Work Guide No. 12

A Footprint to Quality Assurance
IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR

QUALITY ASSURANCE
PROCEDURES AHCWRK401A
Workforce Innovations Program Project 275
Materials produced by Regional Skills Training Pty Ltd

Funding provided by the DIISRTE Workforce Innovations Program
AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures
WEB
Activity
Fact
Website
CONTENTS
01
About yourself
03
02
Trouble with website links
03
03
How are these materials used
03
04
What are these learning materials about
04
05
Employability skills
05
06
Unit descriptor and how the unit applies to your workplace
05
07
Establish quality specifications for product
06
08
Identify hazards and critical control points in the production of quality product
13
09
Assist in planning, development and implementation of quality assurance procedures
29
10
Implement quality assurance procedures
37
11
Summary of key innovations/opportunities as a result of adopting these skills
40
12
Bibliography and source material
44
13
Being confident about your skill levels
49
14
Assessment
51
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Bridging the Gap between Chemical and Organic Food and Fibre Production.
These interactive workbooks were produced by Regional Skills Training and funded by Department of Industry,
Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, Workforce Innovations Program and are intended for free
use to any student, RTO or school. Note that any work is copyright and should not be reproduced or copied for
commercial gain.
ABOUT YOURSELF
Please fill in your details below and save this PDF to your files.
Name
Phone
Email
TROUBLE WITH
WEBSITE LINKS
Sometimes you may click on a web link and the

site will say it is not available. Please revisit the
site when you are next working on your resource
materials as web sites are sometimes off line for
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If you are consistently unable to access a site
you are free to answer any associated workbook
activity or assessment question by searching
for and finding an alternative site that you feel is
applicable. PLEASE INCLUDE THE LINK IN YOUR
ANSWERS so we know where to look to check
your information.
HOW ARE THESE

MATERIALS USED
This workbook has a strong focus on the selfdirected application of knowledge. Completing
this workbook and all formative assessments
will thoroughly prepare you for your summative
assessment. On successful completion of
appropriate summative assessments provided by
your Registered Training Organisation (RTO), you
will achieve competency in this unit.
Please complete the

feedback form at the back of
the unit and advise us of any
links that do not work
This workbook
has a particular
focus on the
opportunity for
quality assurance
in food and
fibre production
systems.
WHAT ARE THESE LEARNING MATERIALS ABOUT
This workbook applies to any person working in an agricultural or horticultural enterprise where they are required
to plan, implement and review a quality assurance program. The workbook has a particular focus on the
opportunity for quality assurance in food and fibre production systems with an effort to reduce chemical usage
and defines the standard required to:

Establish quality specifications for product

Assist in planning of quality assurance procedures
Implement, monitor and record quality assurance procedures
Provide supervision and training of staff in quality processes
This workbook has a strong focus on the self-directed application of knowledge with substantial depth in the areas of:

Market requirements for product

Definition of quality
Quality specifications for product
Enterprise and industry quality assurance systems
HACCP techniques
Strategies for control of hazards to quality
Work place training strategies
Delegation and empowerment
Contingency management
The statements below list the typical employability

skills that would be applied in a situation related to
diagnosing and resolving plant health problems for
an agricultural or horticultural enterprise.
In completing your daily work tasks, activities and
summative assessments related to this unit of
competence, you must be able to demonstrate that
you are applying the employability skills listed
below to this competency.
This unit of competency applies to production

managers and workplace supervisors in agricultural
and horticulture enterprises who implement and
monitor quality assurance procedures. These
procedures cover the process of; establishing
quality specifications for product/s, identifying of
hazards and critical control points in the production
of a quality product, assisting in planning of quality
assurance procedures and implementing quality
assurance procedures.
Communication skills
Quality assurance may include:
EMPLOYABILITY
SKILLS
This work book provides an opportunity to develop

and apply employability skills that are learnt
throughout work and life, to your job.
Identify and accurately report problems

