Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to operate an air knife.
This unit is applicable to workers using an air knife in a range of jobs in abattoirs, knackeries and 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. Operate air knife | 1.1 Use air knife in accordance with workplace requirements 1.2 Operate air knife in accordance with workplace health and safety requirements 1.3 Perform basic maintenance of the knife |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must operate an air knife.
The candidate must:
use an air knife competently and safely in accordance with the work instructions for one work station in a meat processing operation
perform basic maintenance of the knife
report equipment faults to supervisor in accordance with workplace requirements
apply communication skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
apply the hygiene and sanitation requirements for that work station
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:
basic operating principles of the air knife
hygiene and sanitation requirements for that work station
work instructions for a particular work station
relevant regulatory requirements
potential sources of contamination and ways of minimising them
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must occur in the workplace under normal production conditions.
Competency must be demonstrated at the normal chain 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.