Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to assess the health and condition of greyhounds, respond to illness or injury, including emergency situations, and monitor greyhound health and welfare before and after exercise or races, taking into account considerations related to prohibited substances.

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 supervisors, trainers and others in the greyhound racing industry responsible for assessing health of, and providing first aid for, 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 

Assess health and condition of greyhounds.

1. Signs of a healthy and fit greyhound are identified.

2. Signs of ill health  , injury or distress are recognised.

3. Procedures for specialist  treatment referral  are followed.

Respond to injuries, illnesses or distress in greyhounds.

4. First aid policies and procedures  with respect to obligations to greyhounds, owners, regulations and duty of care are understood and followed.

5. Rules relating to prohibited substances  and alternative treatments are complied with.

6. Basic first aid treatment  is applied to greyhounds, following kennel procedures.

Monitor greyhound health and welfare before and after exercise or races.

7. Pre and post -exercise or race assessment  of greyhound for injuries, distress, health and fitness is implemented.

8. Signs of illness, injury or distress are reported to officials where required.

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
• applying basic first aid to greyhounds
• applying quarantine control measures for isolation of sick greyhounds and prevention of transference of disease by dogs, other animals and humans
• assessing and responding to injuries in greyhounds
• assessing vital signs of greyhounds
• calming and restraining greyhounds
• communicating with employer, supervisor, co-workers and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to assessing health and first aid requirements for greyhounds
• evaluating risks associated with catching, handling and controlling sick or injured greyhounds
• following instructions
• identifying behaviour traits of individual greyhounds
• identifying and correctly using different treatments following procedures
• identifying common illnesses and injuries in greyhounds
• implementing emergency care procedures
• incorporating safe operating procedures into all instructions
• providing assistance to others in the workplace
• reporting greyhound irregularities to kennel nominated person
• 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
• supporting others in handling and providing treatment to greyhounds in the appropriate manner
• written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge 

• communication procedures within kennel and wider racing industry
• common behaviour traits of healthy, sick, injured or distressed greyhounds
• common illnesses and injuries in greyhounds
• disease control and reporting requirements
• effective working relationships, including teamwork
• greyhound first aid and emergency care
• industry terminology related to handling and treating greyhounds
• racing industry animal welfare requirements
• racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures
• relevant rules of racing and prohibited substances
• restraining techniques for greyhounds
• signs of lameness in greyhounds
• signs of shock in greyhounds
• types of treatments.

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 assessing greyhound health and providing first aid
• implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient performance of greyhound health and first aid assessment and application
• working with others to undertake and complete 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 assess greyhound health and fitness and apply required first aid procedures
• safe handling areas, such as commercial kennels, and training and racetracks
• 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.

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 assess health and provide first aid for greyhounds. Workplaces include greyhound kennels and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Signs of a healthy and fit greyhound  may include:

• alert and interested in surroundings
• clearly defined muscle structure with veins clearly showing
• coat condition light and flat
• eating up and drinking appropriate quantity of water daily
• greyhound standing with weight carried on all four limbs
• weight within optimal range relevant to natural body structure and fitness status.

Signs of ill health , injury or distress  may include:

• excess heat in limbs or isolated areas of body
• discolouration of urine
• temperature, pulse or respiration outside normal parameters
• inappetence
• lameness
• listlessness
• slow skin rebound
• swelling
• tenderness in body parts.

Specialist  may include:

• chiropractor
• massage therapist
• nutritionist
• veterinary surgeon.

Reason for referral  may include:

• greyhound may:

• be insured
• have to be treated with race day or non-race day prohibited substances
• have to be withdrawn from competition
• require prescription medication
• require stitching or specialist injury management or treatment

• illness may be:

• contagious condition
• notifiable disease
• passed on to humans

• illness or injury may be:

• life threatening or have consequences to ongoing career of greyhound
• result of neglect or non-compliance with duty of care.

First aid policies and procedures  may include:

• administration of treatments
• communication processes when greyhounds are treated
• disease prevention and control
• emergency care
• emergency contact details, including veterinarian
• permissible treatments
• procedure for recording treatments
• procedure for reporting and recording vital signs
• regular health checks
• replenishing supplies of first aid kits, including portable first aid kit
• system of referral for injury treatment
• staff access to first aid treatments and materials.

Prohibited substances  may include:

• substances listed below as well as other items defined by racing regulatory authority from time to time, including:

• acidifying agents
• alkalising agents
• analgesics
• antihistamines
• anti-inflammatory agents
• buffering agents
• diuretics
• general and local anaesthetics
• hormones
• muscle relaxants
• narcotics
• respiratory stimulants
• sedatives
• tranquillisers
• vitamins administered by injection.

Basic first aid treatment  may include:

• applying bandages for:

• control of bleeding and swelling
• drawing out of foreign bodies or pus
• splinting
• wound protection

• cleaning wounds
• managing heat or cold distress
• nursing sick, in pain or anxious greyhounds
• observing behaviour signs and symptoms of illness and injury
• preventing where possible further injury or spread of disease
• providing clean, warm or cool shelter out of inclement weather
• quarantining sick greyhounds
• removing, where possible cause of illness or injury
• taking and monitoring vital signs
• treating swelling and inflammation
• using safe shifting or lifting techniques.

First aid equipment  may include:

• antiseptic cream, lotions or sprays
• bandages and wound dressings
• infection control items
• inflammation and swelling controlling items, including:

• cold hosing
• icepacks
• pressure bandaging

• poultices
• scissors
• stretchers or other carrying methods
• wound cleaning solutions.

Pre and post -exercise or race assessment  may include:

• pre-race or exercise assessment includes:

• assessing vital signs
• checking greyhound for illnesses or injuries
• checking feed and water intake
• checking faeces quantity and quality
• observing behaviour

• post-race or exercise assessment includes:

• greyhound's recovery rate of vital signs
• recognition of signs of:

• heat stress
• dehydration
• limb injuries, including heat or swelling

• muscle soreness.

Unit Sector 

Greyhound racing code

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing performance services