Organisational skills
Teamwork skills
Technological skills
Use mathematical ideas and techniques
UNIT DESCRIPTOR
AND HOW THE
UNIT APPLIES TO YOUR
WORKPLACE
Regulation of the quality of raw materials,

assemblies, products and components
Services related to production
Management, production and inspection
processes
Quality assurance programs are likely to include
planned and systematic production processes
that provide confidence in a products/services
suitability for its intended purpose. The processes
are encouraged to have an increasing focus on
reduced or nil chemical use.
Market requirements may include trends and directions
from regional, domestic and overseas markets.
Industry quality assurance programs may include
programs developed by industry organisations and
marketing authorities, processors, wholesalers/retailers
and other stakeholders. A few examples include
AgriSure, Freshcare, Graincare and Proven Perfect.
As a producer,
you need to
keep abreast of
changing customer
requirements.
ESTABLISH
QUALITY
SPECIFICATIONS FOR
PRODUCT
Quality Assurance (QA) is a process that is used
to ensure that food production is non-hazardous,
traceable, safe and fit for human consumption.
QA procedures can also demonstrate the stringent
approach Australian producers have towards
safety and quality.
There are many quality requirements for food
production that are applied in Australia and/or
globally that promote, demand as a standard
for branding, or legislate as law a standard of
quality. These badges of assurance support
Australias reputation as a world leader in food
safety. This builds customer confidence in a
product and may translate into a price premium
or a product differentiator.
The International Organisation for Standardisation

(ISO) puts it this way; Quality management is what
an organisation does to fulfill:
the customers quality requirements, and
applicable regulatory requirements,
while aiming to
enhance customer satisfaction, and
achieve continual improvement of its
performance in pursuit of these objectives.
So the basic intent is to deliver safe food for human
consumption and meet the quality requirements of
key stakeholders. In this instance, key stakeholders
would include your customers, those involved in the
supply chain (from paddock to plate) and regulatory
bodies. Keep in mind that these requirements are
not static, they continue to change.
As a producer, you need to keep abreast of changing
customer requirements. There is a growing trend
amongst customers and large retail suppliers to
provide food that can be marketed and labeled:

Clean and green

Chemical free
Hormone free
Genetically modified free produce
Looking after the environment and the health,

quality and welfare of livestock is becoming a
primary consideration of the customer in how their
food should be produced.
Implementing an appropriate QA program and
being able to demonstrate compliance with such
a program, may assist you to apply some or all
of the statements to your product, that are being
demanded by markets and customers.
Whether you decide to implement such a program
will depend upon a number of factors and the
overall cost/benefit of such a system within your
enterprise. Throughout this work book, keep this
question in mind will the implementation of a QA
system be of benefit to me?
So where do you start if you want to implement
a QA system? It is not possible to plan a quality
assurance program or develop implementation
strategies, unless product quality specifications
are defined.
A QA program is all about measuring produce
quality and workplace outcomes to meet a defined
standard. So the best place to start is to define your
requirements, including:
Market specifications
Legislated requirements.
The following information is provided to help

you determine what market specifications are
applicable to your production system and the types
of places where you can find your initial information.
The information is not an exhaustive list nor is it a
recommendation of any system or standards. It
is merely a list of suggested information sources
that should help you further refine your thinking
and expectations in these often confusing and
complicated areas.
Department of Primary
Industries Victoria; What is
Organic Farming?
WE
B
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/farmingmanagement/organic-farming/introductionto-organics/organic-farming-standards-andcertification
Standards Australia
Published the Australian
Standard: Organic and
Biodynamic Products.
www.standards.org.au/Pages/default.aspx
EB www.ofa.org.au/papers/Organic-Claims-andW Consumer-Rights.pdf
Producing livestock
that meet market
specifications is one of the
most obvious methods of
improving profitability.
This new standard can be used to define, and

protect the integrity of, organic produce in Australias
domestic markets. Organic standards and the
principles they embody can be applied globally,
but the details of how those principles are put into
practice are largely site specific. It is up to each
farmer to translate the principles and standards into
practical on-ground management approaches that
suit their farm with its particular crop, soil, water,
climatic and environmental characteristics.
W
EB
Meat and Livestock

Australia; Understanding
Market Specifications.
www.mla.com.au/Livestock-production/
Preparing-for-market/Understanding-marketspecifications
Producing livestock that meet market specifications

is one of the most obvious methods of improving
profitability. Meeting market specifications requires
particular management knowledge and skills including:
Understanding the specifications and customer
requirements of the target market.
Assessing and monitoring the progress of
animals towards target markets.
Managing the grazing system or using high
quality finishing systems to achieve growth
targets and successful market outcomes.
Seeking feedback and implementing practices
to improve the management of the
production system.
Evaluating marketing options regularly.
Throughout the workbook you will complete a
series of activities. Each activity is designed to
lead you through a learning process that builds
your knowledge and results in a final collection of
activities/documents that are useful to your business
and can be used as a tool to implement a new skill.
Activity 1
To find out if a quality assurance system will benefit your business you need to clearly identify:

