This unit supports the implementation of national, state or territory food safety legislation and regulations.

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.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Comply with food safety requirements while working in a food handlingarea

1.1. Food safety and personalhygiene requirements related to work tasks of others are identified and followed.

1.2. Work responsibilities are carried out so that the safety of food is not compromised.

1.3. Identify and report any procedures or practices which are not consistent with the food safety program.

1.4. Corrective action is taken according to the food safety program.

2. Maintain food handling area in a clean and orderly state

2.1. Equipment and/or utensils used, and the food handling area meet the ongoing cleaning and sanitation requirements of food safety program.

2.2. Waste is collected and disposed of according to food safety program.

Required skills

carrying out work responsibilities to ensure that food safety is not compromised

identifying and correcting or reporting situations or procedures that relate to own work that could compromise food safety

locating or confirming and following work and related food safety responsibilities as required by the food business

maintaining housekeeping standards in the food handling area and disposing of waste as required by work responsibility to meet food business requirements

maintaining personal hygiene consistent with food business requirements

reporting health conditions and illness as required by workplace food safety procedures

taking necessary precautions when moving between or around the workplace and/or from one task to another so that food safety is not compromised

wearing and maintaining appropriate clothing/footwear as required by work tasks to meet food business requirements.

Literacy skills used for:

compiling reports

reading and interpreting food safety plans

reading, interpreting and modifying work procedures

reporting and recording workplace health and illness.

Numeracy skills used for:

interpreting technical documents

monitoring temperatures.

Required knowledge

cleaning and sanitation requirements and responsibilities, including an understanding of cleaning methods appropriate to a food handling environment and those used in the specific food handling area

food safety requirements related to own work as determined by the food business

housekeeping standards to be maintained in the work area

methods and procedures to be followed when carrying out work responsibilities in a food handling area to ensure that food safety is not compromised. This will depend on the nature of work responsibilities and food safety requirements as specified by the workplace. It includes an understanding of the types of contamination and cross-contamination that can occur as a result of work activities and storage, procedures used to prevent these types of contamination from occurring, and the action required if food safety is, or may have been, compromised

personal hygiene practices and clothing and footwear requirements associated with working in and moving in and between food handling areas

suitable standard of products, materials, tools and equipment used in the food handling area. This includes and awareness of chemicals suitable for use in a food environment, appropriate equipment and work methods, and materials that are unsuitable for use, such as breakable or dirty equipment/materials

waste collection, recycling and handling procedures.

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:

oversee the activities of staff operating in a food handling area. Whilst not directly involved in the production or processing of seafood the individual is responsible for maintaining the hygienic and sanitary integrity of the food handling area.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

activities needed to return to the required levels of hygiene and sanitation

communication between workforce and others, including contractors

organisation of work in a food handling area and the scheduling of work to avoid loss of hygiene integrity

procedures and/or practices which are not consistent with the food safety plan

the requirements of the food safety plan in general and personal hygiene requirements in particular

waste disposal routines.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this unit must occur in a real or simulated workplace. Such an environment must provide a typical range of seafood handling and related food safety requirements that would normally be found in a food handling business. The assessment process must provide an opportunity for the assessee to demonstrate work activities that are consistent with the workplace seafood safety procedures and with food safety legislation.

Resources may include:

access to the candidate's peers and supervisors

access to enterprise engineering and/or production expertise

enterprise maintenance schedules and procedures

enterprise OHS policy and procedures

enterprise product/production specifications

HACCP plans

relevant food safety standards.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

demonstration

project (work or scenario based)

workplace documents

written or 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:

ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody

imports quarantine and inspection, and importing approved arrangements for Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), Australian Customs Service (ACS) and Biosecurity Australia (BA)

business or workplace operations, policies and practices:

commercial law, including fair trading and trade practices

consumer law

corporate law, including registration, licensing and financial reporting

disability policies and practices

equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment

industrial relations and awards, individual employment contracts and share of catch agreements

jurisdictional variations

superannuation

taxation

trade practices

warnings and dismissals

worker's compensation

OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control

product quality assurance:

correct naming and labelling (e.g. country of origin, Australian Fish Names Standard and eco-labelling)

correct quantities, sizes, other customer requirements

third-party certification (e.g. Australian Grown and ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems).

