Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge skills required to perform the range of activities associated with the various finishing processes for hides, skins or leather, including machine finishing and manual application.
Work may be conducted in small to large scale enterprises and may involve individual and team activities. Work is performed within industry codes, standards and defined procedures, under direct supervision.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Determine job requirements | 1.1 | Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) |
1.2 | Comply with work health and safety (WHS) requirements at all times | ||
1.3 | Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with SOPs | ||
1.4 | Identify job requirements from specifications, job sheets or work instructions | ||
2 | Prepare for finishing task | 2.1 | Obtain and check equipment and other necessary requirements for functionality |
2.2 | Prepare hides, skins or leather to be finished | ||
2.3 | Select, obtain and mix coating/s to be applied in accordance with workplace and suppliers instructions or procedures, where required | ||
3 | Operate machines to finish hides, skins or leather, where applicable | 3.1 | Identify and assess all necessary settings and preparation for machine operation in accordance with specifications and SOPs |
3.2 | Operate machine in accordance with manufacturer instructions and SOPs, and report any malfunctions | ||
3.3 | Feed hides, skins or leather through or into the machine in the appropriate manner and in accordance with procedures | ||
3.4 | Remove hides, skins or leather from machine using correct manual handling techniques, where required | ||
3.5 | Direct hides, skins or leather to the correct area for next process or storage | ||
3.6 | Clean and maintain work area around the machine | ||
4 | Apply finishing coats by hand, where applicable | 4.1 | Apply bottom, effect and top coats manually in accordance with specifications and procedures |
4.2 | Direct hides, skins or leather to correct area for drying process or storage | ||
4.3 | Clean and store equipment | ||
5 | Monitor product quality | 5.1 | Identify and apply quality requirements for the hides, skins or leather for all stages of the process |
5.2 | Check quality visually and continuously to ensure standard is maintained | ||
5.3 | Recognise, isolate and report any deviations from normal in accordance with procedures | ||
6 | Dispose of waste materials | 6.1 | Minimise waste through correct application of workplace procedures |
6.2 | Dispose of machine waste in accordance with environmental and workplace procedures | ||
7 | Communicate process information | 7.1 | Transfer information regarding production status and problems between changes in shifts, where required |
7.2 | Maintain documentation to expedite movement of the hides, skins and leather through the various phases of treatment | ||
7.3 | Complete records in accordance with workplace procedures, as required | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include:
reading and following work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), safe work practices, industry codes and standards
applying relevant standards
mixing and applying coatings in accordance with specifications
interpreting specifications and setting machine for finishing operation
operating machine and feeding hides or skins in accordance with procedures on at least two (2) occasions
applying bottom, effect and top coats manually in accordance with specifications and procedures on at least two (2) occasions
directing hides, skins or leather to correct area for drying process or storage
monitoring product quality and recognising and isolating deviations from normal in accordance with specifications and procedures
cleaning and storing equipment
minimising and disposing of waste in accordance with environmental and workplace procedures
transferring production status and problems information between changes in shifts, where required
maintaining documentation to expedite movement of the hides, skins and leather through the various phases of treatment and completing records.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
safe work practices and procedures and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
relevant Australian Standards
industry and product processes and equipment
preparation procedures and requirements
characteristics, uses and hazards, of coatings and related materials
monitoring processes and operator instructions
quality standards and manual handling procedures
work health and safety (WHS) and environmental aspects of relevant processes, including handling and using coatings and waste disposal
relevant federal and state or territory legislative or regulatory requirements
recording and reporting procedures.
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must:
satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment, as set by the VET regulator
have vocational competency in finishing hides, skins or leather, at least to the level being assessed, with relevant industry knowledge and experience.
Assessment should occur in operational workplace situations. Where this is not possible, or where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment must occur in a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | |
Workplace procedures include one or more of the following: | requirements prescribed by legislation, industry codes and standards, awards, agreements and conditions of employment SOPs work instructions oral, written and visual communication quality practices, including responsibility for maintenance of own work quality and contribution to quality improvement of team or section output housekeeping tasks related to environmental protection, waste disposal, pollution control and recycling WHS practices |
Australian Standards include: | the relevant industry or Australian Standards that are current at the time this unit is being undertaken |
Prepare for finishing includes one or more of the following: | confirming requirements and instructions checking equipment serviceability preparing the hides, skins or leather obtaining and mixing the coatings |
Equipment includes one or more of the following: | electronic monitoring and metering systems manual chart recording systems basic hand tools laboratory testing and sampling equipment |
Apply finishing coat by machine includes one or more of the following: | mechanical application (roller coating, curtain coating and laminating - film application) applying heat or pressure (iron, embossing, plate, burnishing, polishing and glazing) softening processes (staking and drumming) wool finishing (combing and polishing, and clipping) colour mixing and matching (mixer) |
Apply finishing coats by hand includes one or more of the following: | padding spraying brushing |
WHS practices | WHS practices must include hazard identification and control, risk assessment and implementation of risk reduction measures specific to the tasks described by this unit, and include one or more of the following: manual handling techniques PPE safe materials handling ergonomic arrangement of workplaces following marked walkways safe storage of equipment housekeeping reporting accidents and incidents other WHS practices relevant to the job and enterprise |
Sectors
Not applicable
Competency Field
Leather production