your product
product specifications you are capable of meeting
your market
specifications that may be applied by the market
Remember that this workbook is designed to help you and your business. You will achieve the maximum benefit
if you tackle the activities as a job that is important and useful to your business rather than just an assessment
activity to be completed as quickly as possible. All of the activities from now on SHOULD be considered as
serious research applicable to the decision; Is a QA system beneficial to my business or not?
Describe your product. Be as specific as possible. The following headings are guides only and you may wish to
specify your product using different criteria.
Criteria
Specification
Name of Business
Business Address
Product Name
Product Characteristics
Intended Use
Packaging
Shelf Life
Prepared/Sold In
Labelling Instructions
Distribution
Have you already implemented a QA program, and if so, which program and why?
Now list all of the key stakeholders involved in the production of your product, including yourself,
your customers and others involved in the supply chain. List these in Column A of the following table.
Identify any requirements that they might currently have of your product and include these in column B.
Are there trends that you are aware of that will impact quality specifications/requirements for your product?
If so, include these in column C future requirements.
Now complete an honest appraisal of your product. Do you meet current/future requirements? Record the results
in Column D and provide a brief explanation of why requirements are not currently met in Column E (if applicable).
Key Stakeholders
Current
Requirements
Future
Requirements
Requirements Met? Explanation of

Why Requirements
Are Not Met?
10
Legislative Requirements
Key stakeholders are clearly important and can have
a significant effect on decisions you make within your
business. However if a stake holder is a regulatory
body (e.g. government department, local council),
then you have very little option but to fully comply with
their key requirements as there is often also a legal
requirement (e.g. legislated standards).
Identifying legislative requirements that are applicable
to your enterprise requires some dedicated research.
There are international, national, state and regional
requirements that you will need to consider. If you
produce more than one product you may have a
range of requirements that need to be met, some of
which may produce a conflict of interest. This can
be complicated to sort through, but once you are
fully informed, you can make the most appropriate
decisions for your business.
These requirements must be seen as a mandatory
part of your production systems, as non-compliance
results in a significant impact on your business. Some
examples of regulatory complexity are demonstrated
in the links below.
W
EB
Diary Australia;
Regulatory Framework;
Australia; 2012.
Department of Primary
Industries Victoria;
Responsibilities of
Victorian Landholders. W
EB
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/aboutagriculture/legislation-regulation/legal-booklets
There are eight booklets covering various legal
aspects of managing a farm providing a list of the
relevant legislation and their purpose.

Biodiversity
Chemical Management
Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety
Livestock Management
Noxious Weed and Pest Animal Management
Soil Management
Waste Management
Water Management
It is understandable if you are feeling a little

overwhelmed at this stage. As you can see, there
are a myriad of regulations and standards that
govern food production in Australia. If you are an
exporter, then international standards will also apply.
Now it is time to do your own research and identify
the legislative requirements that are applicable to
your enterprise.
www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Industry-overview/
Food-safety-and-regulation/RegulatoryFramework.aspx
Australian Pesticides
and Veterinary Medicines
Authority; Chemical
Residues and Food Safety.
EB
W
www.apvma.gov.au/residues/index.php http://
www.apvma.gov.au/publications/fact_sheets/
docs/chemicals_food_safety.pdf
11
Activity 2
Review and update the table you created in Activity 1. Make sure that your key stakeholders include all relevant
regulatory/legislative bodies. Identify the policies, regulations, acts, legislation that you must comply with in
column B. Are you aware of any changes that are due soon? If so, update these in column C. Update column D
and E with your assessment of compliance against current and future requirements.
A
Key Stakeholders
Current
Requirements
Future
Requirements
Requirements Met? Explanation of

Non-Conformance
12
HACCP is about identifying

and mitigating risks to
food production through
the implementation and
monitoring of a systematic
technique or process.
IDENTIFY
HAZARDS AND
CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS
IN THE PRODUCTION OF
QUALITY PRODUCT
In the previous section you have researched
market and legislative requirements relative to
your products/enterprise and you also started to
consider future requirements.
Did you identify a trend for producers to be able
to demonstrate to customers the ability to supply
safe, quality food? Large retailers like Woolworths
and Coles are now demanding that suppliers meet
a specific QA program and use this to differentiate
their products to those of their competitors.
AQIS require all exports to meet defined QA
standards. Organic and biodynamic products have
other QA standards with which products using
particular labels must conform.
Many QA programs are now increasing the breadth
of standards to cover environmental management and
sustainability. The key point here is that there is a trend
for such programs to become more encompassing of
the triple bottom line. There is also emerging frustration