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 and 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 outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, fall protection, confined space entry and the protection of people in the workplace

systems and procedures for the safe maintenance of property, machinery and equipment, including hydraulics and exposed moving parts

the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE.

Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include:

Australian Shellfish Sanitation program

display, packaging and sale of food, including seafood and aquatic products

equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance

exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders

handling and disposal of condemned or recalled seafood products

HACCP, food safety program, and other risk minimisation and quality assurance systems

location, construction and servicing of seafood premises

people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements

Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary)

processing, further processing and preparation of food, including seafood and aquatic products

product labelling, tracing and recall

receipt, storage and transportation of food, including seafood and aquatic products

requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code and state and territory food regulations

temperature and contamination control along chain of custody.

ESD principles may include:

controlling the use and recycling of water, and managing water quality and quantity

increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources

managing environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

managing imported products quarantine and inspection, facility biosecurity, translocation of livestock and genetic material, and health certification

managing stock health and welfare, especially for handling, holding, transport and slaughter

managing sustainable fisheries or broodstock/seedstock collection requirements, such as size limits, quotas, season restrictions, population dynamics, fishing impacts, reducing by-catch, fisheries management strategies and maintaining biodiversity

managing, controlling and treating effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution

minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions

planning environmental and resource efficiency improvements

preventing genetically modified organisms and live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment,

protecting native and protected flora and fauna, marine or land parks or areas, adhering to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), the Ramsar Convention, World Heritage and other international treaties for which Australia is a signatory.

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases

reducing use of non-renewable resources

reducing disturbances to soils, erosion and surface water flows from machinery use and other activities

reducing energy use, introducing alternative energy sources.

PPE may include:

buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD)

personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)

insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units

protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions

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

hard hat or protective head covering

protective hair, beard and boot covers

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

protective eyewear, glasses and face mask

hearing protection (e.g. ear plugs and ear muffs)

respirator or face mask

sun protection (e.g. sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses)

safety harness

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

waterproof clothing (e.g. wet weather gear and waders).

Food handlingarea may include:

any work area where receiving, basic handling and inspection, preparation, cooking, processing, display, packaging, storage and/or transport of food occur

any work area where contamination can result from work activities, including:

chemical contamination which could be caused by lubricants, resins, and cleaning and sanitation chemicals

physical contamination which could be caused by metal, glass, plastic and cloths

microbiological contamination that could result from cross-contamination when moving into and between food-handling areas (both direct contamination of the product and contamination of the work area are to be avoided)

the products and materials used in a food handling area

Personal hygiene may include:

personal hygiene, clothing and footwear, and requirements to report health conditions or illness that meet workplace requirements and procedures. At a minimum such procedures must ensure that any person in food premises does not contaminate food, does not have unnecessary contact with ready-to-eat food and does not spit, smoke or use tobacco or similar in a food handling area. Refer to Food Safety Standards 3.2.2, Clause 17:3 as a minimum guide and/or relevant state or territory legislation and regulations.

Food safety program may include:

that which systematically identifies the food safety hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur in all food handling operations of the food business. The food safety program will comply with relevant national, state, territory and industry legislation and regulations.

the food business responsible for establishing the food safety program. Where a person who is not a direct employee of the business carries out the functions covered by this guideline competency standard, they are responsible for ascertaining the requirements of the food business relating to food safety. These requirements may be set out in procedures and/or in agreements or contractual arrangements established with service providers. Responsibilities of any person visiting and/or working in a food handling area will be communicated prior to entering the food handling area.

Unit sector

Seafood processing

This unit contains employability skills.