Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to oversee the handling and the slaughtering/euthanising of animals by a range of company personnel and/or government inspection staff to meet regulatory requirements.
Ensuring animals are produced, handled and slaughtered humanely is the responsibility of both regulatory authorities and companies. This unit is therefore applicable to meat safety officers, lairage supervisors, Animal Welfare Officers and Quality Assurance (QA) Officers in meat processing establishments, and livestock transport and saleyard staff.
This unit must be delivered in the context of Australian meat industry standards and regulations.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements | Performance Criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Oversee humane handling of animals | 1.1 Identify potential animal welfare risks and existing management procedures 1.2 Identify animal welfare requirements in legislation, regulation and workplace procedures 1.3 Oversee handling of animals according to workplace and regulatory requirements 1.4 Oversee and monitor facilities and procedures for handling and restraining animals according to workplace and regulatory requirements 1.5 Implement corrective actions when handling of animals or when facilities are not according to workplace and regulatory requirements |
2. Oversee humane euthanasia or slaughter of animals | 2.1 Oversee effective restraint and stunning (where applicable), prior to euthanasing or slaughtering of animals to ensure compliance with workplace and regulatory requirements 2.2 Oversee bleeding of animals to ensure compliance with workplace and regulatory requirements 2.3 Oversee monitoring of bleed chain insensibility (where applicable) to ensure compliance with workplace and regulatory requirements |
3. Handle contingencies | 3.1 Oversee handling of sick or injured stock in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements 3.2 Oversee handling of wild or uncooperative animals according to workplace and regulatory requirements 3.3 Interpret contingency plans for managing animal welfare issues. |
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.
Skill | Description |
Reading | Comprehend workplace documents such as vendor declarations |
Writing | Complete workplace forms and reports such as animal welfare incidents |
Oral communication | Discuss observations with appropriate personnel Discuss contingency plans and correct animal handling with appropriate personnel |
Sectors
Abattoirs