Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to operate a hide puller.
This unit is applicable to workers in abattoirs, knackeries and wild game processing 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. Prepare equipment | 1.1 Prepare and check equipment for operation according to workplace requirements |
2. Position carcase | 2.1 Chain carcase according to workplace and health and safety requirements 2.2 Attach chains (hide puller) to hide, where this forms part of work instructions 2.3 Complete opening cuts, where this forms part of work instructions |
3. Operate hide puller | 3.1 Operate hide puller to work instructions 3.2 Operate rise and fall platform to workplace requirements, where this forms part of work instructions 3.3 Use knife or air knife to ensure hide removal is carried out without damage to hide or carcase 3.4 Achieve compliance with workplace health and safety requirements 3.5 Lower hide and disconnect from chain, where this forms part of work instructions |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must operate a hide puller.
The candidate must:
position carcase securely and safely, where part of work instructions
comply with workplace health and safety requirements
operate a hide puller according to workplace requirements
operate a hide puller to achieve a hide with good shape and consistency
remove hide without damage to carcase
use correct maintenance procedures for hide pulling equipment
report defects when hides are not coming off cleanly to supervisor in accordance with workplace requirements
apply communication skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
apply relevant regulatory requirements
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:
general operation of the puller
work instructions
potential for contamination and cross-contamination
relevant regulatory requirements
maintenance requirements for hide puller
workplace health and safety issues related to the operation of the hide puller
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated at the normal rate of production.
Assessment must be conducted on an operating slaughter floor or game meat processing establishment.
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.