Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to recognise unusual disease or plant pest signs during day-to-day work and take appropriate reporting action.

Application of the unit 

The work in this unit is typically performed by those who have daily contact with plants, birds, animals or fish. It would usually be carried out in conjunction with routine animal or plant husbandry tasks.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify signs of unusual disease or a plant pest

1.1. Signs of disease or a plant pest are identified.

1.2. Signs of disease or a plant pest are compared with own experience of common endemic disease or a plant pest in the species.

1.3. Where signs indicate an unusual disease or a plant pest, severity and extent of problem in the species are assessed.

1.4. Where signs indicate an unusual disease or a plant pest, immediate advice is sought from supervisors, professionals or appropriate authorities.

2. Report signs of unusual disease or a plant pest

2.1. Signs of unusual disease or a plant pest are reported immediately to appropriate authorities.

2.2. Biosecurity measures are implemented according to enterprise biosecurity plans and instructions from appropriate authority.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• observing
• recognising unusual disease or plant pest signs
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, follow sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legible information collected and select and apply procedures for a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning techniques, active listening, clarifying information and consulting with supervisors as required
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine workplace measures
• use interpersonal skills to work with and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• required procedures to follow in notifying appropriate authorities
• where to access additional reliable information or personnel.

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 

This unit of competency could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units of competency relevant to the job function.

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

The critical requirements for this unit of competency as a whole are listed below. Assessment must confirm one's ability to:

• identify unusual disease or pest signs within ones own experience
• notify appropriate authorities where appropriate
• implement appropriate biosecurity measures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

For valid assessment, one must have opportunities to participate in a range of exercises, case studies and other real and simulated practical and knowledge assessments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to identify and report unusual disease or plant pest signs.

The candidate must also have access to resources such as photographs of signs of emergency and endemic diseases and of plant pests.

Method of assessment 

Assessment for this unit of competency may be undertaken on or off the job. The unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units of competency relevant to the job function,

Guidance information for assessment 

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The skills and knowledge required to identify and report unusual disease or plant pest signs must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts, including the ability to deal with unplanned events. For example, this could include a range of diseases for a particular species or a variety of pests.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Signs of disease or a plant pest may include:

• abnormality
• clinical signs
• decline and dieback
• insect damage or presence of insects
• mortalities and mode of death
• presence of highly specific vectors
• results of post-mortem examinations
• unexplained levels of morbidity or mortality in populations.

Unusual diseases or plant pests may include:

• disease that is classified as an emergency disease
• disease that presents in an unusual, uncommon or atypical form
• plant pest species, biotype or strain of invertebrate pest or pathogen injurious to plants or plant health.

Appropriate authorities may include:

• national disease watch hotlines
• property owner or manager
• regulatory officers from state and territory departments of Primary Industries, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Unit sector 

Biosecurity

Co-requisite units 

Competency field