Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to apply the personal hygiene and sanitation practices required of workers in a meat operation. It also covers cleaning equipment and immediate work areas during operations.

Application of the unit 

This unit is applicable to workers in abattoirs, boning rooms, smallgoods plants, wild game harvester operations, wild game depots, game processing plants, knackeries, food service premises, wholesale and retail meat establishments.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Clean own work area and equipment during operations

1.1. Worksite is hygienically cleaned during operations to Occupational Health and Safety  (OH &S ), workplace  and regulatory requirements .

1.2. Equipment and surfaces are hygienically cleaned to regulatory and workplace requirements.

1.3. Cleanliness of work area is monitored according to workplace requirements.

2. Identify sources of contamination  and spoilage

2.1. Contamination and cross-contamination risks are identified and steps taken to reduce the risk .

2.2. Corrective action  is taken when contamination is identified in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements.

3. Follow workplace hygiene and sanitation requirements 

3.1. Personal hygiene practices are followed to workplace requirements.

3.2. Product is handled in accordance with workplace, and hygiene and sanitation requirements.

3.3. Individual's work is conducted hygienically in accordance with workplace requirements.

3.4. Products are processed in accordance with regulatory requirements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

Ability to:

• consistently follow workplace, hygiene and sanitation procedures
• work effectively as an individual and as part of a team to keep work areas clean
• demonstrate basic hygiene and sanitation practices in all activities undertaken in the workplace
• take action to improve own work performance as a result of self-evaluation, feedback from others, or in response to changed work practices or technology
• use communication  skills relevant to the task
• use and mix cleaning chemicals (if used) according to manufacturer specifications, regulatory and workplace requirements

Required knowledge 

Knowledge of:

• hygiene and sanitation requirements for own area
• reporting procedures for contamination, as appropriate
• chemical contamination risks to product and how they are controlled
• consequences of contaminated or spoiled meat leaving the establishment
• consequences of failing to follow workplace requirements for hygienic handling and processing of meat
• time, temperature and moisture requirements for microbial growth
• causes of food spoilage and poisoning
• possible sources of contamination and cross-contamination in the worksite
• visual evidence of contamination
• microbes which may affect meat
• the scope and coverage of AS 4696:2007 Hygienic production and transportation of meat and meat products for human consumption
• sources of physical and microbiological contamination in meat establishments and how these hazards are controlled
• monitoring methods (e.g. visual, looks clean, smells clean and use of protein sticks)

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 

The meat industry has specific and clear requirements for evidence. A minimum of three forms of evidence is required to demonstrate competency in the meat industry. This is specifically designed to provide evidence that covers the demonstration in the workplace of all aspects of competency over time. These requirements are in addition to the requirements for valid, current, authentic and sufficient evidence.

Three forms of evidence means three different kinds of evidence - not three pieces of the same kind. In practice it will mean that most of the unit is covered twice. This increases the legitimacy of the evidence.

All assessment must be conducted against Australian meat industry standards and regulations.

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

Competency must be demonstrated over time during the normal operations of a meat establishment.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must include a demonstration of on-the-job competency while performing a task in the workplace.

Method of assessment 

Recommended methods of assessment are:

• quiz of underpinning knowledge
• workplace demonstration
• workplace referee or third-party report of performance over time.

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander, gender, or language backgrounds other than English. Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role.

Guidance information for assessment 

A current list of resources for this unit of competency is available from MINTRAC www .mintrac .com .au  or telephone 1800 817 462.

RANGE STATEMENT 

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

OH &S requirements  may include:

• enterprise OH&S policies, procedures and programs
• OH&S legal requirements
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which may include:

• coats and aprons
• ear plugs or muffs
• eye and facial protection
• head-wear
• lifting assistance
• mesh aprons
• protective boot covers
• protective hand and arm covering
• protective head and hair covering
• uniforms
• waterproof clothing
• work, safety or waterproof footwear

• requirements set out in standards and codes of practice.

Workplace requirements  may include:

• enterprise-specific procedures
• OH&S requirements
• Quality Assurance (QA) requirements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• the ability to perform the task to production requirements
• work instructions.

Regulatory requirements  may include:

• Export Control Act
• Federal, state and territory regulations regarding meat processing
• hygiene and sanitation requirements
• relevant Australian Standards
• relevant regulations
• requirements set out in AS 4696:2007 Australian Standard for Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption
• requirements set out in AS 4464:2007 Australian Standard for Hygienic Production of Wild Game Meat for Human Consumption.

Sources of contamination  may include:

• chemical agents (e.g. insecticides and cleaning agents)
• foreign bodies
• microbiological and biological agents
• physical agents (e.g. ingesta, excreta, dust and grease).

Steps taken to reduce the risk  may include:

• good housekeeping practices
• hand washing
• maintaining clean clothes and PPE.

Corrective action  may include:

• disposing of contaminated product
• trimming product.

Hygiene and sanitation requirements  may include:

• relevant government regulations
• workplace requirements.

Communication  may:

• be spoken, written, non-verbal and include signs and signals
• be with people from a range of cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds or with colleagues, superiors, customers, clients and external parties.

Unit sector 

Co-requisite units 

Competency field