Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to clean and maintain the kennel environment, identify and report workplace hazards, provide feed and water to greyhounds, groom greyhounds and monitor basic greyhound health and welfare.

To undertake this unit the candidate will be able to apply safe greyhound handling skills and follow workplace OHS standards. It is recommended that RGRPSG201A Handle greyhounds be delivered in conjunction with or before this unit of competency.

This unit of competency operates in work environments of racing kennels, racecourses and public areas.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Check with your State Principal Racing Authority for current license or registration requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports kennel hands and others in the greyhound racing industry who may be required to undertake a range of kennel duties related to the general care and maintenance of racing greyhounds.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

Prerequisite units 

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 

Perform kennel duties and identify potential hazards.

1. Racing kennel operations  related to the care and management of greyhounds are complied with.

2. Kennels are cleaned and maintained in accordance with kennel routine.

3. Kennel environment  and yards are cleaned, swept or raked in accordance with kennel routine.

4. Hazards in the workplace  are identified and reported to nominated kennel person.

Provide feed and water to greyhounds.

5. Common feedstuffs are identified.

6. Feed and water  are prepared and provided in accordance with kennel routine and trainer's instructions.

7. Contaminated  feed is identified, removed and reported.

8. Variations to individual eating and drinking patterns are observed and reported.

Groom and bathe greyhounds.

9. Types and functions of items of grooming and therapeutic equipment are identified and explained.

10. Greyhounds are groomed  and prepared for race meetings according to instructions.

11. Greyhounds are checked for illness or injury  during grooming and irregularities are reported.

Monitor basic health and welfare of greyhounds.

12. Characteristics of a healthy greyhound are identified.

13. Symptoms of common illnesses and injuries are identified and reported.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with greyhounds
• catching, leading, and controlling greyhounds
• communicating with employer, supervisor, co-workers and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to performing kennel duties
• completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures and nominated time frame
• evaluating risks associated with working around greyhounds
• following directions
• identifying and correctly using different items of grooming gear
• identifying common greyhound illnesses or injuries
• identifying greyhound behaviour, social traits and vices
• identifying individual greyhounds
• recording and reporting observations, information and messages
• reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including relevant rules of racing
• relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• basic industry terminology related to greyhound illnesses or injuries, identification, feeding and grooming
• kennel design and benefits or disadvantages of various bedding
• characteristics of healthy greyhounds and sick, distressed or injured animals
• communication procedures within kennel and wider racing industry
• common greyhound behaviour, social traits and vices
• common feedstuffs and methods of determining quality
• effective working relationships, including teamwork
• greyhound feeding and drinking patterns
• grooming equipment and methods
• purpose of using appropriate personal protective equipment
• racing industry animal welfare requirements
• racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures
• racing kennel operations
• relevant rules of racing
• workplace hazards.

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.

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 all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that apply to kennel duties related to the care and maintenance of racing greyhounds
• implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient performance of kennel and grooming duties
• working with others to undertake and complete kennel procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of greyhounds of different ages, sexes and temperaments, and at different stages of preparation in racing kennel and track environments.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to the required resources or simulated environment approved by the relevant State Principal Racing Authority. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

• a variety of greyhounds
• materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to perform kennel duties
• safe handling areas, such as commercial kennels
• work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• simulation exercises conducted in a State Principal Racing Authority approved simulated environment.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

• RGRCMN201A Follow OHS procedures and observe environmental work practices.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to perform kennel duties. Workplaces include greyhound kennels and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Racing kennel operations  may include:

• cleaning drains
• cleaning waterers, dishes and bowls
• cleaning grooming equipment
• grooming and washing greyhounds
• following instructions regarding the order of operations
• hosing, sweeping and cleaning kennels, runs and environments
• identifying and adapting to changes to routine when greyhounds are racing or trialling
• moving greyhounds from kennels to runs
• operating walking machines
• preparing and providing feed and water
• replacing bedding
• removing faeces and soiled or wet bedding.

Kennel environment  may include:

• kennels
• runs
• walking, exercise and training areas
• walking machines
• yards.

Hazards in the workplace  may include:

• chemicals
• disease transfer between greyhounds and people
• heavy loads, for example bags of feed
• greyhounds
• machinery and equipment
• other people
• unsafe work practices.

Feed and water preparation  will include:

• applying rules of cleanliness and hygiene
• feed additives, including:

• appetite stimulants
• bicarbonate of soda
• Epsom salts
• electrolytes
• minerals
• rehydration agents
• vitamins

• identifying feed ingredients and preparing feeds according to trainer instructions
• providing correct mix and quantity of feed to individual greyhounds according to trainer instructions
• identifying, removing and reporting contaminated feed
• understanding consequences of incorrect use of additives, such as:

• accidental introduction of banned substances through use of additives and combinations of additives
• causing toxic reactions due to imbalance of insoluble vitamins, trace elements and other items
• causing illness due to not feeding or administering medication according to greyhound specific metabolic features
• some additives alkalising the blood level in greyhounds (total carbon dioxide [TCO2] level) and alkalising agents include:

• bicarbonates
• lactates and citrates

• wasting money by overfeeding soluble vitamins or other feed items that cannot be absorbed or stored.

Feed  may be contaminated due to:

• mould or water damage
• rodent, insect or other spoilage.

Greyhounds  may be groomed:

• depending upon individual kennel routine and climate, including:

• brushing body

• washing, including:

• hosing
• controlling greyhounds during bathing
• preparing bath and testing water temperature
• operating hydro bath equipment
• towelling greyhound and keeping warm
• checking legs for injury or swelling
• removing mud or dirt
• cleansing nostrils and eyes

• specific grooming related to preparing greyhound for presentation at race meetings.

Illness or injury greyhounds  may suffer include:

• abrasions, cuts or wounds
• colic
• coughs or colds
• heat in limbs
• heat stress
• lameness
• tendon or ligament strains or sprains
• viruses.

Unit Sector 

Greyhound racing code

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing performance services