Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the skills and knowledge to supervise operations in a designated area within a footwear production enterprise, to ensure team operations meet production requirements.

Application of the Unit 

The unit applies to a first line, team leader supervisory role in a team or work area within a footwear production enterprise. The unit requires extensive knowledge and experience in working with footwear production machines, equipment and processes. Supervisory responsibilities include overseeing the team's production quality and throughput, and ensuring training, team relations, resource allocation and work organisation support team productivity.

They include providing technical support to operators, overseeing production processes to ensure they meet organisational and safety standards, and providing communication links between staff and management.

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

The application of this unit is according to OHS practices of the enterprise and workplace practices, 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 problem solving, initiative and enterprise and planning and organising to provide supervisory support to a work team in order to meet production targets. Communication and team work skills are central to providing leadership in work operations as is the ability to problem solve machinery, technology and operational problems. This unit also requires communication skills to obtain and interpret information and feedback on work operations to ensure optimal production outcomes.

Prerequisites 

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Identify scope of supervisory responsibility

1.1 Machine operations, staff, resources and production processes  within work area are identified.

1.2 Scope and limitations of supervisory role are identified.

1.3 Production targets are identified.

2 Provide technical support to operators

2.1 Operator roles and allocation of personnel are identified.

2.2 Operator productivity is monitored.

2.3 Training needs are identified and communicated to appropriate personnel.

2.4 Technical problems raised by operators regarding machinery, product quality and operational safety are addressed.

2.5 Technical support in skills and knowledge associated with production of footwear products is provided to operators.

3 Lead team activity

3.1 Production standards are communicated to team members.

3.2 Work allocation requirements are monitored and addressed in order to maintain optimum production efficiency.

3.3 Targets and procedures are communicated to relevant personnel in a logical and easily understood manner.

3.4 Team communications and relations are monitored and supported.

3.5 Team compliance with OHS practices  and workplace practices is monitored.

3.6 Production output is monitored against targets and addressed as necessary .

4 Liaise with downstream and upstream production areas and management

4.1 Liaison with downstream and upstream production areas is maintained to ensure quality and efficiency of production.

4.2 Management is kept informed of progress and any issues that may affect production outcomes .

4.3 Ongoing liaison is maintained with management to guide production supervision.

5 Ensure workplace documentation

5.1 Documentation procedures are identified for each step of production process.

5.2 Compliance with documentation requirements is monitored.

5.3 Movement of materials through production process is monitored to assess progress.

5.4 Production documentation is completed.

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

Demonstrates knowledge of:

• production and workflow system in the workplace
• factors and constraints that impact on effective workflow
• ways of controlling factors and constraints
• efficient operation of all footwear production machines and processes within area of supervision
• quality assurance standards and procedures
• OHS legislation
• OHS practices, including hazard identification and control measures
• quality practices
• workplace practices
• recording and reporting practices

Demonstrates skills to:

• allocate resources (machines, staff, materials and production processes)
• clarify and communicate tasks, roles and responsibilities
• allocate work for operators or team members
• identify and report problems with workflow
• solve problems
• read, interpret and follow information on work specifications, standard operating procedures and work instructions, and other reference material
• maintain accurate records
• communicate in the workplace
• sequence operations
• meet specifications
• 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 

Demonstrates skills and knowledge to:

• lead machine operations, staff and production processes
• communicate with other employees and management
• implement appropriate ways of correcting non-compliance and inefficiencies
• apply techniques to monitor production work
• provide technical support
• apply OHS practices in work operations
• check production outputs against specifications
• maintain accurate records

Consistency in performance 

Consistently applies skills and knowledge when:

• organising work
• completing tasks according to instructions
• working systematically with attention to detail according to instructions
• identifying improvements and avoiding damage
• using workplace practices
• using OHS practices
• recording and reporting accidents and incidents
• assessing operational readiness of equipment
• recognising and adapting to cultural differences in the workplace, including modes of behaviour and interactions

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.

Production processes may include:

• machines and equipment used in the various sectors of the footwear production industry including:

• moulding
• sewing machines
• cutting machines
• robots

OHS practices

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

• 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
• environmental practices

Addressed as necessary may include

• communicating requirements to operators
• providing coaching or other relevant support
• referring to appropriate personnel
• allocating appropriate staff or resources
• implementing disciplinary procedures
• problem solving team or technology issues

Issues which may affect production outcomes may relate to

• staffing
• machinery
• materials
• schedules

Sector 

Footwear Production