Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to measure fat for the purposes of carcase grading.
This unit is applicable to workers in a registered meat processing premises such as an abattoir, boning room or game meat processing establishment.
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. Conduct pre-operation check | 1.1 Check fat measuring equipment according to workplace requirements to ensure it is in good working order 1.2 Calibrate equipment before the start of production, after each break, and whenever a blade is changed to ensure measurements are accurate 1.3 Check instruments regularly for wear at the start of each shift |
2. Identify lots requiring fat measurement | 2.1 Locate lots requiring measurement according to workplace requirements to determine the value, market destination and yield of meat 2.2 Assess possible damage to the measurement site and take appropriate action to ensure accuracy of measurement according to workplace requirements |
3. Measure the fat | 3.1 Take fat measurements according to workplace and species requirements 3.2 Cancel and promptly rectify incorrect measurements to prevent the transmission of incorrect measurements to the recording system |
4. Record the fat measurement | 4.1 Compare fat measurement with visual assessment of fat depth 4.2 Rerecord fat measurement according to workplace requirements |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must measure fat for the purposes of carcase grading.
The candidate must:
measure fat according to workplace requirements
check and maintain equipment in accordance with work instructions
observe relevant workplace health and safety requirements
report equipment faults to supervisor
read, record and report measurement information
use communication skills relevant to work instructions
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a basic factual, technical and procedural knowledge of:
purpose of fat measurements and regulatory requirements
relevant workplace health and safety requirements
sites for possible damage including hide stripper, air knife, bruising, excessive trim, wavy finish and soft siding, and appropriate actions to ensure incorrect measurements are not recorded
possible causes of error in measurement such as contact plate not flat, blunt blade, bent blade, wrong site, dirty light diode and incorrect measuring action
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be conducted in a registered operating meat processing plant.
Competency must be demonstrated while complying with a set standard for fat measurement such as AUS-MEAT.
As a minimum, the following three forms of assessment must be used:
quiz of underpinning knowledge
workplace demonstration
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.