Pack live shellfish for dispatch
Overview
This standard is about the packing of live shellfish for dispatch. It details the skills and knowledge required to prepare for and pack live shellfish. It is also about working to organisational product specifications and production schedules.
You must be able to prepare to pack live shellfish. You must also be able to pack live shellfish. You must also be able to complete the shellfish packing process. You must also know how to address problems and adhere to regulatory standards and standard operating procedures and be able to apply your skills and knowledge within food safety and health and safety regulations and any relevant international industry codes. You should also have an understanding of how the green circular economy supports repeated use of resources and products within your organisation.
This standard is for you if you work in the fish or shellfish industry and are involved in the packing of live shellfish.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- prepare and maintain work area throughout the process
- obtain tools and equipment required to support planned operations, including hygiene and personal protective equipment
- obtain packing specification
- obtain and prepare packaging ready to receive live shellfish
- obtain shellfish to meet required specification
- decant and check quality and condition of live shellfish
- remove dead and damaged shellfish, minimising disturbance to the remaining shellfish
- pack shellfish and add chilling agent according to specification
- label shellfish according to specification
- handle shellfish in a manner which minimises stress
- forward packed shellfish for dispatch
- maintain environmental conditions within the processing area
- make sure the live shellfish are dispatched according to organisational requirements
- deal with materials that can be recycled or reworked
- clean work area into a hygienic condition in preparation for the next shellfish batch
- dispose of waste according to organisational procedures and regulatory requirements
- maintain records of packing according to organisational requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- what the organisational standards are and what may happen if they are not followed
- the hygiene requirements associated with the handling of live shellfish
- your responsibilities under animal welfare legislation
- the handling requirements for live shellfish
- why speed and temperature control is important during the packing process
- how to assess the quality and condition of live shellfish
- why it is important to remove dead or damaged shellfish before dispatch
- when shellfish are not in a condition suitable for live transport
- the environmental conditions required by live shellfish
- the packaging requirements for live shellfish including how to ensure that packaging is suitable for receiving live shellfish
- how to pack live shellfish
- the methods used to control the temperature of shellfish during transport
- how ambient atmospheric temperature can impact on the shellfish health
- how live shellfish can become stressed and why it is important to minimise the stress caused to shellfish
- the storage conditions required to maintain the quality of live shellfish
- how shellfish can become contaminated, how to avoid this and what might happen if this is not done
- the labelling requirements associated with the dispatch of live shellfish
- how to dispose of waste and why it is important to do so according to organisational procedures and regulatory requirements
- the limits of your own authority and competence and why it is important to work within those limits
- what recording, reporting and communication is needed, how to carry this out and the reasons why it is important to do so