Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers monitoring and reviewing biosecurity measures defines the standard required to: interpret quarantine procedures and monitor compliance; supervise the range of activities required to maintain biosecurity; communicate with staff and visitors on biosecurity issues and procedures; respond to breaches of biosecurity and participate in the review of biosecurity measures.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to workers and team leaders in animal production facilities who are responsible for implementing biosecurity procedures.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Apply biosecurity procedures to people, animals and equipment entering the site

1.1. Possible sources of pathogen contamination entering the site are identified.

1.2. Personal sanitation and hygiene is maintained including required change of clothing and showering if required on entry to quarantined area.

1.3. Sign in procedures are completed with information supplied fully and accurately.

1.4. Visitors are signed in, checked for risk profile and instructed in quarantine requirements.

1.5. All equipment is cleaned and disinfected before being brought onto the site.

1.6. Animals introduced to the site are checked for health status, isolated from all others and placed in disinfected sheds.

2. Implement biosecurity procedures to prevent the incidence or spread of pathogens

2.1. Potential biosecurity threats on the enterprise are identified.

2.2. The potential costs and impacts of an outbreak of disease in a production facility are quantified and described.

2.3. Possible sources of pathogen contamination being carried between sheds are identified.

2.4. Procedures for entering sheds or moving from one shed to another are implemented.

2.5. Order of priority and prescribed routes are established for movements, with younger or more susceptible animals visited before more resistant animals.

2.6. Personal sanitation and equipment cleaning procedures are implemented for movement between sheds.

2.7. Farm compound footpaths and areas around sheds are kept clear of debris.

3. Apply on-farm sanitation practices to reduce the risk of disease

3.1. Litter is cleaned from sheds and dust removed from surfaces.

3.2. Shed areas are sprayed down with water and then allowed to dry before disinfection.

3.3. Shed feeding and watering equipment is pressure cleaned and water lines flushed.

3.4. Disinfectant is mixed and applied according to label requirements and enterprise procedures.

4. Implement pest control to reduce the risk of disease

4.1. High risk pathogens that can be introduced by pests are identified.

4.2. Pests are excluded from the facility, and from individual sheds, by effective physical barriers.

4.3. Pest numbers are monitored through the use of counts or other indicators.

4.4. Pest control procedures are carried out including destruction of habitat and poisoning.

4.5. Feeds imported are screened for introduction of pests.

5. Review biosecurity procedures

5.1. Records of biosecurity procedures are kept as required by standards and protocols.

5.2. Effectiveness and progress of control activities are monitored and compared with planned objectives.

5.3. Monitoring of sheds and facilities is carried out as part of work duties to ensure that work practices and procedures are applied in line with required standards and protocols.

5.4. Issues and concerns with biosecurity are reported to management.

5.5. Control activities are revised as required to address relevant protocols, maintain cost-effectiveness (including appropriate resource allocation) and contain wider impacts.

5.6. Revisions to activities are communicated promptly to other staff.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• identify hazards and implement safe work practices
• carrying out cleaning and pest control activities
• 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 

• diseases that pose a threat and their likely causes of spread
• principles of risk management applied to biosecurity
• personal hygiene and quarantine procedures for site entry
• safe use of chemicals and cleaning agents
• Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), environmental and biosecurity legislation, codes of practice and enterprise procedures
• record keeping requirements
• reporting incidents or issues
• safety practices related to use of equipment and materials used in cleaning and pest control.

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 and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• interpret quarantine procedures and monitor compliance
• supervise the range of activities required to maintain biosecurity
• communicate with staff and visitors on biosecurity issues and procedures
• respond to breaches of biosecurity
• participate in the review of biosecurity measures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

Method of assessment 

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units. The assessment strategy for this unit must verify required knowledge, skill and application using more than one of the following assessment methods: oral/written questions, professional conversations, direct observation, third-party evidence, performance audit and portfolio.

Guidance information for assessment 

Evidence should be gathered over a period of time in a range of actual or simulated environments.

RANGE STATEMENT 

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

Animals may include:

• pigs
• poultry.

Biosecurity may include:

• isolation or quarantine through physical barriers as well as hygiene practices to prevent importing pathogens onto the site, or from spreading if they are able to enter the site.

Unit sector 

Biosecurity

Co-requisite units 

Competency field