Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to manually process parcels and letters in accordance with workplace requirements, including carrying out all required preparations, processing parcels and mail manually, and completing the processing operations. The process includes all actions after receipt from streaming up to immediately prior to despatch. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Application of the Unit 

Work must be carried out in compliance with the regulations and workplace requirements pertaining to the processing of mail and parcels.

Work is performed under some supervision generally within a team environment. It involves the application of workplace procedures and regulatory requirements to the processing of parcels and letters as part of work activities in the postal and allied industries.

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Prepare to process parcels and mail manually 

1.1 Individual and work team priorities and responsibilities are identified and confirmed

1.2 All OH&S and environment protection procedures and requirements for the workplace are identified, accessed and applied

1.3 The availability of parcels and mail to be processed is identified and confirmed

1.4 The appropriate sort plan is identified, accessed and applied

1.5 Parcels and mail to be processed are transferred to processing point

1.6 Labels for identifying the destination of mail are created and affixed to trays

2 Process parcels and mail manually 

2.1 Internal operating procedures and standards are applied to the manual processing of parcels and mail

2.2 Parcels and mail are processed accurately and correctly in compliance with priority for processing

2.3 Parcels and mail are handled safely to minimise risk of injury to people and damage to parcels

2.4 Parcels and mail that are incorrectly classified and non-conforming items are identified, separated and re-processed

2.5 Parcels and mail are sorted to their correct destination and placed in appropriate mail container for distribution

3 Complete process for parcels and mail 

3.1 Parcel and mail containers/bag racks are cleared down, sealed and labelled

3.2 Parcel and mail containers are weighed and labelled to ensure compliance with workplace procedures

3.3 Information required to complete records of parcels and mail processed is provided and recorded

3.4 Parcels and mail are transferred to next processing point using appropriate shifting equipment, and labels are scanned as required

3.5 Excess equipment is removed and work area prepared for next activity/shift

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

This describes the essential knowledge and skills and their level required for this unit.

Required knowledge :

• Australian and international codes and regulations relevant to mail operations

• Relevant OH&S and environmental protection procedures and guidelines

• Workplace procedures and policies for the processing of parcels and letters

• Focus of operation of work systems, equipment, management and site operating systems for the processing of parcels and letters

• Problems that may occur when processing parcels and letters and appropriate action that can be taken to resolve/avoid the problems

• Requirements of parcels processing systems, operations and relevant equipment

• Safety and security hazards that may occur during the processing of parcels and letters and ways of controlling the risks involved

• Relevant personal protective equipment and procedures for its use

• Site layout

Required skills :

• Communicate effectively with others when processing parcels and letters

• Read and interpret instructions, procedures and labels relevant to the processing of parcels and letters

• Complete documentation related to the processing of parcels and letters

• Work collaboratively with others when processing parcels and letters

• Adapt appropriately to cultural differences in the workplace, including modes of behaviour and interactions with others

• Promptly report and/or rectify any identified problems that may occur when processing parcels and letters in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

• Implement contingency plans for unplanned events that may occur when processing parcels and letters

• Plan own work including predicting consequences and identifying improvements

• Interpret and apply relevant agreements, codes of practice or other legislative requirements

• Apply precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate hazards that may exist during work activities

• Modify activities depending on differing operational contingencies, risk situations and environments

• Work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment

• Operate and adapt to differences in equipment in accordance with standard operating procedures

• Select and use required personal protective equipment conforming to industry and OH&S standards

• Identify, select and use relevant equipment, processes and procedures when processing parcels and letters

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required knowledge and skills, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this 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 and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria of this unit and include demonstration of applying:

• the underpinning knowledge and skills
• relevant legislation and workplace procedures
• other relevant aspects of the range statement

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Performance is demonstrated consistently over a period of time and in a suitable range of contexts
• Resources for assessment include:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulated practical and knowledge assessment, and/or
• access to an appropriate range of relevant operational situations in the workplace

• In both real and simulated environments, access is required to:

• relevant and appropriate materials and equipment, and
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

Method of assessment 

• Assessment of this unit must be undertaken by a registered training organisation
• As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral tests
• Practical assessment must occur:

• through activities in an appropriately simulated environment at the registered training organisation, and/or
• in an appropriate range of situations in the workplace

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.

Work may be conducted:

• in a range of work environments
• by day or night

Workplaces may comprise

• large, medium or small worksites

Facilities may be:

• within an airport environment

Customers may be

• external (including international) or internal

Hazards may include:

• vehicular traffic and pedestrians
• dust and vapours
• hazardous or dangerous materials
• humidity, air temperature
• lighting conditions
• machinery/equipment moving parts
• noise

Weighing devices may be:

• mechanical
• automated
• weighbridge

Work priorities may be communicated through:

• briefings
• noticeboards
• announcements

Equipment may include:

• pipe wheelers
• bag rack
• scanners
• tipping belt
• knife
• pallet jack/maverick
• powered lifters
• bags
• scales
• labels
• forklift
• sorting frames
• carousel
• bins
• strings
• stillages
• unit load devices (ULDs) and wheeled unit load devices (WULDs)
• ULD stands and lifters (dollies)
• vertical sorting frames (VSFs) and vertical sorting divisions (VSDs)
• flute tubs
• ergonomic chairs
• bags
• spectrum
• ULD tipper
• conveyor belts
• strapping machine
• plastic and cardboard trays
• barcode sorter (BCS)
• parcel machines
• TMS
• label printer
• optical character reader (OCR)
• letter mail labelling machine (LMLM)
• letter indexing desks (LIDS)
• flat multi-line optical character reader (FSM)
• scissor jacks
• kingfishers
• tray tipper

Personal protective equipment may include:

• gloves
• safety headwear and footwear
• safety glasses
• two-way radios
• protective clothing
• high visibility clothing

Communication in the work area may include:

• phone
• fax
• email
• electronic data transfer (EDI)
• RF systems
• radio
• oral, aural or signed communications

Depending on the type of organisation concerned and the local terminology used, workplace procedures may include:

• company procedures
• enterprise procedures
• organisational procedures
• established procedures

Information/documents may include:

• workplace policies, operating procedures and practices
• Management Operating System (MOS)
• Management Information System (MIS)
• sorting system information including:

• postcode book, national sort plan and state sort plan
• postal guide
• international postcode directory
• label charts

• quality assurance procedures
• induction documentation
• competency standards and training materials
• job specifications and procedures
• award, enterprise bargaining agreement or other industrial arrangements
• manufacturers specifications
• codes of practice, including national standards for manual handling and the industry safety code
• supplier and or/client instructions
• HAZCHEM chart/material safety data sheets
• safety observation feedback program
• emergency procedures

Applicable regulations and legislation may include:

• relevant codes and regulations pertaining to mail operations
• Australian and international regulations and codes of practice for the handling and transport of dangerous goods and hazardous substances
• relevant state/territory OH&S and environmental protection legislation
• workplace relations regulations
• workers compensation regulations
• equal opportunity, equal employment opportunity and affirmative action legislation

Competency Field 

A - Handling Cargo/Stock