18820 version 2

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Handle, maintain and use knives safely in the poultry processing industry

Level / 2
Credits / 4

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard are able to follow safe knife procedures, and to sharpen, maintain and use knives in the poultry processing industry.

Subfield / Food and Related Products Processing
Domain / Food Production - Poultry Products
Status / Registered
Status date / 25 July 2006
Date version published / 25 July 2006
Planned review date / 31 December 2011
Entry information / Open.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Competenz (Food and Beverage)
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0111

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to the: Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, Animal Products Act 1999, Food Hygiene Regulations 1974, Resource Management Act 1991, and their associated regulations; Animal Welfare (Broiler Chickens: Fully Housed) Code of Welfare 2003: A code of welfare issued under the Animal Welfare Act 1999and which meets the requirements of the Animal Products (Specifications for the Ante-mortem and Post mortem Examination of Poultry Intended for Human or Animal Consumption) Notice 2005. Welfare codes are available from Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, C/- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, PO Box 2526, Wellington.

2Competence is to be demonstrated on at least three occasions of handling, maintaining and using knives safely while producing poultry products.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Follow safe knife procedures in the poultry processing industry.

Performance criteria

1.1Knives are carried, stored and maintained in accordance with the company safety policies and procedures.

1.2Knives are used in accordance with the company safety policies and procedures.

Element 2

Sharpen knives for use in the poultry processing industry.

Performance criteria

2.1Sharpening tools and lubricants are used in accordance with the company quality assurance policies and procedures.

2.2Sharpening tools and lubricants are kept clean in accordance with the company quality assurance policies and procedures.

2.3Knives are sharpened in accordance with the company safety policies and procedures.

2.4Sharpened edge produces cuts in accordance with the company quality assurance policies and procedures.

Element 3

Maintain knives in the poultry processing industry.

Performance criteria

3.1Knives are cleaned in accordance with the company quality assurance policies and procedures.

3.2Knives are replaced in accordance with the company quality assurance policies and procedures.

3.3Knives are used and stored in a manner that does not result in damage to the knife or harm to people.

Element 4

Use knives in the poultry processing industry.

Rangecuts must include but are not limited to – three routine cuts specified in the company operating procedures.

Performance criteria

4.1Knife cuts produced are consistent with the product specifications.

4.2Knife is used in accordance with the company safety policies and procedures.

4.3Knife is used in accordance with the company quality assurance policies and procedures.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact Competenz you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018