that producers may need to adopt more than one QA
program to satisfy their customers.
So how do producers manage and control each step
in a QA standard. The accepted method is to utilise
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). For
instance, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand
(FSANZ) have produced a Food Safety Program.
Standard 3.2.1 of this program is based upon the
principle that food safety is best ensured through the
identification and control of hazards in the production,
manufacturing and handling of food as described
in the HACCP system, rather than relying on end
product standards alone. This standard enables
states and territories to require food businesses to
implement a food safety program based upon the
HACCP concepts. The food safety program is to be
implemented and reviewed by the food business,
and is subject to periodic audit by a suitably qualified
food safety auditor. So HACCP is all about identifying
and mitigating risks to food production through
the implementation and monitoring of a systematic
technique or process designed to:

Identify hazards
Determine the Critical Control Points (CCP)
Establish critical limits for each (CCP)
Establish a system to monitor control of the (CCPs)
Establish the corrective actions to be taken
Establish verification procedures and then
Establish documentation.
13
This work book will now focus on HACCP concepts. For any business that is governed by the FSANZ
Food Safety Program (e.g. secondary food production and diary, shellfish, poultry primary producers),
HACCP is already a regulatory requirement. Local and state government bodies may also mandate
HACCP as a regulatory requirement.
Consider the following extract
Source: Dairy Australia; Dairy Food Safety; 2012.

www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Industry-overview/Food-safety-and-regulation/Dairy-food-safety.aspx)
WEB
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) under its Standard 4.2.4, requires all dairy farms to have
a documented on-farm food safety program. The State Dairy Food Authorities (SDFAs) implement the
FSANZ standards. This approach to whole chain food safety reflects:
International requirements under Codex (Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products)
National requirements by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, and
State-wide requirements by the Dairy Food Safety Authorities.
Dairy farms must implement a HACCP based quality assurance program to ensure:
They gain a licence to operate from their State Dairy Food Safety Authority, and
Their milk is accepted by their manufacturer.
The quality assurance program covers areas such as:

food safety
animal welfare
chemical contamination, and
environmental responsibilities.
14
Activity 3
Do HACCP principles apply to your business/part of your business or industry? Please provide a brief explanation
as to how HACCP does/does not apply. If it does not apply, do you believe that you may need to comply to
HACCP methods in the future? If you are not sure, have a look at QA programs applicable to your business.
See if HACCP principles are incorporated within the QA program/s.
15
The first step in the HACCP process is to identify

hazards. So what is a hazard? A hazard is any
biological, chemical, or physical agent in, or
condition of, food with the potential to cause an
adverse health effect.
Biological Hazard examples may comprise:
Macrobiological - Flies and Cockroaches
Microbiological - Bacterial, Fungus, Viruses,
Microscopic Parasitic, Algae
Pathogens - Common to all foods, they
originate in the gut of mammals and are carried
on food and by people and animals
Physical - Glass, Wood, Stones, Sticks, Insects,
Plastic, Jewellery
Chemical
Mycotoxins - Example Aflatoxins
Agricultural
Heavy Metals
Food Additives
Sabotage
The following extracts are provided for you to look at.
They will help demonstrate what a hazard is and how
to identify them within the context of your enterprise
AQIS; HAZARD ANALYSIS

CRITICAL CONTROL POINT
(HACCP); A Guideline to
Compliance with the Export
Control (Fish and Fish
Products) Orders; 2005;
pp9-12.
WE
B
http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_
file/0019/126181/haccp_ffp.pdf
At every step of a process where the product is:

Handled by staff, the potential for microbiological
contamination may exist, especially if the staff
are not trained in food safety practices and
hygiene practices are poor.
In contact with equipment surfaces the potential

for microbiological cross-contamination may
exist from other products (raw to cooked) or
from unclean surfaces or potential chemical
contamination from the use of non-approved
cleaning chemicals or their incorrect use.
Exposed to the processing environment
the potential for physical contamination may
exist from the state of the premises poor
preventative maintenance may lead to product
being exposed to flaking paint, splinters or chips
of rust. Uncovered lights can expose product to
potential contamination from broken glass.
Bryar, J; HAZARD
ANALYSIS CRITICAL
CONTROL POINTS
(HACCP): A Tool for
Managing Farm
Chemical Residues;
Department of Statistics and Operations Research
(Centre for Management Quality Research) RMIT
UNIVERSITY; Research Report No. September, 2000.
http://mams.rmit.edu.au/p4uu806qs2qn.pdf
WEB
For each step in the process horticulturalists must

