Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves identifying and analysing critical aspects of the process in seafood processing operations to enable the timely adjustment of processes and personnel to suite the requirements of product specifications.

It also involves the ability to return processing operations to specified operating conditions in the event of significant problems.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application of the unit 

All enterprise or workplace procedures and activities are carried out according to relevant government regulations , licensing and other compliance requirements , including occupational health and safety  (OHS ) guidelines , food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures  and ecologically sustainable development  (ESD ) principles .

Equipment operation, maintenance, repairs and calibrations are undertaken in a safe manner that conforms to manufacturer instructions. Appropriate personal protective equipment  (PPE ) is selected, checked, used and maintained.

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. Determine critical operating requirements

1.1. Enterprise-specific processing and/or operating procedures are identified to determine critical operating requirements .

1.2. Allowable deviations  from critical requirements are calculated and incorporated into production plans.

2. Establish and maintain relationships between key processes

2.1. Key processing data, such as yield and throughput, is gathered, analysed and applied to ensure the process is optimised.

2.2. Corrective actions  for deviations outside allowable parameters are determined and communicated to relevant personnel.

2.3. Circumstances in which emergency procedures should be initiated are determined and communicated to relevant personnel.

2.4. Process data is gathered and analysed to ensure conformance with specifications .

3. Monitor processing operations to achieve set requirements or product specifications

3.1. Methods to monitor the process are established to ensure compliance with product specifications.

3.2. Control points for processing operations are monitored to confirm product specifications or to identify variations.

3.3. Causes of operational variations are identified and remedial action  implemented, as required.

3.4. Emergency procedures  are implemented in a timely manner in response to evidence of contamination or risk to physical safety.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• applying lock-out and tag-out procedures
• changing over equipment, as required, for changes to batch, line and/or process
• communicating technical requirements to staff
• communicating with work teams and management
• determining market expectations of finished product, including quality and timing
• determining the requirements for the cooling and warming, cleaning and handling of containers required for the process
• developing and implementing corrective actions in response to out-of-specification results or non-compliance, including procedures to segregate damaged or suspect stocks
• developing and implementing set-up, start-up and shutdown routines and safety checks for plant and equipment that are part of the production process
• evaluating human resource requirements
• interpreting specifications and operating parameters
• making effective use of print or screen-based information systems
• monitoring process and equipment operation to identify out-of-specification results or non-compliance
• monitoring supply and flow of materials to and from the process
• planning to:

• determine the requirements for the cleaning and/or sanitising of equipment
• develop schedules
• identify routine maintenance requirements

• shutting down equipment in response to an emergency situation
• sorting, collecting, treating, disposing and/or recycling of wastes.

Literacy skills used for :

• compiling reports
• completing complex forms
• interpreting technical documents or publications
• preparing detailed procedures
• reading and interpreting food standards
• reading production information.

Numeracy skills used for :

• calculating production data
• calculating volumes, flows, pressures and/or temperatures
• estimating production times
• reading and analysing process control data.

Required knowledge 

• corrective actions allowable within the requirements of the enterprise food safety plan and any relevant regulations
• process monitoring methodology to ensure product compliance with specifications
• product specifications and customer requirements
• production and processing systems consistent with the scale of the enterprise and the species involved.

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 

Critical aspects for assessment evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit 

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

• manage a production unit to satisfy the needs of volume and quality of outputs against product specifications, as well as satisfying the needs of the enterprise OHS policies and the requirements of food safety regulations.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

• requirements of the food safety plan
• enterprise OHS policy and procedures
• process parameters, including safe working practices, food safety and environmental requirements
• causes of product contamination and/or cross-contamination
• significance of, and methods for, controlling contamination within the process
• production scheduling, batch/recipe instructions, specifications and identifying process control points
• equipment operational parameters
• process control instrumentation
• sampling and test schedules
• cleaning and sanitation schedules
• routine preventative maintenance requirements
• documentation, recording and reporting requirements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Worksites used for assessment must comply with relevant legislation, industry standards and/or practices. Equipment used should be representative of that used in the workplace. Procedures and documentation used should be those which would be used typically in the workplace. Compliance with statutory OHS, food safety, export/import inspection, hygiene and/or environmental requirements relevant to the seafood industry should be emphasised.

