Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor

This specialist unit has been developed for the bottling and packaging stream of the wine sector. It covers the skills and knowledge required to set up, operate and shut down a range of manual and basic bottling and packaging equipment and to perform associated manual operations.

Application of the unit

This unit has application in a wine operations bottling and packing environment. It typically targets the worker responsible for applying basic operating principles to the operation and monitoring of manually operated bottling and packaging equipment.

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. Prepare to operate manual or basic bottling and packaging equipment

1.1 Product and materials are confirmed and available to meet production requirements

1.2 Product and materials are prepared to meet production requirements

1.3 Services are confirmed as available and ready for operation

1.4 Equipment is prepared and checked to confirm readiness for use

1.5 Equipment is set to meet production requirement

2. Operate and monitor manual or basic bottling and packaging processes

2.1 The equipment is started up according to workplace procedures

2.2 Control points are monitored to confirm performance is maintained within specification

2.3 Bottling and packaging output meets specification

2.4 Equipment is monitored to confirm operating condition

2.5 Out-of-specification product, process and equipment performance is identified, rectified and/or reported

3. Shut down manual or basic bottling and packaging processes

3.1 Equipment is shut down according to workplace procedures

3.2 Equipment is prepared for cleaning

3.3 Waste generated by both the process and the cleaning is collected, treated, and disposed of, or recycled according to workplace procedures

4. Record information

4.1 Workplace information is recorded in the appropriate format

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

Required skills include:

Note: The following required skills should be applied as appropriate to the equipment and processes that are used in the particular winery or workplace.

Ability to: 

• access workplace information to identify bottling and packaging requirements
• select, fit and use appropriate personal protective clothing and/or equipment
• confirm supply of necessary materials and services
• liaise with other work areas, which may include:

• maintenance
• materials supply
• bottling and packaging personnel

• prepare materials as required. This may include loading materials and confirming that:

• capsules meet specifications (e.g. colour, type and size)
• glue, hotmelt or wax meets specifications (e.g. type and batch number)
• hotmelt or wax is heated to required temperature
• bottles meet specifications (e.g. type, colour and size)
• bottles to be de-crowned meet specifications
• bottles to be decanted meet specifications
• cartons to be packed and sealed meet specifications
• cartons to be stencilled meet specifications
• bottles to be waxed meet specifications
• materials to be loaded into magazines meet specifications
• bottles to be binned or de-binned meet specifications
• bottles to be labelled meet specifications
• bottles to be tissue wrapped meet specifications
• boxes to be nailed meet specifications
• pallets to be stacked meet specifications

• confirm equipment status and condition. This may include:

• confirming hygiene and sanitation standards have been met
• adjusting air pressure
• checking conveyor speed
• adjusting height and width to accommodate specific product and material specifications
• completing a test run
• confirming flow of line lube and water
• realigning diverters and turners to ensure flow is as instructed

• set up and start up the equipment
• monitor the equipment operation to identify out-of-specification results or non-compliance. This can involve monitoring:

• conveyor speed
• movement, spacing and direction of bottles or cartons on conveyor
• bottle cleanliness and draining effectiveness
• dryness of bottles
• glue length
• strength of carton seals
• shrinkage or fit of capsules
• stacking and stacking patterns meet specifications
• bottle counters are re-set at the start of each product
• bottles are waxed to correct level
• stencils applied are clear and legible
• wine levels meet specification
• ongoing quality of materials used
• ongoing appearance of applications

• monitor supply and flow of materials to and from the equipment
• take corrective action in response to out-of-specification results or non-compliance
• report and/or record corrective action as instructed
• sort, collect, treat, recycle or dispose of waste
• shut down equipment in response to an emergency situation
• shut down equipment in response to routine shutdown requirements. This may include removing product or consumables from the line
• prepare equipment for cleaning. This may involve draining and/or dismantling equipment, and removing waste either manually or by rinsing. in preparation for cleaning and sanitation.
• maintain work area to meet housekeeping standards
• identify, rectify and/or report environmental non-compliance according to enterprise procedures
• use oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor
• work cooperatively within a culturally diverse workforce

Required knowledge includes:

Note: The following required knowledge should be applied as appropriate to the equipment and processes that are used in the particular winery or workplace.

