Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to implement and monitor biosecurity measures for poultry enterprises.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, legislation, codes of practice, and guidelines relating to work health and safety, biosecurity, animal welfare, and sustainability practices.
This unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and take responsibility for their own work including limited responsibility for the work of others. They provide and communicate solutions to a range of predictable problems in relation to biosecurity.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Note:
Pest is a bird or animal or insect which can be a carrier of infectious disease or which can cause stock losses or loss of productivity through predation.
Weed is a poisonous plant or one declared as a noxious weed (free range runs).
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. Apply biosecurity procedures for site entry | 1.1 Identify potential biosecurity threats to the enterprise 1.2 Identify potential sources of disease, pest or weed contamination being carried between sites 1.3 Consult with supervisor and management on the requirements for maintaining the enterprise as a biosecure zone as appropriate, in compliance with relevant legislation, Codes of Practice, industry guidelines and enterprise procedures 1.4 Maintain the integrity of enterprise as a biosecure zone 1.5 Maintain personal sanitation and hygiene on entry to enterprise 1.6 Complete sign in procedures 1.7 Ensure contractors and visitors are signed in, checked for risk profile and instructed in biosecurity requirements 1.8 Ensure all equipment, machinery or vehicles prior to entry onto the site are cleaned and disinfected 1.9 Check poultry, feed and feed ingredients to be introduced to the enterprise for health, pest and contamination status and isolate them from other poultry and feedstock where necessary 1.10 Implement enterprise work health and safety policies 1.11 Use and maintain appropriate personal protective equipment |
2. Implement biosecurity procedures to minimise spread of disease, pest or weed where relevant within the enterprise | 2.1 Implement procedures for entering production areas or facilities or moving from one site to another 2.2 Implement enterprise requirements, order of priority and prescribed routes for specified movements of personnel, vehicles, equipment, feedstuffs and poultry 2.3 Ensure all surface water used for drinking, cooling and washing down is sanitised 2.4 Implement appropriate personal sanitation and equipment cleaning procedures for movement between sites 2.5 Implement a health control program including vaccination 2.6 Keep enterprise areas clear of debris 2.7 Implement biosecure procedures for carcass, effluent, organic waste and inorganic waste removal and disposal |
3. Implement biosecurity procedures on detection of disease, pest or weed where relevant | 3.1 Identify signs of disease, pest or weed incursion, or unusual signs in the poultry flocks 3.2 Follow enterprise animal welfare policies 3.3 Assess severity and extent of disease or incursion 3.4 Seek immediate advice from supervisors, professionals or appropriate authorities where signs indicate an unusual disease or pest presence 3.5 Immediately report signs of unusual disease or pest to management or appropriate authorities 3.6 Implement instructions from supervisors, enterprise and appropriate authorities for additional biosecurity measures |
4. Apply enterprise sanitation and disinfection practices to reduce the risk of disease, pest or weed | 4.1 Ensure all used bedding, organic and inorganic waste are removed from facilities or sites and disposed of in line with enterprise environmental policies 4.2 Remove dust from surfaces 4.3 Clean production areas, facilities or sites using pressure cleaning, water or dry cleaning method where appropriate 4.4 Clean feeding and watering equipment using an appropriate method 4.5 Sanitise or disinfect facilities, sites and equipment appropriately |
5. Implement pest control | 5.1 Identify pests that can introduce or spread high risk pathogens 5.2 Exclude wild birds from the poultry housing and other pests from the facilities by effective physical barriers 5.3 Monitor wild bird and pest numbers 5.4 Carry out procedures to discourage wild birds and to control pests |
6. Monitor, record and report | 6.1 Monitor effectiveness and progress of control activities and compare with enterprise requirements 6.2 Monitor production areas, facilities or sites as part of work duties to ensure work practices and procedures are applied 6.3 Complete records accurately and timely 6.4 Report issues and concerns with biosecurity to management 6.5 Work with management to review procedures, activities and communicate revisions to other staff |
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:
apply biosecurity procedures for site entry and between sections
implement biosecurity procedures
implement biosecurity procedures as instructed on detection of disease, pest or weed where relevant
identify abnormal signs in a flock
implement wild bird, pest and weed control measures
monitor application of biosecurity procedures
implement enterprise work health and safety policies
implement enterprise animal welfare policies
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
relevant statutory requirements, codes of practice, industry standards and procedures for biosecurity
types, characteristics, methods of spread, signs, prevention, control and treatment of diseases, pests or weeds relevant to the enterprise
requirements for maintaining an enterprise as a biosecure zone including perimeter fencing, lockable gates, vehicle access, enterprise boundaries, production area boundaries, dirty and clean production areas, poultry housing and pasture boundaries and appropriate signage
specific biosecurity procedures applicable to an enterprise and enterprise work routines, including personnel, visitors, vehicles, equipment, machinery, introduced poultry, pests, wild birds and health program
requirements, procedures and resources for entry to enterprise, production areas, facilities or sites
normal signs of a healthy flock
relevant work health and safety requirements
methods and procedures for cleaning and disinfection of facilities, sheds, feeding and watering equipment and other shed equipment
requirements, methods and procedures for treatment and sanitisation of drinking, cooling and washing down water supplies as appropriate to an enterprise
procedures for handling, measurement and usage of cleaning chemicals, disinfectants and sanitisers
relevant environmental and sustainability requirements, methods and procedures for disposal and management of effluent, organic and inorganic waste and debris
essential principles and key aspects of Commonwealth and State disease control emergency plans, including AUSVETPLAN
types and maintenance of relevant documentation and records
requirements and methods for reporting, reviewing, revising and communicating biosecurity procedures
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or workplace and 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
Poultry (PLY)