Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves processing crocodiles. It covers slaughtering the crocodile, preparing the carcase, removing and preparing the skin, removing the meat from the carcase and packing and freezing the meat.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Therefore it will be necessary to check with the relevant state or territory regulators for current licensing, legislative or regulatory requirements before undertaking this unit.

Application of the unit 

This unit has application for any specialised seafood processing facility that processes crocodiles. Safety and animal welfare issues apply to this competency.

Licences are required for the use of firearms.

All enterprise or workplace procedures and activities are carried out according to relevant government regulations , licensing and other compliance requirements , including occupational health and safety  (OHS ) guidelines , food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures  and ecologically sustainable development  (ESD ) principles .

Equipment operation, maintenance, repairs and calibrations are undertaken in a safe manner that conforms to manufacturer instructions. Appropriate personal protective equipment  (PPE ) is selected, checked, used and maintained.

Prerequisite units 

SFIPROC106B

Work with knives

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 work area for slaughter processes

1.1. OHS hazards in the workplace are identified, assessed, reported and controlled using the hierarchy of control model .

2. Slaughter crocodile

2.1. Crocodiles to be slaughtered are identified and shot, according to OHS requirements and legislative requirements for the humane slaughter of animals.

2.2. The carcase is cut to facilitate the drainage of blood.

2.3. The bled carcase is washed in potable water to remove blood.

2.4. Carcases that are contaminated with faeces are set aside, and a supervisor notified.

2.5. The rinsed carcase is transferred to an appropriately chilled room to complete the drainage process by hanging.

3. Skin and bone carcase

3.1. Workplace is cleaned and cooled, if required, before commencing and during skinning and boning.

3.2. Equipment  to be used to process the carcase is clean, knives sharpened, and sufficient clean tables, containers, potable ice and waste bins are available.

3.3. Carcase is placed on the appropriate table for the removal of the skin.

3.4. The skin is carefully and safely removed from the carcase to customer and enterprise specifications  and productivity requirements , and transferred to the appropriate container.

3.5. Carcase is washed and then moved to a clean boning table.

3.6. Carcases that are contaminated with gut contents are set aside and a supervisor notified.

3.7. Meat is carefully and safely removed from the carcase according to customer and enterprise specifications and productivity requirements and inedible waste product placed in the appropriate container.

3.8. Cuts of meat to be identified by name are placed in the appropriate container and remaining meat is removed from the skeleton.

3.9. Meat is checked for the presence of defects  and meat that is found to be unsuitable for further processing is set aside and reported to a supervisor.

4. Pack, freeze and store meat

4.1. Meat ready for packaging is washed in a solution containing food safe anti -bacterial  compounds.

4.2. Chilled, rinsed meat is packaged and labelled.

4.3. Identification and traceability of product is maintained according to the enterprise food safety program.

4.4. Packaged meat is frozen and frozen product is stored in an appropriate temperature controlled room until distribution.

5. Prepare skin

5.1. Skin is flensed to remove all remaining meat from the skin.

5.2. Cleaned skins are salted and stored in a chiller until dispatched.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• cleaning, and maintaining a hygienic workplace and work area
• communicating orally to give and receive information
• identifying common defects, diseases and parasites in crocodiles
• physical agility appropriate for handling live crocodiles about to be shot
• using safe manual handling techniques, including minimising the risk of repetitive, forceful, constrained or awkward postures
• safely using guns, rifles and knives
• shooting and knife sharpening skills.

Literacy skills used for :

• reading and interpreting the Australian Standard for Hygienic Production of Crocodile Meat for Human Consumption
• interpreting OHS signs
• reading and interpreting customer and enterprise outline of specifications
• reading, writing and checking information on labels.

Numeracy skills used for :

• estimating yield of skin and meat
• interpreting weight scales
• measuring quantities of anti-bacterial compounds.