Resources may include:

• cleaning and sanitation schedules
• enterprise work procedures/instructions workplace documentation and material safety data sheets (MSDS)
• equipment representative of that used in the workplace
• process documentation
• specifications, control points and processing parameters
• storage space for production output
• sufficient raw material to facilitate realistic assessment.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are suggested:

• project (work or scenario based)
• workplace documentation
• written or oral questions.

Guidance information for assessment 

This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.

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.

Relevant government regulations , licensing and other compliance requirements  may include:

• ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody
• imports quarantine and inspection, and importing approved arrangements for Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), Australian Customs Service (ACS) and Biosecurity Australia (BA)
• land, buildings and vehicles:

• buildings and structures design and appearance, constructions and additions
• poaching, trespass and theft
• road laws for use of motor vehicles, bikes, trucks and other transport equipment
• soil and water management
• use of chemicals and biological agents
• use of firearms and powerheads
• use of utilities, including water, natural gas, electricity and sewage
• water or land lease, tenure or ownership and use

• business or workplace operations, policies and practices:

• commercial law, including fair trading and trade practices
• consumer law
• corporate law, including registration, licensing and financial reporting
• disability policies and practices
• equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment
• industrial relations and awards, individual employment contracts and share of catch agreements
• jurisdictional variations
• superannuation
• taxation
• trade practices
• warnings and dismissals
• worker's compensation

• OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• product quality assurance:

• correct naming and labelling (e.g. country of origin, Australian Fish Names Standard and eco-labelling)
• correct quantities, sizes and other customer requirements
• third-party certification (e.g. Australian Grown and ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems).

OHS guidelines  may include:

• appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers
• clean, uncluttered, hygienic workplace
• codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction or industry sector
• enterprise-specific OHS procedures, policies or standards
• hazard and risk assessment of workplace and maintenance activities and control measures
• induction or training of staff, contractors and visitors in relevant OHS procedures and/or requirements to allow them to carry out their duties in a safe manner
• OHS training register
• safe lifting, carrying and handling techniques, including manual handling, and the handling and storage of hazardous substances
• safe systems and procedures for outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, fall protection, confined space entry and the protection of people in the workplace
• systems and procedures for the safe maintenance of property, machinery and equipment, including hydraulics and exposed moving parts
• the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures  may include:

• Australian Shellfish Sanitation program
• display, packaging and sale of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance
• exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders
• handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products
• HACCP, food safety program, and other risk minimisation and quality assurance systems
• location, construction and servicing of seafood premises
• people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements
• Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)
• processing, further processing and preparation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• product labelling, tracing and recall
• receipt, storage and transportation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code and state and territory food regulations
• temperature and contamination control along chain of custody.

ESD principles  may include:

• controlling the use and recycling of water, and managing water quality and quantity
• increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources
• managing environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• managing imported products quarantine and inspection, facility biosecurity, translocation of livestock and genetic material, and health certification
• managing stock health and welfare, especially for handling, holding, transport and slaughter
• managing, controlling and treating effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution
• minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions
• planning environmental and resource efficiency improvements
• preventing genetically modified organisms and live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment
• reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
• reducing use of non-renewable resources
• reducing energy use and introducing alternative energy sources.

PPE  may include:

• uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons)
• insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units
• non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
• hard hat or protective head covering
• protective hair, beard and boot covers
• gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering
• protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
• hearing protection (e.g. ear plugs and ear muffs)
• respirator or face mask.

Critical operating requirements  may include:

• capacity of plant and equipment
• food safety plan
• product specifications
• temperature controlled stock
• test and sampling requirements
• time and temperature and other critical process requirements, such as power, steam, water, compressed and/or instrumentation air
• workplace recording.

Allowable deviations  may include:

• equipment capability
• product specifications
• time and temperature tolerance.

Corrective actions  may include:

• food safety plan
• product specifications
• reporting requirements for out-of-temperature stocks.

Conformance with specifications  may include:

• conformance to industry standards, OHS procedures and the requirements of the food safety plan
• equipment status and condition monitoring
• requirements for measurement of temperature over time.

Remedial actions  may involve:

• food safety plan
• product specifications
• reporting requirements for out-of-temperature stocks.

Emergency procedures  may include:

• following OHS policies and guidelines
• plant shutdown procedures both routine and non-routine
• start-up procedures.

Unit sector 

Seafood processing

Co-requisite units 

Competency field