Application
Licences may be required if operating: load-shifting equipment, including forklifts vehicles vessels. All enterprise or workplace procedures and activities are carried out according to relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements, including occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines, food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures, and ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles. Equipment operation, maintenance, repairs and calibrations are undertaken in a safe manner that conforms to manufacturer instructions. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected, checked used and maintained. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Prepare for handling | 1.1. Instructions on the handling schedule are taken and understood. 1.2. Required equipmentand materials are collected and checked for serviceability according to manufacturer guidelines. 1.3. Basic repairs and calibrations are made to sub-standard equipment according to manufacturer instructions. 1.4. Data or record sheets/books are collected for use. 1.5. Equipment and data sheets are moved to handling site and readied for use. 1.6. Water and weather conditions are observed and conditions which could adversely impact on the stock handling activity or wellbeing of stock are reported to supervisor. 1.7. Culture or holding structures or systems, or other equipment identified for stocking are prepared to meet the water quality and rearing conditions required by the incoming stock. 1.8. Route for stock being moved is selected for ease of access, safety of workers and minimal risk of stress and damage to stock. |
2. Handle stock | 2.1. Stock are identified, retrieved and isolated with stock behaviour anticipated and controlled, and appropriate safety measures taken for dangerous stock. 2.2. Stock are handled as instructed by supervisor and in a manner that minimises stock stress and damage. 2.3. Statistical data relating to stock is obtained and recorded without error against required stocking quantities or quality. 2.4. Stock are returned to original culture or holding structure or introduced into a new culture or holding structure or other equipment after acclimatisation, if appropriate. 2.5. Post-handling mortalities are determined and reported to supervisor. 2.6. Stock behaviour is observed and abnormal activities reported to supervisor. 2.7. Automatic or mechanised equipment is operated and maintained. |
3. Complete post-handling activities | 3.1. Clean up of work area, including repairs and storage of equipment, is supervised, and condition report prepared. 3.2. Relevant handling data, observations or information are recorded legibly and accurately, and any out of range or unusual records are checked. 3.3. Compliance and other required reports are prepared and conveyed to senior personnel advising of the effectiveness of handling, and recommendations made for improvements. 3.4. Feedback on own work performance is sought from supervisor and opportunities to improve identified. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communicating with supervisor on handling activities and on own performance communicating ideas on possible improvements handling techniques operating basic handling equipment maintaining and repairing basic handling equipment providing oral reports to the supervisor on activity irregularities recognising normal and abnormal stock behaviour and environmental conditions. Literacy skills used for: interpreting handling schedules recording handling information. Numeracy skills used for: counting, weighing and measuring stock and containers. |
Required knowledge |
abnormal stock behaviour and methods of control basic stock behaviour and biological requirements as they relate to stock handling activities correct handling for dangerous species effects of handling on stock effects of water and weather conditions on stock and OHS of employees handling equipment maintenance and basic repairs handling equipment options and limitations life cycles of species as they relate to stock handling activities operation and maintenance of automatic or mechanised equipment record keeping safety considerations and hazards associated with moving stock stock type and groupings. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit | Assessment must confirm ability to: handle stock with minimum risk of stress and injury to stock, according to instructions recognise a range of stock types and groupings. Assessment must confirm knowledge of: behaviour and biological requirements of stock procedures for stock handling activities safety considerations and hazards associated with moving stock. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment and should include typical handling activities that are normally being undertaken in the region. Resources may include: any products and treatments required for handling activities data sheets for recording handling and stock information equipment for handling stock handling schedule source/destination culture or holding structures stock which represent a range of groupings work procedures for stock handling. |
Method of assessment | The following assessment methods are suggested: demonstration practical exercises written or oral short-answer testing. |
Guidance information for assessment | This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements may include: | biodiversity and genetically modified organisms biosecurity, translocation and quarantine business or workplace operations, policies and practices correct marketing names and labelling environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control food safety/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody, and Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Fish) orders health and welfare of aquatic animals maritime operations, safety at sea and pollution control OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control. |
