Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to monitor the hygiene and sanitation performance of a plant.
This unit is applicable to supervisors or those with responsibilities overseeing hygiene and sanitation in meat processing establishments such as Quality Assurance (QA) officers and meat safety officers. It is applicable to meat processing, wholesaling, smallgoods and retailing operations.
This unit must be delivered and assessed in the context of Australian meat industry standards and regulations.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
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. Interpret statutory and workplace requirements relating to hygiene and sanitation | 1.1 Explain hygiene and sanitation, regulatory and workplace requirements to other workers to assist their workplace performance 1.2 Implement employer and employee rights, responsibilities and obligations to achieve hygiene and sanitation compliance |
2. Monitor hygiene and sanitation performance | 2.1 Monitor hygiene and sanitation to verify compliance with workplace and statutory requirements 2.2 Report situations requiring action to improve hygiene and sanitation compliance as part of the continuous improvement process 2.3 Evaluate impact of process and product monitoring on hygiene and sanitation |
3. Respond to hygiene and sanitation problems | 3.1 Investigate hygiene and sanitation issues using established processes and procedures to resolve problems 3.2 Follow up and report recommended action arising from the investigation to ensure reinforcement and documentation of the outcomes |
4. Evaluate results of microbiological testing | 4.1 Analyse results of microbiological testing in terms of regulatory and workplace requirements 4.2 Take corrective action in response to microbiological results when required by workplace and regulatory requirements |
Evidence of Performance
Competency is demonstrated by taking an appropriate level of responsibility for the implementation of hygiene and sanitation SOPs. Evidence must demonstrate the candidate's consistency of performance over time.
The candidate must:
define the problem being investigated
understand and apply HACCP systems
identify and apply workplace health and safety requirements
plan an approach to the investigation
evaluate the problem
explain and monitor workplace hygiene and sanitation policies, practices and procedures
report outcomes of the investigation
follow up post-investigation issues
identify action required to strengthen hygiene and sanitation compliance
implement the monitoring procedures
report monitoring outcomes
use techniques for individual and team resolution of the problem
use relevant communication skills
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a broad factual, technical and theoretical knowledge of:
purpose of hygiene and sanitation monitoring
regulatory and commercial implications of inadequate control of hygiene and sanitation
company processes and procedures to conduct a hygiene and sanitation investigation
employer and employee rights, responsibilities and obligations regarding hygiene and sanitation
statutory requirements specific to the site of employment
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must include demonstration of on-the-job competency in the workplace.
Assessment should involve analysis of real or simulated data for a meat processing operation.
The following three forms of evidence must be used:
quiz of underpinning knowledge
workplace demonstration
workplace referee or third-party report of performance over time
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.