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Title / Open and clear skins
Level / 3 / Credits / 35
Purpose / This unit standard is for people whose job is to make all opening and clearing cuts on carcasses and to use skin clearance and removal equipment in accordance with organisational requirements without supervision.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: complete opening skin cuts; clear skins from carcasses; demonstrate knife use; demonstrate team-work; and comply with organisational and statutory hygiene and safety requirements.
Classification / Meat Processing > Slaughter and Dressing
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills and knowledge / Unit 2503, Maintain hand knives in the meat processing industry; and Unit 2505, Demonstrate knowledge of meat industry workplace hygiene and food safety requirements.
Explanatory notes
1Normal production speeds apply to the performance of this activity.
2Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to – Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Animal Products Act 1999.
3Resource documents include but are not limited to – Industry Standard 5 Slaughter and Dressing, available from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority at.
4Definitions
Organisational requirements – instructions to staff on policies and procedures which are documented in memo, electronic or manual format and are available in the workplace.
Company specifications – product specifications set by the company relating to cuts, weights, presentation, and packaging.
Customer specifications – product specifications set by clients relating to cuts, weights, presentation, and packaging.
Operator – the candidate being assessed against this unit standard.
5Range
Skins include but are not limited to – bobby calf, goat and ovine skins.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Complete opening skin cuts.
Evidence requirements
1.1Opening cuts meet company and customer specifications, and statutory requirements.
1.2Where operationally required, cuts are made with both left and right hands.
Outcome 2
Clear skins from carcasses.
Evidence requirements
2.1Skins are cleared from carcasses to company specifications for the specific stage of skin removal.
2.2Equipment is operated to organisational and safety requirements.
2.3Skin clearance does not damage or contaminate recoverable products or endanger the operator and others.
2.4Any identified contamination on carcasses is removed according to organisational requirements.
2.5Where operationally required, cuts are made with both left and right hands.
2.6Product identification procedures meet organisational requirements.
Outcome 3
Demonstrate knife use.
Evidence requirements
3.1Knife cuts are clean and straight and made without excessive force or unnecessary duplication.
3.2Operator balance is maintained and body weight used to best effect at all times during knife use.
3.3Operator reach and follow-through maintain balance and reduce risk of injury to operator and others.
3.4Cuts are made away from or to the side of the operator's body and free hand.
3.5Hands, protective gloves, and knife handles are kept in clean and slip free condition in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.6Cuts do not damage or contaminate recoverable products in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.7Knives are maintained in sharp and sterile condition in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.8Knives are replaced in pouch when not in use in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.9Steels are used to meet organisational requirements.
3.10Actions likely to place the operator and others at risk of injury during knife use and sharpening are avoided.
Outcome 4
Demonstrate team-work.
Evidence requirements
4.1Tasks are completed within the time and space allocation determined by product flow and organisational requirements.
4.2The quality and completeness of tasks meet the operational requirements of following co-workers.
4.3Communication and feedback are provided to and requested from co-workers to maintain and improve task and product quality.
4.4Co-workers are not endangered through the operator’s methods and equipment.
4.5Co-worker assistance is provided within the confines of product flow and operator space.
4.6Machinery, equipment, and facility malfunctions are identified and reported to supervisory staff in accordance with organisational requirements.
4.7Conflict resolution techniques are applied to minimise interpersonal differences with co-workers which may adversely affect team performance.
Outcome 5
Comply with organisational and statutory hygiene and safety requirements.
Evidence requirements
5.1Company supplied clothing, and hygiene and safety equipment are worn and used in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.
5.2Work methods comply with specified organisational and statutory requirements to minimise the risk of product contamination and injuries to the operator and others.
5.3Contaminated meat products, surfaces, machinery and equipment are handled in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.
5.4Unsafe and unhygienic conditions are identified and corrective actions taken in accordance with organisational requirements.
5.5Equipment, operator and work area cleanliness complies with organisational and statutory requirements.
Replacement information / This unit standard, unit standard 20728, andunit standard 25037 have been replaced by unit standard 28176.This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 21 July 2011 / 31 December 2016
Review / 2 / 27 January 2015 / 31 December 2016
Rollover / 3 / 17 September 2015 / 31 December 2018
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0033
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR 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.
Primary Industry Training OrganisationSSB Code 101558 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018 / / New Zealand Qualifications Aut