Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers planning and scheduling of compost production and defines the standard required to: identify and interpret relevant information and conditions that could influence compost production; produce and document a compost production schedule; document a compost production plan consistent with enterprise capabilities and constraints; develop and document contingency plans for compost production.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to product managers at a commercial-scale composting facility.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Establish production requirements

1.1. Raw material supply contracts and receival data, sales and market trend information, and corporate marketing plan and strategy are reviewed to quantify production requirements.

1.2. Conditions that may affect production requirements are identified in consultation with executive management and designated sales and marketing personnel.

1.3. Production requirements across product portfolio to meet customer requirements and site and equipment capacity are estimated in consultation with executive management and designated sales and marketing personnel.

1.4. Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) impacts are monitored for compliance with enterprise plan and licence conditions.

1.5. Production plan is documented and submitted for executive management approval.

1.6. Facilities, personnel, machinery and equipment required for compost production are confirmed as being available.

1.7. Contingency plan to address potential oversupply or undersupply of raw material or product is developed and documented.

2. Schedule production to meet requirement

2.1. Batch types and volumes of compost-based products to be produced are calculated.

2.2. Laboratory and field test data of compost materials during and post-production is obtained.

2.3. Production schedule is monitored and adjusted according to field and laboratory test results.

2.4. Product is made available to customer in required quantities, to required quality and at required time.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• analysing and interpreting supply contract documents, production data, weighbridge/receival data, field and laboratory results
• identifying and diagnosing problems with production
• using a computer
• visually recognising problematic mixtures of raw materials for composting
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• control of hazards in handling raw materials and product
• processing duration required for various raw materials
• raw materials and their characteristics
• relationship between key compost recipe variables and compost production
• systems, technologies and methods in compost production.

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:

• identify and interpret relevant information and conditions that could influence compost production
• produce and document a compost production schedule
• document a compost production plan consistent with enterprise capabilities and constraints
• develop and document contingency plans for compost production.

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.

RANGE STATEMENT 

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

Technologies may include:

• both aerobic composting and vermiculture technologies.

Unit sector 

Composting

Co-requisite units 

Competency field