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

Assessment must be carried out in a manner that recognises the cultural and literacy requirements of the assessee and is appropriate to the work performed. Competence in this unit must be achieved in accordance with food safety standards and regulations.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of ability to:

conduct pre-start checks on machinery used for packing

start, operate, monitor and adjust process equipment to achieve required quality outcomes

take corrective action in response to typical faults and inconsistencies

complete workplace records as required

apply safe work practices and identify OHS hazards and controls

safely shut down equipment

apply food safety procedures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must occur in a real or simulated workplace where the assessee has access to:

personal protective clothing and equipment

work procedures, including advice on safe work practices, food safety, quality and environmental requirements

information on equipment capacity and operating parameters

specifications, control points and operating parameters

packaging and related equipment and services

materials to be packaged and packaging components/consumables as required

sampling schedules and test procedures and equipment as required

documentation and recording requirements and procedures

cleaning procedures, materials and equipment as required.

Method of assessment

This unit should be assessed together with core units and other units of competency relevant to the function or work role. Examples could be:

FDFOP2004A Clean and sanitise equipment

FDFOP2011A Conduct routine maintenance

FDFOP2013A Apply sampling procedures

FDFOP2030A Operate a process control interface

MSL973001A Perform basic tests.

Guidance information for assessment

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

Required skills

Ability to:

access workplace information to identify packaging requirements

select, fit and use personal protective clothing and/or equipment

confirm supply of necessary packaging components/consumables, materials and services

conduct pre-start checks, such as inspecting equipment condition to identify any signs of wear, setting coders and printers, selecting appropriate equipment settings and/or related parameters, cancelling isolation or lockouts as required, confirming that equipment is clean and correctly configured for packaging requirements, positioning sensors and controls correctly, ensuring any scheduled maintenance has been completed, and confirming that all safety guards are in place and operational

start, operate, monitor and adjust packaging equipment to achieve required outcomes., such as packaging components/consumables and/or product, and monitoring control points (e.g. weights, codes, placement, glue temperatures, alignment and appearance, configuration and seal integrity) as required to confirm process remains within specification

monitor supply and flow of materials to and from the process

take corrective action in response to out-of-specification results

respond to and/or report equipment failure within level of responsibility

locate emergency stop functions on equipment

follow isolation and lock out/tag out procedures as required to take packaging equipment off-line in preparation for cleaning and/or maintenance within level of responsibility

demonstrate batch/process changeovers

complete workplace records as required

maintain work area to meet housekeeping standards

use process control systems according to enterprise procedures

integrity testing of packaging according to enterprise procedures

carry out routine maintenance according to enterprise procedures

clean and sanitise equipment according to enterprise procedures

use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor

work cooperatively within a culturally diverse workforce

Required knowledge

Knowledge of:

purpose and basic principles of the packaging process, including the purpose and characteristics required of packaging materials used and the principles of the packaging process used (where methods involve vacuum or map packaging, it includes an understanding of the effect of modified atmosphere on product shelf-life)

product and packaging coding requirements and related legal requirements, including product weight

basic operating principles of equipment, such as main equipment components, status and purpose of guards, equipment operating capacities and applications, and the purpose and location of sensors and related feedback instrumentation

services required and action to take if services are not available

the flow of processes supplying the packaging process and the effect of outputs on downstream processes

quality characteristics required of the packaging process, such as seal integrity requirements

effect of variation in inputs, such as packaging components/consumables, materials and/or services, on process performance

operating requirements and parameters and corrective action required where operation is outside specified operating parameters, including restart procedures following a crash or jam up

typical equipment faults and related causes, including signs and symptoms of faulty equipment and early warning signs of potential problems

methods used to monitor the packaging process, such as visual inspecting, and measuring and testing as required by the process

inspection or test points (control points) in the process and the related procedures and recording requirements

contamination/food safety risks related to stages in the packaging process and related control measures

common causes of variation and corrective action required

occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards and controls

requirements of different shutdowns as appropriate to the packaging process, including emergency and routine shutdowns and procedures to follow in the event of a power outage, and conducting basic equipment referencing where required

product/packaging changeover procedures and responsibilities

isolation, lock out and tag out procedures and responsibilities

procedures and responsibility for reporting production and performance information

environmental issues and controls relevant to the process, including waste/rework collection and handling procedures related to the process

basic operating principles of process control, where relevant, including the relationship between control panels and systems and the physical equipment

routine maintenance procedures where relevant

packaging integrity testing where relevant

cleaning and sanitation procedures where relevant

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.

Policies and procedures

Work is carried out according to company policies and procedures, regulatory and licensing requirements, legislative requirements, and industrial awards and agreements

Legislative requirements

Legislative requirements are typically reflected in procedures and specifications. Legislation relevant to this industry includes:

the Food Standards Code, including labelling, weights and measures legislation

legislation covering food safety, environmental management, OHS, anti-discrimination and equal opportunity

When applied to the pharmaceutical industry, relevant Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) codes apply in place of the Australian Food Standards Code and reference to food safety is replaced by GMP

Workplace information

Workplace information may include:

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

specifications

production schedules and instructions

manufacturers' advice

standard forms and reports

Typical equipment

Typical equipment that may form a packaging sub-system includes:

conveyor systems

filling

sealing

wrapping

thermo-form equipment

case packers

bundlers

ink jet coders

labellers

palletisers

shrink wrappers

strappers

Packaging

Packaging may include:

vacuum packing

modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)

blister packaging or over wrapping

Operation of equipment and processes

Operation of equipment and processes may require:

the use of process control panels and systems

Shutdown procedures

Shutdown procedures may include:

cleaning (in some cases cleaning may be carried out by a dedicated cleaning crew)