Skin meat species
Overview
This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed for you to skin meat species including cattle, sheep, goat and venison in food manufacture and/or supply operations. Skinning, often called dressing, is an essential part of the processing of meat species in the production of meat that meets food safety and quality specifications. You will need to be able to skin meat species manually using the correct tools and equipment and adhering to regulatory and organisational standards. This standard is for you if you work in food manufacture and/or supply operations and are involved in skinning meat species.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Prepare to carry out skinning
prepare to carry out skinning in accordance with organisational
standards
wear and use personal protective equipment in accordance with
regulatory standards and organisational requirements
check availability of meat and poultry species for skinning
assemble tools and equipment needed for skinning
check availability of storage area for skins and carcass with
relevant people
make sure the carcass is in the most effective position for
skinning
place yourself in the most effective place and position for skinning
Carry out skinning
carry out ripping following organisational standards for skinning
use equipment to separate the hide or skin from the carcass
following organisational standards
carry out skinning at a pace to meet the speed of production
clean and maintain tools and equipment between tasks following
organisational standards and to meet food safety requirements
check that the carcass conforms to organisational specification
requirements and carry out further trimming if necessary
inform relevant people if problems occur outside the limits of your
responsibility
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
why it is important to follow organisational and regulatory standard
operating procedures while skinning meat and poultry species
manually
- why meat species are skinned before further processing can take
place
tools and equipment used for skinning
why it is important to check the cleanliness of tools and equipment
used in the skinning meat species
ripping lines for different species of animal
ways of ripping without damaging the hide or skin and why this is
important
why it is important to carry out skinning speedily
how to access organisational quality and yield specifications
relating to skinning of meat species
how to handle the meat species carcass to maintain its quality
how to avoid contamination of the carcass during skinning
the work area, tools and equipment needed to carry out skinning
how ineffective skinning can lead to wastage, potential customer
complaints and lost revenue
why it is important to work within the limits of your responsibility
how to address problems outside the limits of your responsibility