Application
This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to prepare and fill casings.
This unit is suitable for operators working in smallgoods manufacturing establishments or value-adding, wholesaling and food services 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 casings | 1.1 Calibrate casings according to product specifications and workplace requirements 1.2 Confirm specifications of casings for each product 1.3 Check casings for faults according to workplace requirements 1.4 Prepare casings as required according to workplace requirements 1.5 Flush casings thoroughly with clean water in accordance with workplace requirements 1.6 Spool or pull casings into filling tube or nozzle in preparation for further processing 1.7 Prepare correct quantity of casings in accordance with production specifications 1.8 Prepare casings are prepared according to workplace health and safety, and hygiene and sanitation requirements 1.9 Store casings according to manufacturer's specifications and hygiene requirements |
2. Prepare filling machinery | 2.1 Complete requirements in preparation for start-up of filling machine to workplace requirements 2.2 Set machine requirements correctly 2.3 Follow start-up procedures to workplace requirements 2.4 Attach and change filling materials to workplace requirements and product specifications 2.5 Follow workplace health and safety, hygiene and sanitation requirements |
3. Fill casings | 3.1 Select appropriate casings and filling nozzle according to requirements and product specifications 3.2 Load filler and fill casings to consistency required by product specifications 3.3 Identify, remove and report defective product according to workplace requirements |
4. Clean equipment | 4.1 Clean equipment according to manufacturer's specifications and workplace requirements |
Evidence of Performance
Candidates must consistently fill casings to workplace requirements.
Candidates must:
follow the requirements of the work instruction
work at production speed
identify casing size requirement according to product specifications
identify casing size requirements for specific products in regard to length, weight and diameter
prepare casings to product specifications and workplace procedures
identify possible faults in natural and synthetic casings
correctly fill a range of product lines in terms of:
casing
clips
length
tension
weight
perform filling to required product specifications
identify over-filled and under-filled products
identify, remove and report defective product according to workplace procedures
match clip size to casing
apply communication and mathematical skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
describe storage requirements of soaked casings carried over from production
explain storage requirements of both natural and synthetic casings
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:
procedures followed to set up filling machine to correct specifications
appropriate corrective action for:
casing breakages and bent nozzles
jammed clips or loops
poorly-printed casings
storage requirements of soaked casings carried over from production
filling yield of various sizes and types of casings
purpose of each phase of casing preparation
possible faults in skins and explain their effect on the product
relevant regulatory requirements
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated over time and under typical operating conditions for the enterprise.
Assessment must occur in the workplace under normal production conditions.
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.