Elements and Performance Criteria

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.

process specifications such as:
preferred packaging materials/containers and filling techniques
labelling and storage requirements from field to client
quality, grading and plant produce specifications
variables subject to seasonal and market forces such as:
bud count and health
colour
maturity and ripeness
moisture content and texture
shape and size
skin condition and blemishes
variety
weight and length.

industry best practice guidelines on quality, food safety and hygiene
manufacturer service specifications and operator manuals
OHS procedures
procedures based on sound horticultural principles and practices such as:
enterprise standard operating procedures
post-harvest program or production schedule
routine maintenance schedules
supervisor's oral or written instructions
work notes
product labels
MSDS
productivity rates required by the enterprise
waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines.

materials and consumables such as:
cleaning agents
containers
gases
labels and adhesives
packaging materials
preservatives and chemicals
pro formas
basic tools such as:
labelling devices
packing tools
scales
snips and knives
equipment and machinery such as:
chemical applicators
forklifts
gassing chambers
grading machinery
hand trolleys and lifting aids
light trucks
pallets
tractors and trailers
washers, brushes and dryers
storage such as coolrooms and dedicated storage facilities.

chemicals and hazardous substances
confined spaces
dust and pollen
incorrect manual handling
moving equipment, machinery and vehicles
noise
sharp hand tools and equipment
slippery or uneven surfaces
soil-borne micro-organisms
solar radiation
wet working environment, including electricity.

face guard and goggles
hard hats
boots and gloves
hearing protection
jackets (for coolroom use)
overalls and aprons
respirators or face masks
spray clothing
sunscreen lotion
waterproof clothing.

correctly stacking containers on transport to reduce the risk of bruising, squashing or damaging produce
lifting rather than dragging containers to avoid contact with dirt
observing fill level of containers
smoothly transporting harvested produce to post-harvest processing or storage facility.

bulbs
flowers and foliage
fruit
herbs
mushrooms
nuts
tubers
vegetables
wild harvest plants and oils.

placing in a shed
storing in the shade, in water-filled or covered containers in the field
temperature-controlled environment such as:
forced air coolrooms for table grapes
hydro coolrooms for stone fruit
vacuum coolrooms for mushrooms.

forklift
tractor
trailer
truck.
Team members involved in the operation of vehicles should comply with operator manuals, and enterprise work and OHS procedures.

checking with supervisor
hand or mechanical techniques
removing out-of-type plants or physically damaged, unhealthy, rotten or immature produce (any rejected produce should be disposed of according to enterprise procedures)
selecting characteristics influenced by seasonal and market forces such as:
bud count
colour
health
maturity
moisture content
ripeness
shape, size, weight and length
texture, skin condition and blemishes
variety.

applying fungicides and insecticides by spraying or dipping
applying preservatives
brushing
drying
observing quarantine requirements
removing dirt and foreign material
ripening or de-greening with ethylene gas
storing in a controlled environment
stripping excess leaves and/or trimming
washing/hydration
waxing and polishing.

disposal of rejected produce
disposal of waste material such as:
broken components and packaging
chemical containers
chemicals and hazardous substances used in post-harvest treatments
litter
plant debris
processing and cleaning water run-off
removal of waste to designated areas for recycling, re-use, disposal or return to manufacturer.

arranging produce and packing instructions for containers
correctly stacking containers on transport
cutting fingernails
maintaining sharp tools
observing fill heights
placing rather than dropping produce into containers
wearing gloves.

appropriate use of PPE
assessing and reporting risks
basic first aid
cleaning, maintaining and storing tools, equipment and machinery
correct manual handling
ensuring operational safety exits from coolrooms and gassing chambers
identifying hazards
maintaining personal hygiene
reporting problems to supervisors
safe handling, use and storage of chemicals and hazardous substances
safe operation of tools, equipment and machinery.

boxes and cartons
bulk bins
customised packaging
net bags
pre-packs
trays and crates.

container number
packing date
produce details such as:
grade
number
origin
variety
weight
producer details
quality assurance and handling instructions.

coolrooms of various sorts depending on type and suitability of produce being stored
storage sheds
coolroom environmental conditions, including:
humidity
light
temperature.

Procedures used to ensure storage facilities and containers are adequately
techniques to ensure dust, pests, diseases and waste material are removed, such as:
dusting
fumigating
sterilising
sweeping
washing
techniques to ensure a level of hygiene that protects the quality and health status of stored produce.

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.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit.
The critical requirements for this unit of competency as a whole are listed below.
Assessment must confirm one's ability to transport, grade, treat, pack and store harvested produce according to market requirements and industry and enterprise standards.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment for this unit of competency is to be largely practical in nature and will most appropriately be assessed in the workplace or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.
For valid assessment, one must have opportunities to participate in a range of exercises, case studies and other real and simulated practical and knowledge assessments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to carry out post-harvest operations.

The candidate must also have access to the following resources:

produce to be graded
containers
scales or other measuring or grading equipment appropriate to the crop
customer specifications
PPE.

Overview of assessment

This unit of competency could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units of competency relevant to the job function such as:

RTC2309A Operate tractors
RTC2706A Apply chemicals under supervision
TDTD1097A Operate a forklift.
Assessment should also provide opportunities to address compliance with enterprise and industry quality assurance requirements and, where applicable, food safety requirements.

Guidance information for assessment
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.
The skills and knowledge required to carry out post-harvest operations must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts, including the ability to deal with unplanned events. For example, this could include work on a property growing different types of crops or handling produce for different customers.