Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assess the humane and effective stunning and slaughter of animals.
This Unit is applicable to the assessment of the effectiveness of stunning and bleeding in a slaughtering establishment. The training would normally be undertaken by Quality Assurance officers and supervisors who monitor the humane slaughtering of animals.
This Unit will fulfil the importing country requirements for meat processing establishments exporting to the European Union, and meets the European Union Regulation EC 1099/2009 training requirements for the assessment of effective stunning and bleeding.
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. Assess the effective stunning of an animal prior to bleeding | 1.1 Check animal for an effective stun prior to bleeding 1.2 Take corrective action when effective stun is not achieved 1.3 Keep records of the assessment of effective stunning according to workplace requirements 1.4 Assess stunning against the applicable work instruction and Standard Operating Procedures to ensure it is effective and humane |
2. Check for bleed chain insensibility | 2.1 Check animals for insensibility on the bleed chain 2.2 Immediately report signs of sensibility and take immediate corrective action 2.3 Keep records of the assessment of effective stunning and bleeding according to workplace requirements 2.4 Assess bleeding against the applicable work instruction and Standard Operating Procedures to ensure it is effective and humane |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must assess the humane and effective stunning and slaughter of animals.
The candidate must:
assess effectiveness of animal stunning in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements
record assessment of bleed chain insensibility according to the workplace requirements
identify the causes of bleed chain insensibility
read and interpret electronic data (where applicable)
monitor bleed chain insensibility according to workplace requirements
implement procedures if stun or bleeding is not effective
record monitoring and assessment results of stunning and or bleed chain insensibilities
report stunning and bleeding failures
apply relevant regulatory and work place requirements
apply communication and mathematical skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
follow workplace health and safety procedures
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:
methods of stunning and their application
animal welfare requirements including importing country requirements where appropriate
purpose of stunning animal
the indicators of an effective stun
signs of an ineffective stun
animal welfare implications of ineffective stunning and bleeding
workplace and regulatory requirements for monitoring stunning
the causes of ineffective stunning and bleeding
signs of bleed chain insensibility
procedures for the assessment of stunning
procedures for the assessment of bleed chain insensibility
workplace and regulatory requirements for monitoring bleed chain insensibility
workplace health and safety consequences of not achieving an effective stun
impact of ineffective restraining and stunning on product quality
relevant regulatory requirements
corrective actions for an ineffective stun
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be performed in an operating abattoir or knackery, at production speed.
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.