This unit applies to beekeepers.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Plan to select and establish an apiary site

1.1. Criteria for selecting a site are established.

1.2. Suitable locality in which to search for site is identified.

1.3. Suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is selected and checked prior to use.

1.4. Tools and equipment required to select and establish an apiary site are selected and checked prior to use.

1.5. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards associated with selecting and establishing an apiary site are identified and actions are taken to minimise risk to self and others.

2. Select the apiary site

2.1. Detailed information about potential sites in selected locality is gathered and analysed using site selection criteria.

2.2. Capacity of available flora to support desired number of hives at site is determined.

2.3. Most suitable site(s) is selected.

2.4. Precise area(s) within site to place hives is selected taking into account proximity to flora, water, gates, stockyards and movement of the sun.

2.5. Permission to locate beehives at site is obtained from land owner or manager.

3. Establish the apiary at the selected sit

3.1. Access of bees to floral sources and water is monitored and hives are repositioned as required or a new site is sought.

3.2. Where required, supplementary feeds of nectar and/or protein substitutes are provided at concentration and frequency required by bees to obtain desired results.

3.3. Results of inspections and any remedial action taken are recorded and used as basis for future beekeeping operations.

Required skills

hazard identification and risk assessment

bush sense

correct manual handling

loading and unloading beehives

map reading

use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks

use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views

use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data

use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge

potential productivity of flora, including its potential for pollen and nectar flow

nutritional requirements of colony

sources of information about potential sites

residue risks in honey

OHS and environmental legislation, codes of practice and enterprise procedures.

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 and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

identify flora and assess its productivity including its potential for pollen and nectar flow

communicate with land owners/managers

determine site selection criteria including the potential productivity of flora

select apiary location to meet the nutritional requirements of colony.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Apiaries may include:

the range of apiaries and production systems in commercial honey production.

Unit sector

Beekeeping

This unit contains employability skills.