Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the knowledge and skills required by the worker to apply basic food safety practices including personal hygiene and conduct when working in a food service environment in a residential setting

Application 

This unit supports the implementation of national and state food safety legislation and regulations and is based on the national Food Safety Guideline Units of competency 

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Maintain food safety while carrying out food handling activities

1.1 Carry out food handling according to the food safety program

1.2 Identify and report processes or practices which are not consistent with the food safety program

1.3 Take corrective action within the level of responsibility, according to the food safety program

1.4 Maintain the workplace in a clean and tidy order to meet workplace standards

2. Comply with hygienic work practices and appropriate OHS guidelines

2.1 Ensure personal hygiene meets the requirements of the food safety program

2.2 Report health conditions and/or illness as required by the food safety program

2.3 Wear clothing and footwear appropriate for food handling task and to meet requirements of the food safety program

2.4 Ensure storage area is kept free from contaminants

3. Distribute meals and refreshment to clients

3.1 Receive and check food deliveries against organisation records

3.2 Transport food safely and hygienically

3.3 Ensure selected food storage environments are appropriate to specific food type

3.4 Maintain appropriate environmental conditions for specific food types

3.5 Prior to meal delivery, check each meal against appropriate documentation

3.6 Reheat meals, if required, according to food regulations

3.7 Complete meal tray assembly and check for accuracy according to established routines and procedures

3.8 Prepare beverage utensils for use

3.9 Deliver meals and/or beverages and leave in the appropriate place for client within the designated timeframe

3.10 Replace missing or incorrect meals and/or beverages with appropriate meals and/or beverages

3.11 Refill water jugs to address specific client requirements according to established policy and procedure

3.12 Check room numbers, bed numbers and client name against appropriate documentation

3.13 Assist client to sit up if required, in accordance with organisation policy and under the direction of an appropriate health professional

4. Collect utensils and meal trays

4.1 Collect trays and all utensils after client has finished eating

4.2 Check tray for foreign objects and stack safely on trolley

4.3 Return dirty beverage utensils for cleaning

4.4 Maintain stock of clean beverage utensils

4.5 Collect empty water jugs

4.6 Depending upon the scope of the work role, report insufficient food or fluid intake to the appropriate personnel according to enterprise procedures

4.7 Seek client feedback on general acceptance/ satisfaction with meals and report to appropriate personnel according to enterprise procedures

5. PREPARE FOODS AS REQUIRED

5.1 Identify a range of foods to meet the nutritional needs of the client groups

5.2 Accurately follow standard recipes to ensure product consistency, nutritional integrity and to minimise wastage

5.3 Prepare appropriate meals for specific client groups in an appetising and attractive manner

5.4 Modify food texture to meet the needs of client groups and to meet enterprise standards

5.5 Serve/plate meals appropriate to the setting, using appropriate portion control equipment as required

5.6 Evaluate meals against organisation standards

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

• Appropriate bandages and dressings to be used when undertaking food handling
• Clothing and footwear requirements for working in and/or moving between food handling areas
• Legal responsibilities relating to personal hygiene practices and the reporting of illness as required by the food safety program
  At a minimum this must meet the requirements of Food Safety Standard 3.2.2 and/or state legislation/regulations
  It may also include restrictions on wearing of jewellery and other adornments such as nail polish
• Personal clothing maintenance, laundering and storage requirements
• Possible consequences of not following these procedures
• Responsibilities for maintaining the work area in a clean and tidy state
• Suitable standard for materials, equipment and utensils used in the food handling area
• The food safety requirements and procedures related to own work. These depend on the nature of food handled and food handling responsibilities
• Use and storage of cleaning equipment as required to carry out own work responsibility
• Waste collection, recycling and handling procedures relevant to own work responsibilities

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Carry out work responsibilities to meet the requirements of the food safety program relating to own work
• Handle and dispose of recalled or contaminated food, waste and recyclable material according to food safety program where this is part of work responsibility
• Handle, clean and store equipment, utensils, packaging materials and similar items according to the requirements of the food safety program
• Identify and correct or report situations or procedures that do not meet the requirements of the food safety program
• Identify and report signs of pest infestation according to the food safety program
• Locate and follow workplace information relating to food safety responsibilities
• Maintain personal hygiene consistent with the food safety program
• Maintain the work area in a clean and tidy state
• Monitor own work and implement any controls as required by the food safety program
• Report health conditions and illness as appropriate according to the food safety program
• Take into account opportunities to address waste minimisation, environmental responsibility and sustainable practice issues
• Take necessary precautions when moving around the workplace and/or from one task to another to maintain food safety
• Wear and maintain appropriate clothing / footwear as required by work tasks and consistent with the requirements of the food safety program

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

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

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• Assessment of this unit must occur in a real or simulated workplace
• Such an environment must provide a typical range of food handling and related food safety requirements that would normally be found in a food handling business
• The assessment process must provide the opportunity for the person being assessed to demonstrate basic food safety practices consistent with those required by the food safety program and/or procedures and consistent with food safety legislation/regulations
• The specific assessment context will be defined by the workplace
• Where, for reasons of safety, space, or access to equipment and resources, assessment takes place away from the workplace, the assessment environment should represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
• The competencies described need to be assessed over time and events, under normal workplace conditions
• Assessment should not require a higher level of communication competency than that required by work responsibilities

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
• Resources required for assessment include access to:

• appropriate workplace where assessment can take place
• relevant organisation policy, protocols and procedures
• equipment and resources normally used in the workplace

Method of assessment may include :

• Observation in the workplace
• Written assignments/projects
• Case study and scenario analysis
• Questioning
• Role play simulation

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. Add any 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.

This Range Statement provides further advice to interpret the scope and context of this unit of competency 
It assumes :

• A food safety program systematically identifies the food safety hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur in all food handling operations of the food business
  It identifies where and how each hazard can be controlled, describes how these controls are to be monitored, the corrective action required if control conditions are not met and information to be recorded
  The food safety program must comply with relevant national, state and industry legislation/regulations
  For the purpose of applying this guideline unit of competency in circumstances where formal food safety programs are not a legal requirement; the term can be understood to cover the same detail as would be covered by a food safety program
  Where a business has not identified food safety hazards, determined where and how these hazards are to be controlled and how controls are to be monitored, this guideline unit of competency would not apply
• Procedures outlining food safety responsibilities may be provided in formats to suit the workplace such as written, verbal, diagrams and electronic advice
• Food handling refers to basic handling and inspection, preparation, cooking, cooling, processing, display, packaging, storage and transportation
• Responsibility for maintaining food safety relates to own tasks and responsibilities and is based on implementing the food safety program as established for the workplace
• Products/materials handled and stored can include raw materials, ingredients, consumables, part-processed product, finished product and cleaning materials

continued  ...

Further advice to interpret the scope and context of this unit of competency  (contd ):

• Minimum personal hygiene requirements are specified by the food safety program
  At a minimum this must meet legal requirements as set out in the Food Safety Standard 3.2.2, Division 4:14 and/or state legislation/regulations
• Appropriate clothing and footwear depends on work requirements
  It should be designed to ensure that the body and clothing itself, does not contaminate food or surfaces likely to come into contact with food
  Examples of clothing designed to prevent contamination by the body include hair nets, beard snoods and gloves