Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to restrain animals prior to stunning.
This unit is applicable to workers in an abattoir responsible for operating restrainers such as knocking boxes and V belt restrainers.
All work should be carried out to comply with workplace and hygiene requirements.
This unit applies to individuals who work under general supervision, exercise limited autonomy and have some accountability for their own work.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
This unit must be delivered and assessed in the context of Australian meat processing standards and regulations.
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. Restrain animal | 1.1 Restrain animal to workplace requirements 1.2 Identify and comply with animal welfare requirements 1.3 Monitor operation of mechanical restraints in accordance with workplace requirements 1.4 Meet workplace health and safety requirements when restraining animal |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must restrain animals prior to stunning.
The candidate must:
maintain segregation according to workplace requirements
maintain the flow of animals to meet production requirements
restrain animals to maintain production requirements
restrain stock without causing undue stress to the animals
restrain the animal to workplace health and safety requirements
use goads, where applicable, in accordance with work instructions, health and safety, and animal welfare regulations
apply relevant communication skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
cooperate and communicate effectively with other workers
apply relevant regulatory requirements
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a basic factual, technical and procedural knowledge of:
animal welfare requirements
correct use of goads
regulatory requirements for segregation
relevant animal welfare regulatory requirements
the impact of stress and injury on meat quality
the relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and work instructions
the required segregation of animals
the workplace and health and safety requirements related to restraining animals and the reasons for these requirements
characteristics of breeds, sex and age of animals as they relate to work duties
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated at an operating abattoir at normal chain speed and while complying with animal welfare requirements.
As a minimum, the following three forms of assessment must be used:
workplace demonstration
quiz of underpinning knowledge
workplace referee or third-party report of performance over time
Assessors must satisfy the current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.