This unit will apply particularly to persons employed at seafood cooperatives and other businesses where product is accepted, weighed and packed for dispatch.

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 and maintained

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Prepare product

1.1. Workplace is cleaned before commencing.

1.2. Product to be received is checked before weighing, against the specification for the species and is visually inspected for any signs of spoilage, defects and parasites.

1.3. Defective product is identified and set aside, and supervisor is notified.

1.4. Accepted product is weighed allowing for drainage of liquid from fresh product, and weight recorded.

1.5. Identification and traceability of product is checked and recorded.

1.6. The temperature of fresh and frozen product is checked and recorded, and action taken, if necessary, to reduce temperature to level required.

2. Pack product for dispatch

2.1. Product is prepared, if necessary, according to customer specifications.

2.2. Product is packaged according to customer specifications and transport requirements and regulations.

2.3. Product packaging is checked to ensure the product temperature remains at the required level until product is received by customer, taking full account of possible delays that may occur.

2.4. Product is labelled ensuring that original identification of the product can be easily established.

3. Dispatch product

3.1. Product is taken to, or collected by, transport company and appropriate dispatch forms are completed and filed.

3.2. Temperature of fresh and frozen product before final dispatch is measured and recorded.

3.3. Customer is notified of the time and place of product delivery and advised of consignment number or other means of identifying product.

4. Complete post-packing tasks

4.1. Clean up of work area, including repairs and storage of equipment is supervised, and condition report prepared.

4.2. Relevant packing data, observations or information are recorded legibly and accurately, and any out of range or unusual records are checked.

4.3. Non-compliances are conveyed to supervisor.

4.4. Feedback is sought on effectiveness of the packing activities.

Required skills

assessing seafood quality

communicating orally to give and receive information

handling of fresh and live frozen seafood

identifying species

using a calculator.

Literacy skills used for:

identifying and tracing product

interpreting basic order forms

interpreting enterprise procedures

interpreting outline of specifications

preparing basic invoices

recording packing data and observations.

Numeracy skills used for:

calculating extensions of weight and price to give an accurate price of product

calculating total of invoice

reading a thermometer

weighing product.

Required knowledge

common defects, diseases and parasites, and spoilage pattern for species

food regulations and enterprise procedures for:

temperature control

hygienic handling and preparation of seafood

personal and workplace hygiene

safe procedures for manual handling and load shifting.

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:

assess quality of seafood or other aquatic product when received at the enterprise against a company specification

comply with required food regulations and enterprise procedures

safely and hygienically handle and package product for distribution by road, rail, ship or air

weigh product.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

common seafood defects, diseases and parasites

degree of freshness and spoilage pattern for the species or product

how to use a calculator

seafood or other aquatic species and product types.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. It should cover fresh, frozen or live fish, crustaceans and molluscs or other aquatic products, with a minimum of two species from each group.

Resources may include:

calculator

data sheets for recording information

fish tubs or other transport containers

fresh, frozen and live seafood or other aquatic product, including at least two (2) species of fish, crustaceans and molluscs, or same species of different sizes

ice, live seafood storage tanks

packaging materials

sample invoices

sample workplace specifications

scales

thermometer or temperature recording devices.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

demonstration of handling and repackaging

written or oral questions.

Guidance information for assessment

This unit may be assessed holistically with other 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 are followed including:

biosecurity, translocation and quarantine

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

health and welfare of aquatic animals

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 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 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

equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance

exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders

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)

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:

applying animal welfare ethics and procedures

controlling effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution

improving energy efficiency

increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources

minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions

preventing live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases

reducing energy use

reducing use of non-renewable resources

undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

PPE may include

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

protective hair, beard and boot covers

insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units

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

protective eyewear, glasses and face mask

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

Specification may include:

fresh or frozen seafood and other aquatic products

product form, such as whole, head on gill gutted (HOGG), fillet, portioned, shucked and peeled

quality assessment against company specifications

size, weight grade, condition and fullness

species, such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates.

Transport requirements and regulations may include:

airline requirements

AQIS requirements (imports and exports)

labelling for product traceability

road and rail transport regulations.

Forms may include:

consignment notes

invoices

records of temperature readings

statements.

Unit sector

Storage

This unit contains employability skills.