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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Identify relevant animal welfare regulations and standards
   • Identify and interpret relevant regulations and legislation about animal welfare/cruelty
   • Identify the responsibilities of business operators and personnel under relevant legislation
   • Identify relevant animal welfare standards, voluntary codes of practice and quality systems
   • Identify sections of acts, regulations, voluntary Codes of Practice or equivalent standards relevant to species being processed
   • Identify relevant and applicable animal welfare measures for receival, lairage, stunning and slaughtering during audit
2. Plan for an animal welfare audit
   • Interpret audit schedule and plan and organise the timely conduct of audit
   • Determine objectives, scope and criteria of audit according to workplace requirements
   • Assemble and brief audit team (if applicable), as required, for the objectives, scope and criteria of the audit
   • Notify those affected by and involved in the audit and document responsibilities according to workplace requirements
   • Notify stakeholders involved in an internal audit according to workplace requirements
   • Identify procedures, records and workplace documentation needed for the audit
   • Document evidence collection methods and sources to be used in the audit, including developing workplace checklists to workplace specifications
   • Conduct a document review prior to audit
3. Report outcomes of an animal welfare audit
   • Prepare an audit report, detailing areas of the program which were audited and findings against the audit criteria, including non-conformances, where applicable
   • Document objective evidence according to workplace standards
   • Keep records of audit process, objective evidence and findings in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements
   • Report findings according to workplace requirements
4. Audit the animal welfare component of an Approved Arrangement for compliance with regulatory and relevant standard requirements
   • Audit Approved Arrangement or equivalent quality assurance systems for compliance with customer, commercial and regulatory requirements
   • Identify and confirm that workplace procedures for livestock receival, unloading, lairage, handling, restraining, stunning, slaughter, personnel training and animal welfare monitoring comply with relevant regulations and standards
5. Audit transport and unloading arrangements for livestock
   • Check the establishment's Approved Arrangement to ensure that it incorporates procedures and practices that enable compliance with customer, corporate and regulatory requirements
   • Audit the unloading and receival or ante-mortem inspection, sorting and yarding against workplace, customer, commercial and regulatory requirements
   • Identify facilities and equipment as operational, appropriately maintained and confirm their suitability for use
6. Audit management of livestock in lairage prior to slaughter
   • Assess inputs into the welfare of livestock in lairage against regulatory, customer and workplace requirements including facilities, handling practices, inspections, access to feed and water and pen density
   • Assess welfare of animals against pre-determined welfare measures
7. Audit treatment of sick/injured or uncooperative animals
   • Access workplace requirements for suspect, sick, injured or uncooperative stock
   • Assess the handling of suspect, sick, injured or uncooperative stock against workplace and customer standards and regulatory requirements
8. Audit stunning of livestock
   • Review inputs into the stunning process including equipment maintenance, training and facilities for compliance with work place, standards and regulatory requirements
   • Assess effectiveness of restraint and stunning against workplace, customer and regulatory requirements
   • Assess monitoring of effective stunning by company personnel against workplace, customer and regulatory requirements
9. Audit slaughtering and shackling
   • Observe and assess exsanguination process for compliance with workplace and regulatory requirements
   • Assess bodies on the bleed chain for insensibility
   • Observe operators to ensure they are complying with workplace procedures including checking for an effective stun
10. Audit animal welfare monitoring, internal auditing, corrective and preventative action program
    • Review routine monitoring records for livestock handling, stunning and effective slaughter to ensure compliance with workplace, regulatory and customer requirements
    • Review internal audit records to assess control of animal welfare outcomes, including training of personnel
    • Assess effectiveness of preventative and corrective action programs
11. Audit contingency arrangements
    • Access workplace livestock contingency plans
    • Review and assess contingency plans for livestock emergencies against regulatory and standard requirements