Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves the management of cool rooms and freezer storage rooms. It includes setting up the room to ensure correct air flow, product storage temperature, stock rotation and placement of product to avoid cross-contamination.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Therefore it will be necessary to check with the relevant state or territory regulators for current licensing, legislative or regulatory requirements before undertaking this unit.

Application of the unit 

Licences may be required  if operating load-shifting equipment, such as forklifts.

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  is selected, checked 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. Set up refrigerated storage rooms

1.1. Shelving or other appropriate material for storage of product is placed into refrigerated equipment rooms to allow even flow of refrigerated air throughout room and between products.

1.2. Door/closing alarm system is checked to be fully operational.

1.3. Lighting is checked to ensure safe working conditions within the closed room.

1.4. On/off switches are checked to be fully operational to ensure that the cooling system is not inadvertently switched off.

1.5. Air curtain or plastic strips across the door of the storage room is operational, to ensure minimal temperature fluctuations.

1.6. Temperature probes or temperature data loggers are used to check and record temperatures of the storage room.

1.7. Maintenance requests are made in a timely manner to appropriate personnel.

2. Place product in refrigerated storage rooms

2.1. Product is placed in the refrigerated storage rooms in a timely manner on its arrival at the workplace.

2.2. Temperature of warm product is reduced before being placed in the refrigerated storage rooms.

2.3. Product to be placed into the refrigerated storage rooms is checked to ensure that its label is intact and legible.

2.4. Product without adequate labelling is set aside and reported to the appropriate person.

2.5. Chilled or frozen product is placed on shelving or other appropriate system to ensure that correct air flow is maintained to keep product at the required temperature.

2.6. Product is placed and stored in rooms on a 'first-in-first-out' (FIFO) basis and in a way that its label can be easily seen.

2.7. Fresh product is stored in a way that ensures that there is no contamination from one product to another.

2.8. Product is stacked on top of other product making use of load -shifting equipment  and safe manual handling procedures.

3. Maintain stock in refrigerated storage rooms

3.1. Fresh product is checked, to ensure that there is sufficient ice mixed throughout and covering product.

3.2. Potable ice is collected and moved using clean shovels and bins.

3.3. Cross-contamination is avoided by ensuring that product is correctly placed on shelving.

4. Stocktake product

4.1. Fresh product is checked for freshness and signs of spoilage and unsatisfactory product disposed of.

4.2. Count records  on fresh product are entered daily.

4.3. Records on frozen product are made on a regular basis as indicated in enterprise procedures.

5. Clean refrigerated storage rooms

5.1. Cool rooms are cleaned using chemicals and equipment consistent with enterprise procedures and ensuring product is not contaminated.

5.2. Frozen storage rooms are regularly swept and kept tidy.

5.3. Vermin are controlled using methods consistent with enterprise procedures.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• assessing seafood freshness and shelf life
• communicating orally to give and receive information
• using cleaning chemicals and cleaning equipment
• using computer technology to download temperature data logs
• using forklifts and manual lifting equipment.

Literacy skills used for :

• completing basic temperature monitoring forms
• identifying and tracing product
• reading and applying enterprise safety procedures
• reading and following enterprise procedures.

Numeracy skills used for :

• interpreting graphs/charts of temperature recordings
• reading and interpreting thermometers accurately
• reading weights accurately.

Required knowledge 

• hygienic handling and storage of fresh and frozen seafood
• personal, workplace and product hygiene
• safe procedures for cold and confined spaces, manual handling and load shifting
• stock rotation principles.

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:

• ensure compliance with enterprise procedures and food safety regulations
• set up and place product into a refrigerated storage room.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

• FIFO system of stock rotation
• safe working practices for cold and confined spaces, and load shifting
• temperature storage requirements of fresh and frozen product.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. It should cover the handling and refrigeration of fresh whole fish, fish fillets, opened raw oysters and cooked crustaceans.

Resources may include:

• chiller and fresh seafood, including whole fish, fish fillets, opened raw oysters and cooked crustaceans
• freezer storage room and cartons of frozen product
• product with different date-of-production labels
• ice and ice-moving equipment
• temperature recording devices.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are suggested:

• third-party report from work supervisor
• structured activities to:

• assess refrigerated storage rooms for compliance with enterprise standards
• stock a chiller with fresh product
• read and interpret labelling on frozen fish cartons

• workplace documentation, such as temperature logs and graphs
• written and 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:

• business or workplace operations, policies and practices
• correct marketing names and labelling
• environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• food safety/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody, and Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders
• OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

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 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
• equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance
• exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders
• 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)
• 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 effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution
• improving energy efficiency
• increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources
• minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions
• reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
• reducing energy use
• reducing use of non-renewable resources
• undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

PPE  may include:

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

Load -shifting equipment  may include:

• forklift
• manual lifting equipment.

Records  may include:

• enterprise stocktake forms
• enterprise temperature monitoring sheets.

Unit sector 

Storage

Co-requisite units 

Competency field