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Identify, collect and prepare plants for sale or dispatch

URN: LANH54
Business Sectors (Suites): Crofting and Smallholding,Horticulture
Developed by: Lantra
Approved on: 2022

Overview

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This standard is for those who identify, collect and prepare plants for sale or dispatch. It applies to the manual or mechanical collection or lifting of plants for orders.  This could include the collection of plants for intermediate storage and preparation for dispatch or sale. The types of preparation activities will depend on the enterprise where you are working.

Plants may be in containers or pots, for example, bedding plants, shrubs or house plants. They may also be plants that have been grown in the ground and supplied “bare-root” such as trees, hedging plants, fruit bushes and canes, shrubs, roses and some perennials.

The collection of plants for sale or dispatch is mainly appropriate to ornamental nurseries producing house plants, bedding plants and hardy ornamental nursery stock (trees, shrubs, herbaceous and alpine plants).

You will have significant personal responsibility in carrying out these activities, however, you will not be involved in planning or supervising the collection and preparation of plants, as this is covered within LANH55.

When working with machinery or equipment you should be trained, and hold the current certification where required, in accordance with the relevant legislation.

When carrying out your work you must consider the impact it will have on the environment, and work towards preserving and improving habitats and biodiversity and responding to and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

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  1. be aware of hazards associated with preparing plants for sale or dispatch

  2. wear suitable clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE)

  3. maintain suitable levels of hygiene and bio-security when preparing plants for sale or dispatch

  4. prepare, use and maintain equipment for the identification, collection and preparation of plants for sale or dispatch, safely and correctly

  5. identify the plants that are to be collected correctly, check that the plants meet specifications and reject any that do not

  6. handle and transport plants in a manner that maintains quality and minimises damage

  7. identify any problems that may arise during the collection of plants and take the appropriate action

  8. check that the collection of the plants takes place within the required timescales and in accordance with specifications

  9. prepare and maintain the plants for sale or dispatch correctly in accordance with instructions and specifications

  10. check that the plants are ready for sale or dispatch at the correct time

  11. maintain the health of plants that require intermediate storage prior to sale or dispatch 

  12. maintain communication with colleagues and those involved in, or affected by, your work

  13. follow organisational and industry environmental good practice to minimise environmental damage

  14. carry out your work in accordance with the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, risk assessment requirements, codes of practice and organisational policies

  15. complete records as required by the relevant legislation and the business

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

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  1. how to identify hazards and assess the risks associated with preparing plants for sale or dispatch

  2. the types of clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable for the activity

  3. why it is important to maintain suitable levels of hygiene and bio-security when preparing plants for sale or dispatch, and the methods for achieving this

  4. how to prepare, use and maintain equipment and use it safely and correctly

  5. how to identify the relevant species or varieties of plants produced by the enterprise 

  6. the sources of information in relation to different species or varieties of plants 

  7. the importance of completing the activity in accordance with timescales and specifications

  8. how to recognise when a plant does not meet specifications and what action to take

  9. the methods of maintaining the quality of plants during handling and transportation 

  10. the methods for transporting plants within the site relevant to the enterprise 

  11. the problems that may arise during the collection of plants and what action to take 

  12. the methods for preparing the plants ready for sale or dispatch

  13. the methods for maintaining the health of the plants ready for sale or dispatch 

  14. any relevant storage arrangements for plants prior to sale or dispatch

  15. the importance of maintaining communication with those involved in, or affected by, your work

  16. the importance of following the relevant environmental and ecological best practice to help minimise the impact of your work on the environment

  17. your responsibilities under the relevant health and safety legislation, codes of practice and organisational policies

  18. the records that need to be completed relevant to the collection and preparation of plants for sale or dispatch

Scope/range

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A. Maintain equipment for preparing plants for sale or dispatch:

1. preparation
2. cleaning
3. storage

B. Prepare plants for sale or dispatch using methods relevant to the enterprise within which you are working:

1. handling
2. removal of unsuitable plants
3. packing or labelling

Scope Performance

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

Skills

Glossary

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Instructions and specifications: 

• drawings/plans
• schedules
• method statements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• manufacturer’s guidelines 
• customer requirements
• quality assurance requirements
• crop requirements
• verbal instructions

Preparation is used to cover activities that take place following the identification and collection of plants. The types of preparation activities will depend on the enterprise within which you are working, this could include:

•  weeding
•  grading
•  bundling
•  wrapping
•  containering/packaging
•  labelling
•  watering
•  loading
•  storage

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

5

Indicative Review Date

2027

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Lantra

Original URN

LANH54

Relevant Occupations

Nursery Worker, Crofter, Smallholder

SOC Code

5112

Keywords

plants; orders; dispatch