Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 7:04 AM AWST

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Operate refrigerated storerooms

Operate refrigerated storerooms

Unit of competency
National Code
SFISTOR301C
State Code
D9295
TGA Status
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
22/07/2011
View on TGA
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
29/02/2012
Field of Education
110111 - Food Hygiene
Original Release Date
29/02/2012
Nominal Hours
15
Description
This unit of competency involves the management of cool rooms and freezer storage rooms. It includes setting up the room to ensure correct air flow, product storage temperature, stock rotation and placement of product to avoid cross-contamination. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Therefore it will be necessary to check with the relevant state or territory regulators for current licensing, legislative or regulatory requirements before undertaking this unit.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Set up refrigerated storage rooms
  • 1.1. Shelving or other appropriate material for storage of product is placed into refrigerated equipment rooms to allow even flow of refrigerated air throughout room and between products.
  • 1.2. Door/closing alarm system is checked to be fully operational.
  • 1.3. Lighting is checked to ensure safe working conditions within the closed room.
  • 1.4. On/off switches are checked to be fully operational to ensure that the cooling system is not inadvertently switched off.
  • 1.5. Air curtain or plastic strips across the door of the storage room is operational, to ensure minimal temperature fluctuations.
  • 1.6. Temperature probes or temperature data loggers are used to check and record temperatures of the storage room.
  • 1.7. Maintenance requests are made in a timely manner to appropriate personnel.
2. Place product in refrigerated storage rooms
  • 2.1. Product is placed in the refrigerated storage rooms in a timely manner on its arrival at the workplace.
  • 2.2. Temperature of warm product is reduced before being placed in the refrigerated storage rooms.
  • 2.3. Product to be placed into the refrigerated storage rooms is checked to ensure that its label is intact and legible.
  • 2.4. Product without adequate labelling is set aside and reported to the appropriate person.
  • 2.5. Chilled or frozen product is placed on shelving or other appropriate system to ensure that correct air flow is maintained to keep product at the required temperature.
  • 2.6. Product is placed and stored in rooms on a 'first-in-first-out' (FIFO) basis and in a way that its label can be easily seen.
  • 2.7. Fresh product is stored in a way that ensures that there is no contamination from one product to another.
  • 2.8. Product is stacked on top of other product making use of load-shifting equipment and safe manual handling procedures.
3. Maintain stock in refrigerated storage rooms
  • 3.1. Fresh product is checked, to ensure that there is sufficient ice mixed throughout and covering product.
  • 3.2. Potable ice is collected and moved using clean shovels and bins.
  • 3.3. Cross-contamination is avoided by ensuring that product is correctly placed on shelving.
4. Stocktake product
  • 4.1. Fresh product is checked for freshness and signs of spoilage and unsatisfactory product disposed of.
  • 4.2. Count records on fresh product are entered daily.
  • 4.3. Records on frozen product are made on a regular basis as indicated in enterprise procedures.
5. Clean refrigerated storage rooms
  • 5.1. Cool rooms are cleaned using chemicals and equipment consistent with enterprise procedures and ensuring product is not contaminated.
  • 5.2. Frozen storage rooms are regularly swept and kept tidy.
  • 5.3. Vermin are controlled using methods consistent with enterprise procedures.
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:
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
OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control.
OHS guidelines may include:
appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers
clean, uncluttered, hygienic workplace
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 and 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 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:
controlling 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
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
protective hair, beard and boot covers
insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units
non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons).
Load-shifting equipment may include:
forklift
manual lifting equipment.
Records may include:
enterprise stocktake forms
enterprise temperature monitoring sheets.
EVIDENCE GUIDE
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 the ability to:
ensure compliance with enterprise procedures and food safety regulations
set up and place product into a refrigerated storage room.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
FIFO system of stock rotation
safe working practices for cold and confined spaces, and load shifting
temperature storage requirements of fresh and frozen product.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. It should cover the handling and refrigeration of fresh whole fish, fish fillets, opened raw oysters and cooked crustaceans.

Resources may include:
chiller and fresh seafood, including whole fish, fish fillets, opened raw oysters and cooked crustaceans
freezer storage room and cartons of frozen product
product with different date-of-production labels
ice and ice-moving equipment
temperature recording devices.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
third-party report from work supervisor
structured activities to:
assess refrigerated storage rooms for compliance with enterprise standards
stock a chiller with fresh product
read and interpret labelling on frozen fish cartons
workplace documentation, such as temperature logs and graphs
written and oral questions.
Guidance information for assessment
This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
S4308 SFISTOR301B Operate refrigerated storerooms Unit of competency
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
OAR25 SFISTR301 Operate refrigerated storerooms Unit of competency