Simulated workplaceCAQA Veritas Laboratories is a fictional business created by CAQA for training and assessment. It is not a real company and no person, client or record here is real.About this simulation
MSLCAQA VeritasSimulated workplace
Simulated workplace
Scenario · Sample Reception and Logistics

Receive and register the Hunter reservoir samples

You are a laboratory assistant in Sample Reception and Logistics.

Entry2 to 3 hours7 tasks
Start the tasksAll scenarios
Home/Scenarios/Receive and register the Hunter reservoir samples
The situation

What has happened

The field crew returns at 1:30 pm with 40 drinking water samples from the Hunter Valley Water Alliance reservoir and reticulation run under job CJ-26-0412. Each site has a microbiology bottle with a thiosulfate preservative and a chemistry bottle. Microbiology samples must reach the suite within the holding time and chemistry samples go to the cold room. Ben Castellano expects the cooler temperature recorded, the chain of custody checked line by line and every sample registered with the correct tests before 3:30 pm. The probe thermometer normally used at receipt is under repair, so the spare must be located in the equipment register.

Your brief. Receive the batch correctly, identify and record any discrepancies, register all 40 samples in the sample register with the right tests, holding times and storage locations, deliver microbiology samples to the suite on time and hand over to the sections with a record of transfer.
Read the work request in your inbox
Tasks

Deliverables

  • Completed and signed chain of custody with receipt details
  • Sample register records for the batch
  • Transfer acknowledgement from microbiology
  • Handover note to the supervisor

Documents to use

Systems to use

Sample Register

The laboratory information register of every sample received, its matrix, tests, storage, holding time and progress from receipt to reported.

Equipment and Calibration Register

Lists every item of measuring and testing equipment with its calibration interval, last and next calibration, verification checks and service status.

Client Job Register

Tracks client enquiries, quotes and jobs from request to invoice, with the agreed scope, turnaround and reporting status.

For trainers and assessors

Units of competency

Current on training.gov.au for the Laboratory Operations as at 10 September 2026.

MSL953005Receive and prepare samples for testing
MSL912002Work within a laboratory or field workplace
MSL943004Participate in laboratory or field workplace safety
MSL922002Record and present data

Qualifications

MSL30122Certificate III in Laboratory Skills
MSL20122Certificate II in Sampling and Measurement
Assessor notes

What to look for

Evidence guide

Look for the temperature recorded with an in-service thermometer, every line of the chain of custody checked and discrepancies recorded rather than ignored, sample register entries with correct tests and holding times, and microbiology samples delivered within time with a transfer record. The candidate must have reported discrepancies before registering, as the procedure requires.

The student's evidence summary lists every record they created or changed in the systems named above, their notes and the tasks they ticked. Verify it against the deliverables and your own assessment tool.