Monitor slaughter operations in meat processing
Overview
This standard is about the skills and knowledge you need to monitor slaughter processes in the context of an abattoir or meat processing business.
This includes monitoring the work of team members and ensuring that slaughter operations are carried out according to organisational and regulatory procedures and standards. You must also know how to address problems 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 a supervisory or team leader role within an abattoir or meat processing business.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- select personal protective clothing and equipment suitable for the slaughter processes
- contribute to the planning of the slaughter process to meet production requirements
- confirm slaughter processing requirements and output targets
- implement checks to ensure that slaughter equipment is working and is suitably calibrated for use according to organisational requirements
- check livestock are available to meet output targets
- arrange slaughter areas to ensure that resources are available to meet organisational requirements
- check that suitable tools and equipment are made available to meet the food business operating requirements for presentation, stunning and bleeding
- allocate skilled staff to specific tasks and duties
- identify and report any non-compliance or shortfall in resource or staff requirements
- check that food chain information is available prior to slaughter
- monitor the flow and yield of the slaughter process
- provide support to staff to ensure output and yield is maintained
- identify and address problems that may affect the quality and quantity of output from butchery processes according to the food business operating procedures
- dispose of products that deviate from quality specifications or throughput schedules according to the food business operating procedures
- complete and make available information relating to the slaughter process
- report faults and matters that affect processing performance
- check that maintenance and cleaning records are complete
- check that handover and shut down procedures are followed
- make recommendations for improvements in the slaughter process
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the relevant legal and regulatory requirements, health and safety, hygiene and environmental standards and instructions and what might happen if they are not followed/met
- the regulatory requirements relating to animal welfare when presenting animals for killing
- the machinery, utilities and equipment used in slaughter operations
- how throughput schedules and output targets for slaughter operations can be planned
- how to organise livestock to meet output targets
- how to allocate specific tasks and duties in the slaughter process to make best use of staff competence and experience
- how to record, report and complete documentation for slaughter processes
- how to identify and deal with non-compliance in slaughter operations
- how to organise and control the slaughter area
- how to ensure that physical resources needed for the slaughter process are available and are functioning
- what the importance is of controlling the quality and quantity of output from slaughtering operations
- what the problems affecting quality or quality of output from the slaughter area can be
- how problems with animal welfare, technical issues, resource issues and compliance issues should be dealt with
- how to deal with products that deviate from quality specifications or throughput schedules to comply with food business operating procedures
- 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