Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to unload animals from transport. It requires a working knowledge of animal handling techniques and associated facilities and equipment. The work is likely to be carried out under routine supervision within enterprise guidelines.
This unit is applicable to those responsible for unloading stock from transport at abattoirs.
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 industry standards and regulations, in particular legislative requirements with regard to animal welfare.
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. Check facilities and equipment | 1.1 Identify required facilities and equipment 1.2 Check the work site, facilities and equipment for hazards 1.3 Carry out or report (as appropriate) repairs and maintenance of facilities and equipment required for the unloading of livestock 1.4 Use and store Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and clothing |
2. Unload animals | 2.1 Unload animals in a safe manner to comply with animal welfare, company and regulatory requirements 2.2 Identify, count and record livestock according to enterprise procedures 2.3 Maintain workplace records according to workplace and regulatory requirements 2.4 Complete documentation according to regulatory and transporter requirements 2.5 Reach agreement on condition of animals with the transporter |
3. Perform appropriate animal health procedures | 3.1 Sort stock, if required, with sick or injured stock segregated according to workplace and regulatory requirements 3.2 Perform animal health treatments off truck as instructed 3.3 Feed and water animals to enterprise requirements |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must unload animals from transport demonstrating a working knowledge of animal handling techniques and associated facilities and equipment.
The candidate must:
safely and humanely unload animals in a calm and controlled manner
anticipate animal behaviour
provide and maintain appropriate animal health and nutritional requirements
prepare equipment and working dogs (when used) for handling animals
monitor animal behaviour and recognise irregularities
provide due care and handle animals safely and humanely
use goads (where applicable), in accordance with work instructions, workplace health and safety, and animal welfare requirements
calculate animal numbers and assess and calculate feed and water requirements
apply communication skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
cooperate and communicate with others to facilitate unloading stock
comply with relevant workplace health and safety and animal welfare legislative requirements
work effectively with others to facilitate unloading of stock
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a basic factual, technical and procedural knowledge of:
animal basic health and nutritional requirements
animal herding and flocking behaviour
working dogs' uses and handling techniques (where appropriate)
animal handling and movement methods and techniques
animal welfare standards
Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) and work instruction relevant to unloading stock
relevant workplace health and safety and animal welfare legislative requirements
Assessment Conditions
Evidence must also be demonstrated in the employment of safe workplace and positive environmental practices.
Assessment must occur in the workplace under normal production conditions.
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.