This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to unload aviation freight and baggage, in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and national operating standards.

It includes preparing for aircraft arrival, operating in-hold aircraft loading system to unload freight and baggage, and responding to problems in unloading freight and baggage from an aircraft.

This unit addresses aviation technical skill requirements (physical, mental and task-management abilities) related to load handling duties of flight and ground operations personnel, and contributes to safe and effective performance in complex aviation operational environments.

Operations are conducted as part of recreational, commercial and military aircraft activities across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian aviation industry.

Work is performed independently or under limited supervision as a single operator or within a team environment.

Work is performed independently or under limited supervision within a single-pilot or multi-crew environment.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Use for Defence Aviation is to be in accordance with relevant Defence Orders, Instructions, Publications and Regulations.

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1 

Prepare for aircraft arrival 

1.1

Allocated flight number is checked and off-load instruction report is obtained

1.2

Appropriate personal protective equipment is selected, fitted and worn in accordance with established workplace procedures

1.3

Hazards are identified, risks are assessed and hazard management is implemented

1.4

Designated aircraft bay is checked prior to aircraft arrival

1.5

Foreign object debris (FOD) is identified and removed

1.6

Pre-operational check of aircraft unloading equipment is conducted prior to aircraft arrival

1.7

Aircraft unloading equipment is correctly positioned prior to aircraft arrival

2 

Operate in-hold aircraft loading system to unload freight and baggage  

2.1

Aircraft cargo hold door/s surrounds are checked for damage prior to opening

2.2

Damaged aircraft cargo hold door/s are reported in accordance with established workplace procedures

2.3

Aircraft cargo hold door/s are opened in accordance with established workplace procedures and manufacturer instructions

2.4

Aircraft in-hold system is checked prior to unloading freight and baggage

2.5

Aircraft is unloaded and confirmed in accordance with aircraft off-load instruction report

2.6

Aircraft cargo hold door/s are closed and secured in accordance with aircraft schedule and established workplace procedures

2.7

Security seals are placed on aircraft cargo hold door/s in accordance with workplace procedures and regulatory requirements

3 

Respond to problems in unloading freight and baggage from an aircraft 

3.1

Faults identified during unloading of freight and baggage from aircraft cargo hold are correctly and promptly identified and appropriate solution/s is determined in conjunction with other team members and/or load supervisor/team leader, in accordance with workplace procedures and regulatory requirements

3.2

Malfunctions of in-hold loading system are correctly and promptly identified and appropriate action is taken to rectify and/or report problems in accordance with workplace procedures and regulatory requirements

3.3

Identified problems that cannot be readily resolved by unloading team is reported and referred to appropriate personnel

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Unloading of aviation freight and baggage must be carried out in one or more of the following:

• international airports, domestic airports, regional airports and remote airfields
• any aircraft type in service in Australia

Aviation freight and baggage must include one or more of the following:

• air cargo/freight
• aircraft components
• allowable dangerous goods
• containers/pallets loaded with freight/baggage
• diplomatic items
• fragile and perishable goods
• human remains
• live freight
• loose freight
• mail
• unaccompanied baggage
• unit load device (ULD) loaded with freight or baggage
• valuables

Hazards that may exist when unloading aviation freight/baggage must include one or more of the following:

• climatic conditions/extreme temperature
• dust
• falling freight/baggage
• fire
• freight/baggage containing dangerous goods (declared and/or undeclared)
• freight/baggage containing illegal substances
• freight/baggage found to be a security risk
• freight/baggage of unusual shape or physical size
• heavy freight/baggage
• incorrect lifting and manoeuvring techniques (manual handling) for type of freight/baggage concerned, usually in aircraft cargo hold confined spaces
• incorrectly labelled freight/baggage
• moving equipment within hold including belt loaders
• noise
• overweight freight/baggage
• poorly stacked/stowed/secured freight/baggage
• protruding surfaces in aircraft bulkhead and hold structures
• uneven surfaces or gaps in floor of aircraft hold

Personal protective equipment must include one or more of the following:

• hearing protection
• high visibility clothing
• protective clothing
• safety footwear
• safety glasses
• safety gloves
• sun protection

Documentation must include one or more of the following:

• air waybills
• aircraft load/trim sheets
• aircraft off-load instruction report
• conditions of service, legislation and industrial/workplace agreements and awards
• emergency procedures
• equipment logs/records
• flight schedules and gate allocations
• in a Defence context, relevant Defence Orders and Instructions
• induction and training materials
• load manifests
• manufacturer specifications and instructions for the in-hold loading system for the aircraft type
• work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations
• operational checklists for in-hold loading systems
• pre/post operational equipment checklists
• procedures for handling special freight/baggage such as live freight, dangerous goods, oversized baggage, fragile freight/baggage and perishable freight/baggage
• relevant sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs) and Civil Aviation Orders pertaining to unloading of aviation freight/baggage
• workplace procedures and instructions, and job specifications

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions on at least one occasion and include:

• adapting to differences in equipment and operating environment in accordance with standard operating procedures
• applying precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate identified hazards
• applying relevant regulations, legislation and workplace procedures
• applying safe manual handling techniques
• communicating effectively with others
• completing relevant documentation
• correcting techniques for unloading an aircraft in accordance with aircraft off-load instruction report
• identifying and correctly using equipment required to unload aviation freight/baggage
• implementing contingency plans
• implementing work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) procedures and relevant regulations
• interpreting and following operational instructions and prioritising work
• modifying activities depending on workplace contingencies, situations and environments
• monitoring and anticipating operational problems and hazards and taking appropriate action
• monitoring work activities in terms of planned schedule
• operating electronic communications equipment to required protocol
• reading, interpreting and following relevant regulations, instructions, procedures, information, signs and labels
• reporting and/or rectifying identified problems promptly, in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures
• responding appropriately to cultural differences in the workplace
• selecting and using required personal protective equipment (PPE) conforming to industry and WHS/OHS standards
• working collaboratively with others
• working systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions and include knowledge of:

• features and differences of aircraft in-hold loading systems used in various aircraft types
• layout of airport and location of aircraft gates
• manufacturer instructions for relevant aircraft in-hold loading systems
• people to be consulted about unloading aviation freight and baggage:

• aircrew
• check-in staff
• ground support staff
• load controllers
• load supervisors, team leaders and managers
• other members of the freight/baggage loading and ramp teams
• technical staff

• principles for safely and effectively handling and unloading freight/baggage from an aircraft cargo hold
• problems that may occur when unloading aviation freight/baggage, and appropriate action that should be taken in each case
• purpose, use and interpretation of aircraft off-load instruction report
• relevant local instructions pertaining to operating aircraft in-hold loading systems and unloading aircraft cargo holds
• relevant WHS/OHS and environmental procedures and regulations
• relevant sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs) and Civil Aviation Orders
• risks that exist when unloading aviation freight/baggage, and related risk control procedures and precautions
• workplace procedures for unloading freight/baggage from an aircraft.

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations. Where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in simulated workplace operational situations that reflect workplace conditions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• acceptable means of simulation assessment
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals
• relevant materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment currently used in industry.