Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Hazards and risks:
· biological
· bacteria
· moulds
· yeast
· other organisms
· contaminants
· physical
broken glass, metal, plastic, fibre glass
foreign matter
sewage
soils, water
other organisms
temperature changes or fluctuations
· chemicals (additives, chemicals and natural poisons)
· hygiene
personal habits or practices (smoking, spitting, nose blowing, coughing, hand washing)
reporting illness
clothing (maintenance and laundering)
cleanliness of equipment, apparatus, work surfaces, containers.

Work areas or places:
· retail or wholesale outlet
· seafood and aquatic product processing plant
· fishing vessel
· aquaculture operation; farm, hatchery, nursery
· storage facility, dispatch, transport operation.

Enterprise standard operating procedures relating to workplace hygiene:
· personal habits or hygiene
· use of personal protective clothing and equipment
· equipment/work area
· product contamination and cross contamination.

Enterprise and legislative requirements:
· policies and procedures
· licensing requirements
· regulatory requirements
· industrial awards and agreements
· industry codes or codes of practice.

OHS requirements may include:
relevant State or Territory and commonwealth Occupational Health and Safety acts, regulations, national standards, codes of practice and guidance notes which may apply in jurisdiction
· enterprise specific Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures
· examples of specific task related procedures may include:
hazard identification, risk assessment and control (incorporating the hierarchy of control model)
accident and incident reporting
manual handling
use and storage of chemicals.

Seafood and aquatic product:
· live seafood
· seafood (fillets, whole fish, shell fish, prawns etc)
· finished/processed product (smoked, dried, frozen etc)
other aquatic products:
shells
skins
eggs
aquarium fish
pearls
· by-products.

Handling and storage:
· to prevent damage (eg flesh-ripped , torn, squashed; product dropped or thrown)
· appropriate to product (eg, fillets, whole fish, shell fish, frozen, live stock)
· storage at correct temperatures and in appropriate areas
· includes safe use and storage of knives and tools used by the worker.

Cross contamination caused by:
· cooked product contaminated by raw product
· edible product contaminated by waste
· movement of people, product or equipment between areas.

Requirements of an approved food safety program:
· approved by local council or appropriate health department
· risk identification
· identification of risk areas (control points)
· minimisation of risks
· monitoring risks (control points)
· reporting and recording requirements
· hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) based programs, where applicable.

Areas of risk (control points):
· harvesting, handling, transporting
· purchasing, delivery and storage
· preparation, processing and cooking
· cooling, freezing, defrosting, heating, reheating, storage
· holding or display.

Monitoring:
· own tasks and responsibilities
· recording data
· by visual checks
· following inspection requirements of enterprise risk management plan.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· broad knowledge of basic food safety principles and requirements
· enterprise hygiene and food safety procedures
· legal and regulatory requirements pertaining to seafood production, storage, handling and packaging relevant to area of work
· personal hygiene practices and clothing requirements relevant to area of work
· common hazards and sources of contamination in area of work
· enterprise food safety recording requirements
· Occupational Health and Safety requirements.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· identification of hazards, contaminants and risks or control points
· handling seafood and aquatic products to prevent damage, spoilage, waste
· storing seafood and aquatic products in appropriate areas at correct temperatures.

Literacy skills used for:
· reading and interpreting relevant enterprise documentation including standard operating procedures and the food safety plan where available
· recording/reporting according to enterprise procedures.

Numeracy skills used for:
· recording and reporting data.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment of performance should be in a work or simulated work environment over a period of time, covering all categories of the range of variable statements that are applicable to the learner's work environment.

Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· inspect the work area to identify common seafood and aquatic product food safety hazards and associated risks
· maintain personal hygiene and conduct to minimise risk to seafood and seafood product safety
· handle and store seafood and aquatic product safely
· complete recording/reporting requirements.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· own responsibilities within the enterprise food safety plan
· key requirements of the food safety plan
· sources of information on food safety and personal hygiene requirements such as enterprise standard operating procedures or codes of practice.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed in conjunction with other units.

Context of assessment
· Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.
· Assessment must relate to the individual's work area or area of responsibility.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· written or oral short-answer testing
· practical exercises/case studies
· observation of work activities.

Resources required for assessment
Resources include:
· relevant documentation (enterprise food safety plan, standard operating procedures, code of practice, personal protective equipment, documentation, etc.)