Knowledge of: 

• links to related equipment
• stages and changes which occur during the equipment operation
• effect of equipment operation stages on end product and output
• quality characteristics and uses of end product and output
• materials preparation requirements and effect of variation on the equipment operation
• emergency and troubleshooting procedures, including failure of services
• process specification, procedures and operating parameters
• equipment and instrumentation components, purpose and operation
• services required
• significance and method of monitoring control points within the equipment operation
• common causes of variation and corrective action required
• Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards and controls, including manual handling
• lock-out and tag-out procedures
• procedures and responsibility for reporting problems
• shutdown sequence
• shutdown and cleaning requirements associated with changeovers and types of shutdown
• routine maintenance requirements
• waste handling requirements and procedures
• recording requirements and procedures

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

Assessment must be carried out in a manner that recognises the cultural and literacy requirements of the assessee and is appropriate to the work performed. Competence in this unit must be achieved in accordance with food safety standards and regulations.

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

Evidence of ability to:

• conduct pre-start checks on machinery used for manual bottling and packaging
• start, operate, monitor and adjust equipment to achieve required quality outcomes
• take corrective action in response to faults and inconsistencies
• complete workplace records as required
• apply safe work practices and identify OHS hazards and controls
• safely shut down equipment.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must occur in a real or simulated workplace where the assessee has access to:

Assessment must occur in a real or simulated workplace where the assessee has access to:

• personal protective clothing and equipment as required
• work procedures, including advice on company practices, safe work practices, food safety, quality and environmental requirements
• instructions, information, specifications and schedules as required
• equipment, services and corresponding information as required
• products and materials as required
• cleaning procedures, materials and equipment as required
• documentation and recording requirements and procedures.

Method of assessment

This unit should be assessed together with other units of competency relevant to the function or work role.

Guidance information for assessment

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competence 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.

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.

Policies and procedures 

Work is carried out in accordance with workplace procedures, licensing requirements and legislative requirements

Workplace information 

Workplace information can include:

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• specifications
• production schedules or instructions
• work notes
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
• manufacturer instructions
• verbal direction from manager, supervisor or senior operator

Manual or basic bottling and packaging equipment 

Equipment will vary according to the bottling and packaging scope of the enterprise and includes equipment that requires full manual operation, including manual loading and unloading and all or some manual operations bottling and packaging operations. The unit can also apply to basic bottling and packaging equipment that includes some automatic operations. Examples include equipment that:

• needs manual loading and unloading
• can process a limited number of bottles, cartons or pallets at a time
• can perform some but not all of the bottling function (e.g. bottles but does not affix labels)

The range of equipment can include equipment associated with:

• decanting
• loading capsule, cork and carton magazines
• depalletising
• binning and de-binning
• sealing
• capsuling
• labelling
• inserting cork stoppers
• tissue wrapping
• gift boxing
• nail gun operation
• wax dipping bottles
• stencilling
• carton coding
• carton erection
• operating conveyors
• carton turners and bottle counters
• carton packing
• pallet stacking

Products and materials 

Products and materials may include:

• capsules
• cartons
• corks
• glue
• hotmelt
• bottles (full or empty)
• labels
• hot wax
• ink
• nails

Equipment status 

Confirming equipment status involves:

• checking that hygiene and sanitation standards, safety standards and pre-start requirements are met and that equipment is operational
• checking operation or calibration of measuring instrumentation

Services 

Services may include:

• power
• compressed air
• water
• steam
• inert gas
• lubrication
• vacuum

Control points 

Control points refer to those key points in a work process that must be monitored and controlled. These include:

• food safety (critical)
• quality and regulatory control points
• inspection points

Information systems 

Information systems may be:

• print or screen based

Unit sector

Wine operations