AMPA3000
Stun animal


Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required for the humane, effective and hygienic stunning of animals.

This unit is applicable to workers in registered slaughtering establishments.

All work should be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, customer requirements and product specifications.

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.

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 humanely and safely in appropriate position in accordance with animal welfare regulatory and workplace requirements

1.2 Restrain animal in correct position for stunning as required

1.3 Restrain animal with appropriate restraining equipment

2. Operate stunning equipment

2.1 Operate stunning equipment in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements

2.2 Maintain stunning equipment and facilities in effective working order

2.3 Operate stunning equipment humanely in accordance with animal welfare regulatory and workplace requirements

3. Stun the animal

3.1 Stun animal in accordance with animal welfare regulatory and workplace requirements

3.2 Stun animal to workplace and health and safety requirements

3.3 Check stun where part of work instructions, and take corrective action when effective stun is not achieved

3.4 Ensure stunning effectiveness is in accordance with workplace requirements

Evidence of Performance

The candidate must humanely, effectively and hygienically stun animals.

The candidate must:

restrain animal effectively and safely, with minimum stress to the animal

stun animal effectively in accordance with workplace health and safety, workplace and regulatory requirements

correctly use measuring equipment for voltage and/or gas levels, as applicable

demonstrate procedures to be taken if stun is not effective

check, operate and maintain stunning equipment according to workplace requirements

apply communication and mathematical skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

report equipment faults according to workplace requirements

apply relevant regulatory requirements


Evidence of Knowledge

The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:

alternative methods of stunning

animal welfare requirements including importing country requirements and religious considerations where appropriate

purpose of stunning animal

risks of potential contamination and cross-contamination during stunning

workplace health and safety consequences of not achieving an effective stun

purpose of having a back-up procedures

impact of ineffective restraining and stunning on product quality

relevant regulatory requirements


Assessment Conditions

Assessment must be performed in an operating abattoir or knackery.

Competency must be demonstrated at normal production speed with a range of types of stock (which can be from a single species).

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.


Range Statement


Sectors