Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the range of contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment may depend on the work situations available.

What may be included in equipment?
Equipment may include friction cone, downtube assembly, shearing handpiece, combs and cutters.

What OHS requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
safe operation and maintenance of machinery and equipment including guarding of exposed moving parts
the operation and maintenance of hazard-free facilities and equipment
the maintenance of accommodation facilities
handling livestock
safe manual handling, including lifting and carrying
safe fleece/wool harvesting
the protection from electrical hazards, hazardous noise and organic and other dusts
the health and safety of shearing personnel
the appropriate use of personal protective clothing and equipment
animal welfare considerations including disease control.

What adverse shearing conditions may be applicable to this standard?
These may be extreme temperatures, wet or contaminated wool.

What potential and existing hazards may be encountered in the workplace?
Sheep movement and handling, loose boards, obstacles, veterinary chemicals, damaged pens, uneven flooring, poor drag, uncovered belts, and unsafe equipment and machinery.

What range of shearing methods and procedures may be recommended by industry?
This may include detailed procedures for removal of wool from the belly and crutch, first hind leg, wig, first side neck and shoulder, side and back (long blow) second side neck and shoulder last side and last hind leg, positioning of the sheep and shearer in relation to the down tube, use of free hand, safety procedures, how to avoid second cuts and other damage to wool, damage to sensitive and vulnerable parts of the sheep's anatomy.

What sheep might be subject to the shearing operations?
All ages and genders of sheep, including rams, ewes, wethers, lambs, hoggets and stags.

What processes might be involved in moving sheep?
Sheep may be caught and moved from the catching pen to the board using safe handling techniques.

What organisational, industry and animal welfare standards might apply to sheep shearing?
Organisation may include: Standard Operating Procedures, industry standards, production schedules, work notes, work plans, manufacturers specifications, supervisors instructions, and workplace policies and procedures (including recycling, environmental and land management).
Industry and animal welfare standards/requirements might include: National codes of practice for the Shearing Industry (Health, Safety and Welfare standards), Environmental Protection Act, and Animal Welfare Act.

What may be included in personal protective equipment?
Clothing and footwear that prevents feet crushing, skin abrasions and tangles in machinery.

What injury to sheep and damage to wool needs to be avoided?
Injury to the vulnerable areas of the sheep such as teats, pizzles, ears, vulva, wrinkle and skin, eyes, hamstrings, joints, blood vessels and sinewy parts close to the surface. Damage to horns, eartags, second cuts and skin pieces should also be avoided.

What volume expectations might be met?
Expected volume is significantly above the expected average sheep shorn per day for a professional shearer.

When safe handling techniques need to be applied?
For catching, dragging, positioning and releasing sheep.

What contamination might need to be identified?
Amongst the contaminants are lamb pouches, maggot affected wool, urine stains, dung stains, skin pieces, black fibres, loose woolpack fibres, baling twines, man-made fibres and clothing, dermatitis, branding dyes, dags, grease locks, burrs and vegetable matter, shed debris, wet fibre or water stains, towels, and cigarette butts.

How might sheep cuts be treated?
Cuts may be sutured in line with industry standards and animal welfare requirements.

How might flyblown sheep be treated?
Treatment may include the shearing of flyblown wool to skin, marking sheep and informing the owner/classer.

What types of problem sheep might be identified
Wet sheep, diseased sheep, sheep affected by prickly pear, those chemically treated prior to shearing, and other problems as listed in the various pastoral awards.

What shearing grievances and difficulties might occur?
This might relate to responsibilities of owners, overseers and shearers, and just causes and procedures for stopping work as specified within relevant awards.

What may be included in equipment?
Equipment may include friction cone, downtube assembly, shearing handpiece, combs and cutters.

What OHS requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
safe operation and maintenance of machinery and equipment including guarding of exposed moving parts
the operation and maintenance of hazard-free facilities and equipment
the maintenance of accommodation facilities
handling livestock
safe manual handling, including lifting and carrying
safe fleece/wool harvesting
the protection from electrical hazards, hazardous noise and organic and other dusts
the health and safety of shearing personnel
the appropriate use of personal protective clothing and equipment
animal welfare considerations including disease control.

What adverse shearing conditions may be applicable to this standard?
These may be extreme temperatures, wet or contaminated wool.

What potential and existing hazards may be encountered in the workplace?
Sheep movement and handling, loose boards, obstacles, veterinary chemicals, damaged pens, uneven flooring, poor drag, uncovered belts, and unsafe equipment and machinery.

What range of shearing methods and procedures may be recommended by industry?
This may include detailed procedures for removal of wool from the belly and crutch, first hind leg, wig, first side neck and shoulder, side and back (long blow) second side neck and shoulder last side and last hind leg, positioning of the sheep and shearer in relation to the down tube, use of free hand, safety procedures, how to avoid second cuts and other damage to wool, damage to sensitive and vulnerable parts of the sheep's anatomy.

What sheep might be subject to the shearing operations?
All ages and genders of sheep, including rams, ewes, wethers, lambs, hoggets and stags.

What processes might be involved in moving sheep?
Sheep may be caught and moved from the catching pen to the board using safe handling techniques.

What organisational, industry and animal welfare standards might apply to sheep shearing?
Organisation may include: Standard Operating Procedures, industry standards, production schedules, work notes, work plans, manufacturers specifications, supervisors instructions, and workplace policies and procedures (including recycling, environmental and land management).
Industry and animal welfare standards/requirements might include: National codes of practice for the Shearing Industry (Health, Safety and Welfare standards), Environmental Protection Act, and Animal Welfare Act.

