Application
This unit of competency supports race club employees to prepare the racetrack and associated facilities for race meetings. Competencies attained in this unit apply to the greyhound, harness and thoroughbred codes of the industry. Consequently when performance criteria are applied they will relate to the greyhound or harness or thoroughbred code, and statements of attainment for this unit will reflect this distinction. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Plan for race meeting. | 1. Race meeting requirements are clarified with race club personnel and stewards. 2. Pre-planning work roster with monthly, weekly and daily objectives is prepared. 3. Kennels or stables are cleaned, cameras checked for operation and area is secured according to workplace and stewards' requirements. |
Prepare track for racing. | 4. Race distances and track selection are verified. 5. Barriers, rails, starting boxes and jumps are checked for operation and condition and moved into position as required. 6. Track condition is verified in consultation with stewards prior to start and during race meeting and adjustments are made as required. 7. Repairs are made to track surface between races as required. |
Oversee post-race meeting clean-up (pull down). | 8. Track surface is checked , repairs are arranged and maintenance operations are scheduled. 9. Kennels or stables are cleaned, repaired and secured where necessary. 10. Inventory is checked for return of all race club equipment. 11. Damage to equipment or infrastructure is reported and repairs are initiated by following workplace procedures. 12. Area is checked for safety and removal of all items, equipment or contractor supplies before site is declared open for regular access. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
allocating duties to staff based on a range of operational requirements, staff experience, level of responsibility and complexity of job task assessing race club and industry requirements associated with race meeting track and facilities, including safety, security, licensing, and staff and animal welfare communicating with stewards, racing officials and staff, licensed and registered personnel and others using assertive communication techniques to gather, interpret and relay information related to preparing track and facilities for race meetings completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures and nominated time frame complying with OHS and environmental legislation complying with organisational policies and procedures evaluating risks associated with track and facility equipment and activities making effective decisions to resolve routine problems operating a range of equipment and technology preparing work rosters recognising faulty equipment, machinery and infrastructure reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including rules of racing relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities teamwork skills to ensure completion of job tasks written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports. |
Required knowledge |
detailed understanding of applicable federal, state or territory legislation and regulations, and national standards and codes of practice, including: animal welfare anti-discrimination and harassment environmental and waste management equal employment opportunity industrial relations OHS industry terminology related to racing operations and wider racing industry organisational policies and procedures principles of effective communication protocols and procedures for communicating with stewards, racing officials and other relevant people race meeting track and facility management operations and staff roles racing industry animal welfare requirements racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures relevant rules of racing staff supervision, including rights and responsibilities of employees, supervisors, employers and contractors track condition relevant to applicable racing code track maintenance procedures relevant to applicable racing code types of equipment and procedures for their operation and maintenance. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to the specific industry sector and workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following: knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply when preparing track and facilities for race meetings implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient application of race meeting track and facility preparation working with others to undertake and complete preparation procedures that meet required outcomes. Evidence should be collected over a period of time in a range of workplace-relevant contexts and include dealings with an appropriate range of situations. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to the required resources or simulated environment approved by the relevant State Principal Racing Authority. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements. Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills. The following resources must be available: materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to prepare track and facilities for race meetings relevant racing industry work sites, such as racecourses, race meetings and related facilities work instructions and related documentation. |
Method of assessment | Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package. The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are: written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks simulation exercises conducted in a State Principal Racing Authority approved simulated environment. Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons. This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role. |
Guidance information for assessment | Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds). |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to effectively prepare track and facilities for race meetings. Workplaces include greyhound, harness and thoroughbred racecourses, training tracks, administration buildings and public areas. | |
Race meeting requirements may include: | access for contractors cleaning marquee or additional hospitality areas parking power reviewing contractors' safe operating procedures risk management security signage site or venue speakers suppliers transport. |
Work roster tasks may include: | checking operation and soundness of infrastructure and facilities, including: barriers or starting boxes distance markers photo finish public address system race meeting kennels or stalls semaphore board signage spectator viewing facilities or seating surveillance towers erection and pull down of marquees landscaping and grounds maintenance track preparation, covering: condition irrigation pipes removal machinery removal rail condition and location starting position of each race. |
Area is secured to ensure : | identification of race staff and participants is verified maintenance of integrity in relation to swabs maintenance of restricted areas presentation of correct horses at meetings staff and race participant safety. |
Checks of barriers, rails, starting boxes and jumps may include: | barriers: battery communication systems between starter and driver damage fuel, oil, power steering and transmission fluid lights tyre pressure water rails: inside and outside running rails sound posts, rails and fittings no exposed pins or ends (caps required) no joint protrusions visibility satisfactory with no discolouration starting boxes: battery charge electric start front door and rear door springs operational removal of debris sound structure with no corrosion switch operational wiring safe jumps: no exposed pins no joint protrusions removal of debris sound posts, rails and fittings visibility. |
Track condition verification will include: | debris on track moisture content rail position and condition turf, dirt or synthetic surface maintenance. |
Repairs to track surface between races may include: | grading replacing divots watering. |
Track maintenance operations schedule may include: | conducting condition assessment, including: identifying defects, deterioration or deficiencies and establishing effect on asset performance determining maintenance or remediation required allocating necessary maintenance resources, for example: labour monetary selecting appropriate rectification procedure scheduling maintenance work that may include: aeration for turf tracks de-compaction annually on turf tracks de-thatching deep rip as required dragging daily harrowing daily on sand tracks and as needed on cinders tracks herbicide and insecticide use irrigation to bind surface material fertilising filling of hoof prints fungicide use mowing appropriate for season nematicide use power harrow as required ripping as needed on cinders tracks rolling daily on sand tracks replacing divots scarifying top dressing if required turf track aeration. |
Equipment or infrastructure may include: | electrical boards fire safety equipment irrigation pipes and sprinklers lighting mirror box mobile starting barriers photo finish equipment public address system rails starting boxes spectator seating track maintenance equipment or machinery tractors and harrows. |
Post-race safety check will include: | identifying hazards controlling and minimising risks eliminating hazardous substances and materials ensuring equipment, machinery and vehicles are safe and in proper working order, including: barriers lures starting boxes following accident and injury procedures following safe operating procedures scheduling identified facilities' repairs and maintenance using correct manual handling techniques, including: carrying lifting shifting. |
Sectors
Unit Sector | Greyhound, harness and thoroughbred racing codes |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor