FBPBPG2011 — Operate a fill and seal process

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.
• There must be evidence that the individual has operated a fill and seal process to package one batch of product to specification, including:
• monitoring control points and conducting inspections as required to confirm process remains within specification, including:
• flow rates
• product weights and volumes
• fill levels
• times and temperatures, including product and sealing temperatures
• supply of packaging components/consumables
• packaging quality and seal integrity, including testing seal integrity
• following safe work procedures
• addressing routine processing issues.

Knowledge evidence

• An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:
• purpose and basic principles of filling and sealing, including the purpose and characteristics required of packaging materials used and the method used to fill and seal product (where methods involve vacuum or map packaging, this includes an understanding of the effect of modified atmosphere on product shelf-life)
• product and packaging coding requirements, including product weight
• basic operating principles of filling and sealing equipment, including:
• main equipment components
• status and purpose of guards
• equipment operating capacities and applications
• the purpose and location of sensors and related feedback instrumentation
• services required for operation of filling equipment used in the workplace
• the flow of processes supplying the filling and sealing process, and the effect of outputs on downstream processes
• quality characteristics and requirements of filling and sealing, including:
• quality requirements of product and packaging components/consumables
• requirements of filling, including fill levels and weights
• requirements of seal formation and integrity, and integrity testing procedures, where required
• methods used to monitor the process, including inspecting, measuring and testing
• inspection or test points (control points) in the process and the related procedures and recording requirements
• operating requirements and parameters, and corrective action required where operation is outside specified operating parameters, including procedures to clear a breach and restart following a crash or jam-up, as appropriate
• typical equipment faults and related causes, including signs and symptoms of faulty equipment, and early warning signs of potential problems
• common causes of variation, and corrective action required, including the effect of variation in both product and packaging components/consumables on filling and sealing performance, which also includes the effect of temperature variation on the filling process
• food safety hazards and risks associated with filling and sealing, and related control measures
• health and safety hazards and controls requirements, including emergency and routine shutdowns, and procedures to follow in the event of a power outage
• isolation, lock-out and tag-out procedures and responsibilities
• procedures and responsibility for reporting production and performance information
• environmental issues and controls relevant to the filling and sealing process, including waste/rework collection and handling procedures related to the process
• basic operating principles of process control, including the relationship between control panels and systems and the physical equipment
• aseptic filling and sealing requirements
• cleaning and sanitisation procedures for filling and sealing equipment
• recording requirements for traceability of product.

Foundation skills

• Reading: Interpret workplace and standard operating procedures relevant to work task Interpret production requirements
• Writing: Record data and observations using digital and/or paper-based formats
• Oral communication: Ask questions to clarify understanding or seek further information
• Numeracy: Monitor and interpret production and process control indicators and data, including weight (g, kg) and/or volume (ml, L) Monitor supply and flow of materials to and from the process

Unit content sourced from training.gov.au — © Commonwealth of Australia, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Auditori is not affiliated with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Questions about assessing FBPBPG2011