identify the hazards, assess the significance of the
hazards and determine what control measures need
to be applied to control the significant hazards.
All inputs to a process including raw materials

like fertilisers, farm chemicals, water source and
packaging materials, equipment, storage conditions,
processing methods, produce, premises and people
that have a potential to introduce a hazard into the
produce need to be considered.
So how do you go about identifying hazards and
assessing risks that may impact on the quality of
your product? The following activities are designed
to guide you through this process. Use the extracts
provided above and your own research to assist
you with these activities.
16
Activity 4
Step 1
Select a process within your enterprise and identify the tasks required to complete these processes. You may use
the following template, develop your own template or supply existing procedures/flow charts for your business.
You will be working with this process for the remainder of this work book. Please select a process that includes
a number of hazards/risks that if not properly managed would result in serious consequences (e.g. injury to
persons, product recall).
You should consult with any other staff/personnel/family members that work within your enterprise to create a
comprehensive list of tasks for this process.
Process Title
Date and Version
Ref
Tasks
Who
When
Where
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Step 2
Now that you have identified the tasks performed, you need to identify where potential hazards can occur. Copy
your list of tasks to the following table and record any potential hazards. For the purposes of this activity, you are
completing the shaded columns only.
Remember that a hazard is anything that may cause harm to the consumer. All inputs to a process including raw
materials like fertilisers, farm chemicals, water source and packaging materials, equipment, storage conditions,
processing methods, produce, premises and people that have a potential to introduce a hazard into the produce need
to be considered. Conduct your own research/analysis to identify the likely hazards that can affect your enterprise.
17
Hazard Analysis
Procedure Title
Date and Version
Ref
Tasks
Potential Hazard
Likelihood of
Occurrence
Consequence
Risk
Assessment
Control
Measures
CCP?
Y/N
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Now that you have identified potential hazards, you need to assess the degree of risk associated with the hazard.
This is a bit subjective, but it will help determine priorities for short-term and long-term action. The degree of risk is a
combination of the likelihood of the hazard occurring, and the potential severity of the consequence of it occurring.
Have a look at the following extract to assist with your risk assessment.
Madge D; Organic Farming: Risk Management Planning;

Organic Insights Oct 2012; p12-13.
W
www.nasaa.com.au/data/pdfs/PM02%20Risk_Management_Planning.pdf
EB
Remember that the assessment of the significance of a potential hazard is subjective and relies heavily on the
knowledge and experience of the HACCP team in this case, the grower themselves. When a hazard has been
identified, the producer needs to ask and answer two questions:
What is the severity of the hazard (the seriousness of the hazard to consumer safety or produce quality)?
What is the risk of the hazard (the likelihood of the hazard occurring)?
The likelihood and consequence of a risk combine to give an overall risk ranking. Suggested rankings for use in
typical risk management planning are shown in the table below.
In reality, the same risk can have very different consequences for a different producer depending on their
certification e.g. contamination of an organic property or product with prohibited substances will usually have
major consequences, such as withdrawal of the property and product from organic certification.
If a certain risk has no likelihood of occurring in a particular situation, it can still be included in the plan to show
that it has at least been considered.
18
Consequences
Likelihood
Insignificant
Minor
Moderate
Major
Catastrophic
Almost certain
High
High
Extreme
Extreme
Extreme
Likely
Moderate
High
High
Extreme
Extreme
Moderate
Low
Moderate
High
Extreme
Extreme
Unlikely
Low
Low
Moderate
High
Extreme
Rare
Low
Low
Moderate
High
High
Activity 5
For each hazard identified in the previous activity, you now need to determine the overall risk rating. Update the
shaded areas of the table with the following:
What is the likelihood of the hazard occurring? What is the severity/consequence of the hazard (the seriousness
of the hazard to consumer safety or produce quality)? What is the overall risk rating of the hazard (low, moderate,
high, extreme)?
Hazard Analysis
Procedure Title
Date and Version
Ref
Tasks
Potential Hazard
Likelihood of
Occurrence
Consequence
Risk
Assessment
Control
Measures
CCP?
Y/N
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
19
Determine Control Measures, Critical Control

