can be taken to report or resolve the problems

• Hazards that may exist when cleaning up plant, equipment and worksites, and ways of controlling the risks involved

• Cleaning agents/sealants and their properties and precautions for their use

• Cleaning equipment and related materials and their applications

• Relevant recording and documentation requirements

• Manufacturers instructions for the cleaning of equipment

• Material safety data sheets (MSDS)

Required skills :

• Read and interpret instructions, procedures, information and signs relevant to the cleaning up of plant, equipment and worksites

• Interpret and follow operational instructions

• Complete documentation related to the cleaning up of plant, equipment and worksites

• Operate communication equipment to required protocol

• Promptly report and/or rectify any identified problems in accordance with workplace procedures

• Apply precautions to minimise, control or eliminate hazards that may exist during work activities

• Monitor work activities in terms of planned schedule

• Modify activities depending on differing operational contingencies, risk situations and environments

• Work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment

• Operate and adapt to differences in equipment and sites in accordance with standard operating procedures

• Apply cleaning agents, sealants and chemicals

• Select and use required personal protective equipment conforming to industry and OH&S standards

• Identify and reclaim salvageable materials

• Identify and remove water/waste/surplus materials

• Operate and maintain relevant cleaning equipment

• Use barriers correctly

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required knowledge and skills, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this Training Package.

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 and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria of this unit and include demonstration of applying:

• the underpinning knowledge and skills
• relevant legislation and workplace procedures
• other relevant aspects of the range statement

• Assessment must include exercises which demonstrate competent performance of the following in a range of situations:

• identifying and obtaining correct materials and equipment
• operating cleaning equipment correctly
• disposing of waste materials correctly
• leaving site in a suitable condition

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Performance is demonstrated consistently over a period of time and in a suitable range of contexts
• Resources for assessment include:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulated practical and knowledge assessment, and/or
• access to an appropriate range of relevant operational situations in the workplace

• In both real and simulated environments, access is required to:

• relevant and appropriate materials and equipment, and
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

Method of assessment 

• Assessment of this unit must be undertaken by a registered training organisation
• As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral tests
• Practical assessment must occur:

• through activities in an appropriately simulated environment at the registered training organisation, and/or
• in an appropriate range of situations in the workplace

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.

Operations may be conducted:

• by day or night
• in all relevant weather conditions

Materials may include:

• floor stripper
• floor polish
• floor cleaner
• disinfectant
• degreaser
• bleach
• petrochemicals

Tools may include:

• cleaning tools
• hand tools

Cleaning equipment may include:

• hoses
• lances
• pneumatic tube hones
• high speed polishers
• vacuum cleaners
• steam cleaners
• brooms
• buckets
• mops
• shovels
• duster
• internal combustion driven vacuum cleaner

Cleaning operations may also include:

• water lancing
• internal boiler washing

Communication methods may include:

• written
• verbal
• radio/mobile phone

Depending on the type of organisation concerned and the local terminology used, workplace procedures may include:

• company procedures
• enterprise procedures
• organisational procedures
• established procedures

Safety and personal protective equipment may include:

• high visibility clothing
• hearing protection and gloves
• sunscreen
• sunglasses and safety glasses
• insect repellent
• safety headwear
• safety footwear
• portable radios/mobile phone
• hand lamps
• flags
• safety devices

Disposal of material may involve:

• the use of a quarantine zone in accordance with environmental regulations and requirements

Information/documents may include:

• operational instructions, policies and workplace procedures
• relevant logs or record books
• notices, records and requests
• technical instructions
• manufacturers or workplace equipment operation manuals
• emergency procedure manuals
• two-way radio/mobile phone operation procedures
• environmental regulations and associated requirements
• conditions of service, legislation and industrial agreements including workplace agreements and awards

Applicable regulations and legislation may include:

• legislated rail safety requirements including acts and regulations from each applicable state and territory together with any nationally approved compliance codes and/or guidelines
• relevant Australian Standards and related requirements
• relevant state/territory OH&S legislation
• relevant state/territory environmental protection legislation

Competency Field 

B - Equipment Checking and Maintenance