Elements and Performance Criteria
- Prepare to remove honey
- All tools and equipment required to remove a honey crop from a hive are obtained and confirmed as being in good repair and serviceable for use.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is checked for serviceability and worn and used correctly.
- Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards associated with removing a honey crop from a hive are identified and action is taken to deal with them.
- All food safety requirements are identified and met.
- Any site quarantine or other biosecurity protocols in force are observed.
- Risks associated with removing a honey crop from a hive are identified and actions are taken to minimise likelihood and consequences of risks.
- Ripeness of nectar honey is determined to ensure that the honey is mature enough to be harvested.
- Any withholding periods for honey bee medications and treatments are observed.
- Time and location of planned honey removal takes into account potential contaminants, impact on the colony and quality and type of honey to be obtained.
- Factors affecting quantity of honey to be removed from hive are identified and taken into consideration.
- Remove honey from the hive
- Range of suitable methods for removing bees from honey-filled combs is considered and best option (or combination) is selected and implemented.
- Range of suitable methods for removing honey crop in the frames from the hive or honey-filled combs is considered and best option (or combination) is selected and implemented.
- Quality of honey is monitored during removal process and, if required, removal methods are modified to ensure that desired quality standards are achieved and maintained.
- Honey-filled frames are transported to extracting facility.