Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare wool based on its characteristics.
All work must be carried out to comply with the requirements of Code of Practice for the Preparation of Australian Wool Clips, workplace procedures, work health and safety and biosecurity requirements and sustainability practices.
This unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and take responsibility for their own work including limited responsibility for the work of others.
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. Separate wools with characteristics outside the uniformity requirements of the Code of Practice. | 1.1 Make assessment of sheep breed and wool type 1.2 Separate wools into different lines based on fibre diameter, length and strength, colour and character and handle and style 1.3 Check staple formation and tip 1.4 Separate pigmented wool and wool which includes medulated fibres |
2. Separate wool showing faults that impact on processing or fabric quality. | 2.1 Separate wool for dogginess that will impact on fabric quality 2.2 Separate cotted wool that will require extra processing 2.3 Identify and remove skin pieces 2.4 Check wool for dermatitis and kept separate 2.5 Identify and separate wool based on the level and type of vegetable matter contamination where it requires different processing 2.6 Identify mobs with high pigmented fibre risk and keep their wool completely separate from low risk wool 2.7 Identify wool from sheep with shedding characteristics and keep completely separate from non-shedding white woolled sheep, record risk of exposure to shedding breeds on the classer's report 2.8 Keep fleeces containing pigmented fibre in a white woolled flock separate 2.9 Keep wool containing stain separate |
3. Recognise impurities of greasy wool and their effect on processing and yield. | 3.1 Examine wool for natural impurities 3.2 Identify applied impurities and assess their effect on processing 3.3 Identify acquired impurities and assess their effect on processing and yield of clean fibre |
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:
assess key wool characteristics
identify and separate wool faults
identify and separate wool with impurities
separate wool that does not meet Code of Practice requirements for uniform, predictable low risk lines of wool
identify and separate wool from shedding sheep breeds
identify and separate wools with a high pigmented fibre risk
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
characteristics of the breeds of sheep
inherent wool characteristics - diameter, length and strength, colour, yield, VM type, curvature, and comfort factor and explain how these characteristics impact on processing and final wool product
features of impurities in wool and explain their impact on processing and yield of clean fibre after processing
types and sources of contamination and explain their impact on processing and final wool product
features of the main wool faults and explain their impacts on processing
techniques used to measure wool characteristics
processing methods - woollen and worsted, stages of processing
wool growth, skin and fibre biology, and discuss the effect of genetics and environment on fibre characteristics
requirements for handling shedding and pigmented fibres
relevant aspects of the Code of Practice for the Preparation of Australian Wool Clips and other relevant quality standards that related to preparing wool.
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the work place or simulated environments that accurately reflect performance in a real workplace setting.
Evidence of competency must be demonstrated in Fine/Superfine Merino, Medium/Strong Merino and Crossbred wool clips.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs and be currently registered with the Australian Wool Exchange as Australian Wool classers.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Preparation must include wool from Fine/Superfine Merino, Medium/Strong Merino and Crossbred wool clips.
Sectors
Wool (WOL)