Required knowledge 

• application of OHS standards when using firearms and knives, and when lifting and handling crocodile carcases and meat
• enterprise productivity and yield requirements and enterprise quality system procedures addressing customer specifications, humane treatment and slaughter of animals, and product identification and traceability
• food safety procedures and regulations that apply when processing crocodiles and storing of crocodile carcasses and crocodile meat
• personal, workplace and product hygiene principles.

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 

Critical aspects for assessment evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit 

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

• meet OHS standards for slaughtering and processing crocodiles
• produce smoothly cut crocodile skins and meat without ragged edges or damage, to meet customer and enterprise specifications as well as food safety regulations and enterprise productivity requirements.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

• common crocodile meat defects, diseases and parasites
• crocodile skinning and boning techniques.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. To ensure consistency and level of performance a minimum of three (3) crocodiles in a weight range typical for the industry are to be slaughtered, skinned and boned, and the meat and skin packaged.

Resources may include:

• a range of knives and cutting tools
• applicable PPE
• appropriate firearms licensing
• clean processing facility equipped with tables, tubs and waste containers
• guns or rifles and ammunition
• live and dead crocodiles
• running potable water and potable ice
• scales
• workplace documentation.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are suggested:

• demonstration
• oral questions.

Guidance information for assessment 

This unit may be assessed holistically with other seafood processing units within a qualification.

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.

Relevant government regulations , licensing and other compliance requirements  may include:

• business or workplace operations, policies and practices
• correct marketing names and labelling
• environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• fisheries or aquaculture regulations, permits and licences
• food safety/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody and Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders
• health and welfare of aquatic animals
• OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

OHS guidelines  may include:

• appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers
• clean, uncluttered, hygienic workplace
• codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction or industry sector
• enterprise-specific OHS procedures, policies or standards
• hazard and risk assessment of workplace, maintenance activities and control measures
• induction or training of staff, contractors and visitors in relevant OHS procedures and/or requirements to allow them to carry out their duties in a safe manner
• OHS training register
• protective outdoors clothing for tropical conditions
• safe lifting, carrying and handling techniques, including manual handling, and the handling and storage of hazardous substances
• safe systems and procedures for outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, fall protection, confined space entry and the protection of people in the workplace
• systems and procedures for the safe maintenance of property, machinery and equipment, including hydraulics and exposed moving parts
• the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures  may include:

• AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders
• chain of custody (temperature and contamination control)
• equipment design, use and maintenance
• HACCP
• hygiene and sanitation requirements
• location, construction and servicing of seafood premises
• Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)
• requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code.

ESD principles  may include:

• controlling effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution
• improving energy efficiency
• increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources
• minimising noise or odour emissions
• reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
• reducing energy use
• reducing use of non-renewable resources
• undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• using and recycling of water, and maintaining water quality.

PPE  may include:

• gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering
• insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units
• non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
• protective hair, beard and boot covers
• uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons).

Hierarchy of control model :

• is a system for developing risk controls with the priority being, in order:

• eliminate the hazards
• substitute the hazard for a lesser hazard or risk
• isolate the hazard
• use engineering controls
• use administrative controls
• use PPE.

Equipment  may include:

• boning tables
• carcase skinning tables
• flensing gurney
• flensing scraper
• gun/rifle/ammunition
• hooks
• knives and knife sharpening equipment
• meat containers
• non-putrescible waste containers
• packaging
• washing tubs.

Specifications  may include:

• by products:

• claws
• skeleton
• skull
• teeth

• meat:

• back fillet
• body meat
• inner tail fillet
• tail fillet

• skin:

• dorsal (hornback) split
• ventral (belly) split.

Productivity requirements  may include:

• filleting rate
• yield expectations (e.g. weight of meat versus waste)
• yield of skin.

Meat defects  may include:

• faeces
• gut contents
• muscle parasites.

Anti -bacterial  chemicals may include:

• acetic acid
• dilute chlorine.

Unit sector 

Seafood processing

Co-requisite units 

Competency field