Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves preparing plain English work instructions by defining the benefits and explaining the planning process. It addresses the planning process for developing work instructions for production and process tasks that ensure conformity against product and/or process specifications.

Work instructions may be in written form or utilise photographs or illustrations to emphasise a particular characteristic or feature required from the performance of the task.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application of the unit 

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 .

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 

1. Determine the sequential tasks necessary to complete the processing operation

1.1. Individual tasks involved in a processing operation are accurately identified.

1.2. The sequence of tasks is determined to ensure efficiency  is achieved.

1.3. The sequential tasks are consistent with current or desired performance .

2. Write work instructions for the processing tasks

2.1. Work instructions identify key roles and responsibilities.

2.2. Work instructions are prepared using a format and language  consistent with enterprise procedures.

2.3. Corrective actions and /or critical control points  are included in the instruction.

2.4. Safe work practices and/or hygiene requirements related to the task are included.

3. Validate written instructions in the workplace

3.1. Written work instruction is tested for consistency with requirements of the product specification and supports performance in day-to-day production settings.

3.2. Written work instruction is trialled with personnel to confirm clarity and language is appropriate to literacy needs.

3.3. Written work instruction is confirmed by appropriate personnel as meeting OHS and hygiene requirements.

3.4. Written work instruction is amended, as necessary, based on feedback from validation activities.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• collecting, recording and analysing data
• communicating with work teams and management
• communicating complex technical information to culturally diverse staff
• operating equipment within parameters
• interpreting product specifications, standards and production information
• planning
• prioritising tasks
• solving problems
• performing discrete tasks within the processing operation.

Literacy skills used for :

• compiling reports
• interpreting complex technical specifications or data
• preparing detailed specifications, procedures and work instructions
• reading and interpreting information
• recording and analysing data
• reporting progress and technical information.

Numeracy skills used for :

• calculating time and other production data
• estimating volume, mass and weight
• gathering and recording data
• preparing technical reports.

Required knowledge 

• communication techniques appropriate for culturally diverse workforce
• Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and food safety plan
• OHS requirements
• methods available to regulate production flows, temperature control and time
• product and process specifications
• production systems, including corrective actions and control points
• validation techniques.

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:

• perform tasks necessary to develop work instructions for a processing task, or for discrete activities within a task, and to validate those instructions in the workplace against the product specification, OHS requirements, and as meeting the learning needs of intended staff.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

• enterprise standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• HACCP planning
• optimum task 'size' taking into account equipment capacity and the availability and skill level of labour required
• product specifications, quality objectives and production parameters
• sources of information relating to equipment and personnel capability
• special language requirements of the workplace
• the manageable tasks capable of completion within the time available and to the requirements of the product specification
• the processes for validating instructions covering each stage of the production process
• workplace OHS requirements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment may be conducted in the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Resources may include:

• access to processing or production facilities
• enterprise OHS policy
• enterprise product specifications
• equipment operating parameters
• relevant food safety standards
• translator or translations of material written in a language other than English
• video or other projection equipment for materials not in written form.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are suggested:

• project writing work instructions (work or scenario based)
• workplace documents, such as validation reports
• written or oral questions.

Guidance information for assessment 

This unit may be assessed holistically with other 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:

• ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• food safety, HACCP, hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody
• imports quarantine and inspection, and importing approved arrangements for Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), Australian Customs Service (ACS) and Biosecurity Australia (BA)
• business or workplace operations, policies and practices:

• commercial law, including fair trading and trade practices
• consumer law
• corporate law, including registration, licensing and financial reporting
• disability policies and practices
• equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment
• industrial relations and awards, individual employment contracts and share of catch agreements
• jurisdictional variations
• superannuation
• taxation
• trade practices
• warnings and dismissals
• worker's compensation

• OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• product quality assurance:

• correct naming and labelling (e.g. country of origin, Australian Fish Names Standard and eco-labelling)
• correct quantities, sizes and other customer requirements
• third-party certification (e.g. Australian Grown and ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems).

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 and 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
• 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 personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE).

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures  may include:

• Australian Shellfish Sanitation program
• display, packaging and sale of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance
• exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders
• handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products
• HACCP, food safety program, and other risk minimisation and quality assurance systems
• location, construction and servicing of seafood premises
• people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements
• Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)
• processing, further processing and preparation of food, including seafood and aquatic products
• product labelling, tracing and recall
• receipt, storage and transportation of food including seafood and aquatic products
• requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code and state and territory food regulations
• temperature and contamination control along chain of custody.

ESD principles  may include:

• controlling the use and recycling of water, and managing water quality and quantity
• increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources
• managing environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• managing imported products quarantine and inspection, facility biosecurity, translocation of livestock and genetic material, and health certification
• managing, controlling and treating effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution
• minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions
• planning environmental and resource efficiency improvements
• preventing genetically modified organisms and live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment
• reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
• reducing use of non-renewable resources
• reducing energy use and introducing alternative energy sources.

Efficiency  may relate to:

• quality standards
• reject and rework limitations
• throughput.

Desired performance  may relate to:

• food safety standards
• improvement in product quality
• throughput
• workplace OHS.

Format and language  may include:

• cultural diversity and/or special language needs of the workplace
• photographic illustration to identify particular characteristics
• pictograms to demonstrate particular activities.

Corrective actions and /or critical control points  may relate to:

• food safety standards
• HACCP
• product specifications.

Unit sector 

Seafood processing

Co-requisite units 

Competency field