OHS guidelines may include: | appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction or industry sector enterprise-specific OHS procedures, policies or standards hazard and risk assessment of workplace, maintenance activities and control measures induction or training of staff, contractors and visitors in relevant OHS procedures and/or requirements to allow them to carry out their duties in a safe manner OHS training register safe lifting, carrying and handling techniques, including manual handling, and the handling and storage of hazardous substances safe systems and procedures for outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, fall protection, confined space entry and the protection of people in the workplace systems and procedures for the safe maintenance of property, machinery and equipment, including hydraulics and exposed moving parts the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE. |
Food safety and hygiene regulations and procedures may include: | Australian Shellfish Sanitation program equipment design, use, cleaning and maintenance exporting requirements, including AQIS Export Control (Fish) orders HACCP, food safety program, and other risk minimisation and quality assurance systems location, construction and servicing of seafood premises people, product and place hygiene and sanitation requirements Primary Products Standard and the Australian Seafood Standard (voluntary) product labelling, tracing and recall receipt, storage and transportation of food, including seafood and aquatic products requirements set out in Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) Food Standards Code and state and territory food regulations temperature and contamination control along chain of custody. |
ESD principles may include: | applying animal welfare ethics and procedures control of effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution improving energy efficiency increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions preventing live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment reducing emissions of greenhouse gases reducing energy use reducing use of non-renewable resources undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control. |
PPE may include: | gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD) hard hat or protective head covering hearing protection (e.g. ear plugs and ear muffs) non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions safety harness sun protection (e.g. sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses) uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons) waterproof clothing (e.g. wet weather gear and waders). |
Handling schedule may include: | destination of handled stock handling activities pre-handling activities (e.g. purging and anaesthesia) quantities to be handled (e.g. number, volume and weight) specific requirements, such as: dangerous activities observations to be made special care or handling techniques stock species and types to be handled timing of handling work team members. |
Equipmentand materials may include: | aerators and other water treatment equipment anaesthetic restraints for dangerous animals cleaning equipment counters culture or holding structures fish pump graders handling equipment: nets cages traps scoops PPE remote operated video or still camera scales and measuring equipment swim way transport equipment: buckets or pails boxes or bags tanks or transporters. |
Culture or holding structures or systems, or other equipment may include: | blowers, aerators, paddlewheels and aspirators greenhouses, hothouses and igloos pest, predator and disease control structures water supply and disposal or effluent systems, including pumps, pipes, canals, channels, settlement ponds and storage dams cages, pontoons, enclosures and pens, including associated moorings, anchors and markers dams, ponds and pools display tanks, aquaria and aquascapes grow out facilities, hatcheries and nurseries harvesting swimways, canals or channels live holding tanks, bins, cages and pens longlines, posts, racks and rails, rafts, fences, socks, trays, sticks, baskets, modules, barrels, bags and panels open, flow-through, closed and semi-closed systems purging or depurating systems tanks, raceways and recirculating systems. |
Water quality and rearing conditions may include: | contaminants (e.g. nitrogenous wastes, carbon dioxide and pollutants) dissolved oxygen hardness integrity of structure (e.g. no holes, tears or rips) pH predators, competitors and pests salinity water flow water level water temperature. |
Dangerous stock may include: | poisonous molluscs stock with spikes, spines and teeth. |
Handled may include: | anaesthesia of stock count: by hand (e.g. gloves, counters and tally sheet) electronic machines (e.g. videos and sensors) hand-operated machines number, volume or weight half pearl seeding of molluscs move, transport and transfer: cages fish pumps nets, buckets, brails and bins swim channels, pipes and raceways transport containers stock cleaning (generally only undertaken with molluscs, such as pearl oysters, mussels and oysters): baths or raceways by hand (e.g. water, chipping and scrubbing using hoses, sprays, gloves, chisels, brushes and knives) hoses and sprays no chemical usage pearl net panel washing machines turning of seeded molluscs weigh and measure. |
Statistical data may include: | acclimatise: hardness pH salinity temperature age grade and sort: by hand electronic machines grading/sorting table mechanical (e.g. rollers, drums, sloping screens and vibrating screens) simple, hand-operated equipment (e.g. sieves, screens and meshes) growth rates introduce into stock culture structures mortalities numbers. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Aquaculture operations |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor