Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to manage a food safety plan.

Application of the unit 

Food safety is critical to public health and safety and the successful operation of meat industry businesses. This unit is suitable for managers in meat retail establishments, and supervisors and team leaders in smallgoods, meat processing and food services establishments, for maintaining the food safety plan or system in a designated work area.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

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.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Manage the implementation of the food safety plan 

1.1. Food safety principles, food safety procedures and requirements, including regulatory requirements, are explained to the team .

1.2. Team commitment to, and responsibility for, food safety is developed.

1.3. Procedures to support the food safety plan are put in place.

1.4. Training and mentoring is provided to the team to assist implementation.

2. Monitor the food safety plan and take corrective action

2.1. Team implementation of the food safety plan is monitored.

2.2. Records  and reports  are completed accurately and on schedule.

2.3. Prompt action is taken to correct non-conformance according to enterprise and regulatory requirements .

2.4. Causes of non-conformance are identified and analysed.

2.5. Control measures are implemented to prevent future non-conformance.

2.6. Non-conformance is reported according to enterprise requirements.

3. Maintain the food safety plan

3.1. Feedback is sought from all personnel to identify potential hazards, corrective actions and controls.

3.2. Processes or conditions which could result in breaches of food safety procedures are identified and preventive or corrective action is taken.

3.3. Corrective action and control procedures are updated to improve food safety.

3.4. Documentation is completed according to enterprise and regulatory requirements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

Ability to:

• collect, monitor and interpret data to identify trends and non-conformance
• communicate  with a range of stakeholders, including customers, to convey food safety requirements and programs
• demonstrate current technical and process knowledge for the control of hazards and improvement of the food safety system
• demonstrate enterprise monitoring procedures (including sampling, testing and required records and documents) and explain their purpose
• determine and take corrective action
• identify and apply relevant Occupational Health and Safety  (OH &S ), regulatory and workplace requirements 
• identify and review operations and practices for food safety improvement
• identify enterprise Standard Operating Procedures  (SOPs ) and explain their role in the food safety system
• lead personnel/team in investigation of food safety incidents and potential incidents
• maintain currency of knowledge through independent research or professional development
• monitor records and documentation for accuracy and conformance
• respond to food safety incidents and implement food recall procedures as required
• review communication systems (spoken and written) to minimise the potential for mis-reporting and misunderstanding of food safety requirements, procedures and plans
• take action to improve own work practice as a result of self-evaluation, feedback from others or in response to changed work practices or technology
• use a range of communication and team building strategies to gain team commitment to food safety
• use detailed product knowledge, including product characteristics and the requirements for safe preparation, processing, storage, handling, display, to monitor food safety
• utilise problem-solving strategies required in investigating non-conformance and reviewing the food safety system

Required knowledge 

• enterprise recall and traceability procedures
• food safety requirements to the team
• food safety risk assessment procedures
• Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles and the process for developing a food safety plan
• regulatory requirements that apply to the enterprise's food safety plan

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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.

Overview of assessment 

The meat industry has specific and clear requirements for evidence. A minimum of three forms of evidence is required to demonstrate competency in the meat industry. This is specifically designed to provide evidence that covers the demonstration in the workplace of all aspects of competency over time.

These requirements are in addition to the requirements for valid, current, authentic and sufficient evidence.

Three forms of evidence means three different kinds of evidence - not three pieces of the same kind. In practice it will mean that most of the unit is covered twice. This increases the legitimacy of the evidence.

All assessment must be conducted against Australian meat industry standards and regulations.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Competency must be demonstrated through sustained performance over time, at an appropriate level of responsibility and authority under typical operating and production conditions for the enterprise.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Resources may include:

• real work environment
• relevant documentation such as:

• food safety plan and/or HACCP plan
• regulatory requirements
• workplace policies and procedures

• relevant equipment and materials.

Method of assessment 

Recommended methods of assessment include:

• assignment or simulation
• workplace project
• workplace referee or third-party report on performance.

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander, gender, or language backgrounds other than English. Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role.

Guidance information for assessment 

A current list of resources for this unit of competency is available from MINTRAC www .mintrac .com .au  or telephone 1800 817 462.

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. 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.

Food safety plans  will be:

• based on HACCP principles
• in standard formats and meet mandatory requirements

Teams  may be:

• a department or small business
• a food safety or HACCP team
• all personnel in work area
• two or more people.

Record -keeping systems may be:

• electronic and/or manual.

Reports  may be:

• complex, contain technical, mathematical and graphic information and be presented in standard formats according to enterprise and legal requirements.

Regulatory requirements  may include:

• animal welfare
• commercial law including fair trading, trade practices
• consumer law
• corporate law, including registration, licensing, financial reporting
• environmental and waste management
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), anti-discrimination and sexual harassment
• Export Control Act
• industrial awards, agreements
• relevant Australian Standards
• relevant regulations
• state and territory regulations regarding meat processing
• taxation.

Communication  may:

• be spoken, written, non-verbal and include the use of signs, signals, symbols and pictures
• be with colleagues, team members, superiors, customers, clients, external parties from a range of cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds
• involve communication and information technologies
• involve presentation of explanations and reports in language styles suitable for the audience and include everyday workplace language, technical and mathematical language
• involve reading and interpreting workplace-related documentation
• require negotiation, persuasion and assertiveness skills.

OH &S  requirements may include:

• enterprise OH&S policies, procedures and programs
• hygiene and sanitation requirements
• OH&S legal requirements
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which may include:

• coats and aprons
• ear plugs or muffs
• eye and facial protection
• head-wear
• lifting assistance
• mesh aprons
• protective boot covers
• protective hand and arm covering
• protective head and hair covering
• uniforms
• waterproof clothing
• work, safety or waterproof footwear

• requirements set out in standards and codes of practice.

Workplace requirements  may include:

• enterprise ethical standards, values and obligations
• enterprise-specific procedures, policies and plans
• OH&S requirements
• Quality Assurance (QA) requirements
• SOPs
• the ability to perform the task to production requirements
• work instructions.

Standard Operating Procedures  may relate to:

• personal hygiene
• food preparation and processing
• pest control
• waste disposal
• cleaning
• maintenance of premises
• product recall
• customer complaints
• calibration.

Unit sector 

Co-requisite units 

Competency field