This unit has application for workers in fish processing facilities.

It extends to cleaning and preparing fish to customer specifications.

All enterprise or workplace procedures and activities are carried out according to relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements, including occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines, food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures and ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles.

Equipment operation, maintenance, repairs and calibrations are undertaken in a safe manner that conforms to manufacturer instructions. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected, checked, used and maintained.

SFIPROC106B

Work with knives

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Prepare work area

1.1. Work instructions are confirmed with supervisor.

1.2. Work area is cleaned before commencing and hygienic conditions maintained throughout.

1.3. Fish are visually inspected for any signs of spoilage, defects and parasites, and defective fish are identified and set aside.

2. Clean fish

2.1. Cleaning equipment is used safely to clean and prepare fish to customer specifications.

2.2. Scales are removed leaving skin undamaged, and the fish rinsed free of loose scales in potable water.

2.3. Gills and guts are removed without cutting into the flesh, and the fish rinsed free of loose debris, in potable water.

2.4. Fish parts are placed into correct container for further processing or disposal.

2.5. Fish cleaning meets enterprise productivity requirements.

3. Finalise fish cleaning activities

3.1. Cleaned fish are displayed or stored according to work instruction.

3.2. Problems are reported to supervisor.

3.3. Identification and traceability of product is maintained through accurate and compliant labelling.

Required skills

cleaning and maintaining a hygienic workplace

communicating with supervisor to clarify work instructions, customer specifications and productivity requirements

handling fish and fish cleaning equipment safely and hygienically

identifying signs of spoilage and common fish defects, diseases and parasites

identifying species and fish parts, such as gills, gonads, scales, roe, kidneys and swim bladder

manual dexterity for cleaning fish

using safe manual handling techniques, including minimising the risk of repetitive, forceful, constrained or awkward postures

reporting problems orally to supervisor.

Literacy skills used for:

interpreting customer specifications

interpreting enterprise OHS procedures

interpreting enterprise quality, food safety and hygiene procedures.

Required knowledge

enterprise quality system procedures addressing customer specifications, fish identification and traceability

food safety procedures and regulations that apply when handling and storing fish

OHS requirements when using knives, cutting equipment and lifting and handling boxes of fish and fish products

personal, workplace and product hygiene principles

spoilage pattern and common fish defects, diseases and parasites for species being cleaned.

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.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

identify spoilage and common fish defects, diseases and parasites for species being cleaned

produce cleaned fish within enterprise productivity and food safety requirements that conform to state/territory food regulations and customer specifications.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

enterprise safe work practices, quality and food safety requirements relevant to cleaning fish.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. To ensure consistency and level of performance a minimum of twelve (12) fish, including flat and round fish or fish of different sizes, are to be cleaned.

Resources may include:

a range of knives, cleaning and cutting tools appropriate to the purpose

fish to be cleaned

fish cleaning tubs, clean fish tubs and running cold potable water

scales

resources, such as Australian Seafood: An identification guide to domestic species, CSIRO

Australian Fish Names Standard.

Method of assessment

The following assessment method is suggested:

observation of practical demonstration

oral questions.

Guidance information for assessment

This unit may be assessed holistically with other seafood processing units within a qualification.

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements may include:

business or workplace operations, policies and practices

correct marketing names and labelling

environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

food safety/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody and Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders

OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

OHS guidelines may include:

appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers

clean, uncluttered, hygienic workplace

codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction or industry sector

enterprise-specific OHS procedures, policies or standards

hazard and risk assessment of workplace, maintenance activities and control measures

induction or training of staff, contractors and visitors in relevant OHS procedures and/or requirements to allow them to carry out their duties in a safe manner

OHS training register

safe lifting, carrying and handling techniques, including manual handling, and the handling and storage of hazardous substances

safe systems and procedures for the protection of people in the workplace

the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:

AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders

Australian Shellfish Sanitation program

chain of custody (temperature and contamination control)

equipment design, use and maintenance

HACCP

hygiene and sanitation requirements

location, construction and servicing of seafood premises

Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)

requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code.

ESD principles may include:

controlling effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution

controlling pests

improving energy efficiency

increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources

minimising noise or odour emissions

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases

reducing energy use

reducing use of non-renewable resources

undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

undertaking facility quarantine, biosecurity and translocation of livestock and genetic material

using and recycling of water, and maintaining water quality.

PPE may include:

gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering

insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units

non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear

protective hair, beard and boot covers

uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons.)

Equipment may include:

bandsaw

deboning machines

fat suction tools and equipment

fish cleaning troughs

fish tubs and bins

gutting machines

hand-held scalers

knives

scaling knife

scaling machine

weighing scales.

Customer specifications may include:

head removed or attached

head, gut and fins removed or attached

kidney removed

roe retained for sale

swim bladder removed.

Productivity may include:

scaling and gutting rates.

Unit sector

Seafood processing

This unit contains employability skills.