What may be included in personal protective equipment?
Clothing and footwear that prevents feet crushing, skin abrasions and tangles in machinery.

What injury to sheep and damage to wool needs to be avoided?
Injury to the vulnerable areas of the sheep such as teats, pizzles, ears, vulva, wrinkle and skin, eyes, hamstrings, joints, blood vessels and sinewy parts close to the surface. Damage to horns, eartags, second cuts and skin pieces should also be avoided.

What volume expectations might be met?
Expected volume is significantly above the expected average sheep shorn per day for a professional shearer.

When safe handling techniques need to be applied?
For catching, dragging, positioning and releasing sheep.

What contamination might need to be identified?
Amongst the contaminants are lamb pouches, maggot affected wool, urine stains, dung stains, skin pieces, black fibres, loose woolpack fibres, baling twines, man-made fibres and clothing, dermatitis, branding dyes, dags, grease locks, burrs and vegetable matter, shed debris, wet fibre or water stains, towels, and cigarette butts.

How might sheep cuts be treated?
Cuts may be sutured in line with industry standards and animal welfare requirements.

How might flyblown sheep be treated?
Treatment may include the shearing of flyblown wool to skin, marking sheep and informing the owner/classer.

What types of problem sheep might be identified
Wet sheep, diseased sheep, sheep affected by prickly pear, those chemically treated prior to shearing, and other problems as listed in the various pastoral awards.

What shearing grievances and difficulties might occur?
This might relate to responsibilities of owners, overseers and shearers, and just causes and procedures for stopping work as specified within relevant awards.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in maintaining consistent shearing performance under complex and variable conditions requires evidence that shearing has been consistent at the professional shearer level under a range of different and complex conditions. The skills and knowledge required to maintain consistent shearing performance must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts. For example, this could include different sheds, sheep and wool types and conditions.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

types of shearing sheds, boards and catching pens
shearing machinery required and their relative functions
industry agreed shearing techniques, and positions and method of shearing
safe handling techniques for catching, dragging, shearing and releasing sheep
anatomy of all types of sheep
sheep diseases
animal welfare requirements in relation to sheep
sheep behaviour
personal protective clothing and equipment, and when and how it should be used
Federal Pastoral Industry Award and/or State Shearing Award of Queensland, or Western Australian Shearing Contractors Award
relevant State/Territory legislation and awards, regulations and codes of practice with regard to workplace OHS and animal welfare.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These skills include the ability to:

prepare and set up equipment to optimise shearing output
assess and monitor a diverse range of shearing conditions and environments
maintain control, co-ordination, rhythm, high quality performance and output during shearing
work in a team as a team member.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

types of shearing sheds, boards and catching pens
shearing machinery required and their relative functions
industry agreed shearing techniques, and positions and method of shearing
safe handling techniques for catching, dragging, shearing and releasing sheep
anatomy of all types of sheep
sheep diseases
animal welfare requirements in relation to sheep
sheep behaviour
personal protective clothing and equipment, and when and how it should be used
Federal Pastoral Industry Award and/or State Shearing Award of Queensland, or Western Australian Shearing Contractors Award
relevant State/Territory legislation and awards, regulations and codes of practice with regard to workplace OHS and animal welfare.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These skills include the ability to:

prepare and set up equipment to optimise shearing output
assess and monitor a diverse range of shearing conditions and environments
maintain control, co-ordination, rhythm, high quality performance and output during shearing
work in a team as a team member.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Information with regard to shearing procedures and problems associated with contaminated fleece or problem sheep may be discussed with colleagues and reported to the classer and/or overseer supervisor. (3)

Communicating ideas and information
Information with regard to shearing procedures and problems associated with contaminated fleece or problem sheep may be discussed with colleagues and reported to the classer and/or overseer supervisor. (3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Shearing outcomes including information with regard to shorn sheep, problem sheep and contaminated wool may be detailed and tallied, and organised by records and reports. (3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Shearing outcomes including information with regard to shorn sheep, problem sheep and contaminated wool may be detailed and tallied, and organised by records and reports. (3)

Planning and organising activities
Shearing activities may be planned and co-ordinated with time schedules and numbers of sheep or sequenced as required. (3)

Planning and organising activities
Shearing activities may be planned and co-ordinated with time schedules and numbers of sheep or sequenced as required. (3)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in treating problem sheep, in arranging for the collection of shorn fleece, working with other shearers, experts/technician, wool handlers and classers. (3)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in treating problem sheep, in arranging for the collection of shorn fleece, working with other shearers, experts/technician, wool handlers and classers. (3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the tallying of shorn sheep, mob breaks or cutouts. (3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the tallying of shorn sheep, mob breaks or cutouts. (3)

Solving problems
Contingencies for dealing with problem sheep and contaminated wool may be planned and prepared to minimise disruption to shearing schedules. Alternative planning may also be needed if complications occur when catching or shearing sheep. (3)

Solving problems
Contingencies for dealing with problem sheep and contaminated wool may be planned and prepared to minimise disruption to shearing schedules. Alternative planning may also be needed if complications occur when catching or shearing sheep. (3)

Using technology
To communicate, record and calculate shearing outcomes and tallies, in using handpieces and shearing equipment and advances in manufacturing machinery and equipment. (3)

Using technology
To communicate, record and calculate shearing outcomes and tallies, in using handpieces and shearing equipment and advances in manufacturing machinery and equipment. (3)