Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to carry out minor service of milking equipment.
This unit applies to technicians and dairy farm workers who service and repair milking machine components.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes, and sustainability practices.
This unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and use discretion and judgement in the selection and use of available resources.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Identify faults in milking machines | 1.1 Identify poor performance of milking equipment from observations at milking 1.2 Carry out minor machine adjustments to rectify poor performance characteristics 1.3 Complete fault finding and fault diagnosis with minimum disruption to milking routines |
2. Identify external faults | 2.1 Identify and isolate independent electrical appliances that impact on the enterprise dairy operation 2.2 Observe animal behaviour during milking and record abnormalities 2.3 Identify faults in earthing systems and grids and refer to qualified electrician when necessary |
3. Carry out operational service and maintenance of milking machines | 3.1. Clean and adjust machine components and repair or replace defective parts or components 3.2 Identify faults in electric motors and refer to qualified electrician when necessary 3.3 Complete programmed maintenance routines to replace consumables and maintain lubrication 3.4 Eliminate or risk control work health and safety hazards identified in safety audits 3.5 Complete adjustments to restore optimum performance of milking equipment |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.
The candidate must provide evidence that they can:
identify faults in milking machines
identify external faults
carry out operational service and maintenance of milking machines
apply enterprise work health and safety policies
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
types, functions, cleaning, monitoring and maintenance of milking machines and components
criteria and methods for assessing optimal performance of milking machines and their components
possible faults, problems and poor performance with milking machines and their components, impacts on milking operations and corrective actions for these faults and problems
signs and methods for assessing livestock health and welfare relevant to milking operations
recognition of possible faults with earthing systems, grids and electric motors of milking machines and refer faults to qualified electricians
relevant work health and safety requirements
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace OR workplace and simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Milk Harvesting (MKH)