AHCLSK216
Clean and maintain livestock pens


Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to clean and maintain livestock pens.

All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes of practice and sustainability practices.

This unit applies to individuals who work under general supervision and exercise limited autonomy with some accountability for their own work. They identify and provide solutions to a limited range of predictable problems.

In addition to legal responsibilities, all units of competency dealing with animals in the AHC Training Package have the requirements for animals to be handled humanely to minimise stress and discomfort.

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


Elements and Performance Criteria

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Prepare to clean pens

1.1 Confirm work to be undertaken with supervisor

1.2 Identify work health and safety hazards and seek advice from supervisor for implementation of suitable risk controls

1.3 Select, maintain and use suitable personal protective equipment

1.4 Identify the potential environmental and biosecurity impacts of cleaning the pens and seek advice from supervisor for managing these impacts

1.5 Raise, dismantle or remove equipment from the pens for cleaning if required and clean equipment to appropriate industry standards

2. Clean pens

2.1 Service and prepare machinery and tools for cleaning operation

2.2 Remove and dispose of manure appropriately

2.3 Clean feeding and watering troughs or equipment appropriately

2.4 Ensure run-off from cleaning activity complies with enterprise, industry and regulatory effluent and waste management procedures

2.5 Ensure all cleaning and hygiene processes are completed to industry standards

3. Maintain pens

3.1 Repack worn and uneven pen surface appropriately

3.2 Repair damaged feed bunks and leaking water troughs as required

3.3 Repair pen fences, gates and shade structures as required

4. Complete cleaning and maintenance operation

4.1 Clean and store equipment appropriately at end of operation

4.2 Dispose of containers, leftover fluids, waste and debris from the cleaning operations appropriately

4.3 Complete records and documentation

Evidence of Performance

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

identify work health and safety hazards, follow safe work practices and use personal protective equipment appropriately

make appropriate preparations for cleaning livestock pens

clean and maintain pens

complete cleaning and maintenance operation

follow relevant environmental and biosecurity practices


Evidence of Knowledge

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

requirements and methods of cleaning livestock pens

environmental and biosecurity impacts of pen cleaning operation and measures to mitigate these impacts

types and use of tools, equipment and machinery for pen cleaning operation and the maintenance, servicing and storage of such tools, equipment and machinery

environmental and biosecurity impacts and methods of disposal of effluent, bio-waste and waste generated by the cleaning operation

cleaning and maintenance of feeding and watering troughs or similar equipment

types of documentation and records that need to be completed after the cleaning operations

relevant work health and safety, biosecurity and environmental management policies


Assessment Conditions

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace and/or simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.


Foundation Skills

Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.


Range Statement


Sectors

Livestock