Application
This unit of competency covers the ability to monitor critical, quality and regulatory control points related to a person's work responsibilities. This unit of competency also covers support for ongoing improvement of the workplace hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) plan.
This unit of competency is applicable to production operators and laboratory assistants in the food processing and manufacturing sectors. Control points refer to those key points in a work process that must be monitored and controlled.
While no specific licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication, laboratory operations are governed by relevant legislation, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements. Local requirements should be checked.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Provide routine input to the HACCP plan | 1.1 | Obtain information about control points in the manufacturing process |
1.2 | Locate control points for own work area responsibilities | ||
1.3 | Perform relevant checks and inspections on materials and equipment to establish conformance to meet requirements | ||
1.4 | Identify variations or common faults | ||
1.5 | Record inspection results and report to appropriate personnel | ||
2 | Contribute to the continuous improvement of the HACCP plan | 2.1 | Recognise non-conformance to the HACCP plan |
2.2 | Identify likely causes for non-conformance | ||
2.3 | Record and report non-conformances to appropriate personnel | ||
3 | Maintain a safe work environment | 3.1 | Use established safe work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure personal safety and that of other personnel |
3.2 | Report potential hazards and/or maintenance issues in own work area to designated personnel | ||
3.3 | Minimise the generation of waste and environmental impacts | ||
3.4 | Dispose of waste in accordance with workplace procedures, relevant codes and regulations | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:
correctly monitoring the critical, quality and regulatory control points relating to work area responsibilities
supporting continuous improvement of the workplace hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) plan
using correct procedures to prevent contamination from occurring or recurring
recording of information using the workplace reporting system
collecting, recording and interpreting data to identify variation from limits
making approved corrective actions as required.
Evidence of Knowledge
Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:
the seven principles of HACCP and relationship to food or pharmaceutical safety, benefits of HACCP and preliminary steps for HACCP
HACCP plan contents, including:
critical control points and control limits
consequences of non-conforming products being identified
products and services provided by the workplace
layout of the workplace, divisions and laboratory
organisational structure of the workplace
lines of communication
role of laboratory services to the workplace and customers
scheduling of tests and procedures to meet customer requirements
quality policy, procedures and responsibilities of job role
workplace procedures associated with the candidate's regular technical duties
methods used to monitor each critical, quality and regulatory control point
equipment and instrument calibration requirements
continuous improvement practices
methods for systematically investigating and responding to problems
work health and safety (WHS) and environment requirements.
Assessment Conditions
Judgement of competence must be based on holistic assessment of the evidence. Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time, rather than a single assessment event.
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment. A simulated workplace environment must reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including the environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept in each case).
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSL922001 Record and present data
MSL933002 Contribute to the achievement of quality objectives
Holistic assessment methods include:
feedback from supervisors and peers
review of corrective action suggestions by the candidate
flow charts or diagrams prepared by the candidate (alternatively, the candidate could explain existing charts or diagrams)
candidate's response to simulated problems
observation of the candidate monitoring control points in the work area.
Access is required to instruments, equipment, materials, workplace documentation, procedures and specifications associated with this unit, including, but not limited to:
quality manuals and procedures, HACCP plans and records
recording equipment
case studies to illustrate a range of HACCP issues.
Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.
The assessor must demonstrate both technical competency and currency.
Technical competence can be demonstrated through:
relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR
relevant workplace experience.
Currency can be demonstrated through:
performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR
having consulted with a laboratory about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | |
Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements | Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements include the latest version of one or more of: Australian and international standards, legislation, regulations and codes, such as Australia New Zealand Food Standards (ANZFS) Code, Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP), and principles of good laboratory practice (GLP) state/territory/national legislation covering food safety workplace plans, such as food safety plans and/or pharmaceutical safety requirements, HACCP plans/documents/procedures, product safety plans and production/quality procedures/requirements workplace documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs), quality and equipment manuals, calibration and maintenance schedules, material safety data sheets (MSDS) and safety procedures, material, production and product specifications, production and laboratory schedules, workplace recording and reporting procedures, waste minimisation and safe disposal procedures |
Products/materials handled by laboratory assistants | Products/materials handled by laboratory assistants include one or more of: raw materials, ingredients, food additives, adjuncts/process aids and finished products consumables, such as chemicals |
Work health and safety (WHS) and environmental management requirements | WHS and environmental management requirements include: · complying with WHS and environmental management requirements at all times, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation. These requirements must not be compromised at any time · applying standard precautions relating to the potentially hazardous nature of samples accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health, where relevant |
Sectors
Competency Field
Quality