Points, Critical Limits,
Monitoring and Verification Processes
Now that you have identified potential hazards
and conducted a risk assessment of each hazard
you now need to decide the control measures and
Critical Control Points (CCP):
Control measures are an action or activity that
can be taken to prevent or eliminate the hazard,
or reduce it to an acceptable level,
CCPs are the points during the production process
at which the identified hazard can be controlled.
The hazards to which you apply control measures
will depend upon the risk assessment you have
conducted. Low/minor risks may only require
monitoring. Moderate, high and extreme risks
usually require the implementation of control
measures and vigilant monitoring systems.
So what control measures could you implement to
minimise the chance that a risk will be realised? At
what point/s in the process can you identify CCPs? The
following extracts provide some examples of control
measures and CCPs used across a variety of industries.
Potential Hazards (& possible cause)

Microbiological growth
(At landing)
Microbiological growth
(Caused by temperature abuse during transport)
Microbiological contamination
(From use of non-potable water)
Microbiological contamination
(From food handlers poor hygiene)
Microbiological survival
(Insufficient cook time & temp.)
Excess SO (Sulphur Dioxide) in prawn flesh
2
(Excessive dip time in Sodium Metabisulphite)

Ciguatera
(Fish sourced from area of unknown status)
AQIS; HAZARD
ANALYSIS CRITICAL
CONTROL POINT (HACCP)
- A Guideline to Compliance
with the Export Control (Fish
and Fish Products) Orders;
Australia; 2005; p11.
WE
B
www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_
Examples of hazards and appropriate control

measures are listed in the table below.
Control measures should be aimed at the cause of
the hazard, as there may be more than one cause
for a potential hazard.
Example of Control Measure

0
Chill product to less than 5 C as soon as possible after landing /

catching to reduce bacterial growth
0
Maintain product temperatures at less than 5 C during transport

Use potable water
Ensure food handlers comply with hygiene procedures
Ensure product is cooked to x degrees C. for x time
Follow manufacturers directions for concentration & dip time
for use of Sodium Metabisulphite
Do not source from areas known to be affected e.g. States
proclaim certain areas, or where there are known algal blooms
20
Determine the Critical Control Points (CCPs)

A Critical Control Point (CCP) is defined as a factor, practice, procedure, process or location that can be
controlled in order to prevent, control, eliminate or reduce a hazard, or minimise the likelihood of its occurrence.
In simpler terms, a CCP can be considered as a step that:
if no control is applied, then the food is likely to be unsafe
The Hazard Analysis and Process Flow Diagrams developed in earlier steps can be used here to identify which
steps in the process are Critical Control Points.
One method of determining CCPs is to use a CCP Decision Tree
Appendix 1 Example of decision tree to identify CCPs
(Answer the questions in sequence)
Question 1: Does a control measure for the hazard exist?
Yes
No
Is control at this step

necessary for safety?
Yes
Modify the step,

process or product
No
Not a CCP
Stop (*)
Question 2: Is the step specifically designed to eliminate or reduce the likely occurrence of a hazard to an acceptable
level?(**)
No
Yes
Question 3: Could contamination with identified hazard[s] occur in excess of acceptable level[s] or could these increase
to unacceptable levels? (**)
Yes
No
Not a CCP
Stop (*)
Question 4: Will a subsequent step eliminate identified hazards[s] or reduce likely occurrence to an acceptable level?
(**)
Yes
Not a CCP
No
Stop (*)
(*) Proceed to the next identified hazard as per your hazard analysis worksheet
(**) Acceptable and unacceptable levels need to be defined in the HACCP Plan.
Reference: Codex Alimentarius CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev. 3-1997, Amd. (1999)
21
The Decision Tree however, may not be applicable

to all situations and should therefore be used as
a guide only. Some people may prefer to seek
guidance from local industry associations or
colleagues about determining CCPs.
Farm chemical user training for the operative.

The use of registered chemicals for their
intended purpose, following label instructions
and withholding periods.
Preventive maintenance and calibration of
spray equipment.
If a hazard exists where a control measure is

necessary but no such measure exists, the process
should be modified to include a control measure.
The following extracts are included for your
information only. If they are not applicable to your
situation search the internet for examples that are
applicable, to improve your knowledge of CCPs.
Bryar, J; HAZARD
ANALYSIS CRITICAL
CONTROL POINTS
(HACCP): A Tool for
Managing Farm
Chemical Residues;
Department of Statistics
and Operations Research
(Centre for Management
Quality Research)
RMIT UNIVERSITY;
Research Report No.
September, 2000.
W
EB
http://mams.rmit.edu.au/p4uu806qs2qn.pdf
In normal circumstances, farm chemical usage is

seen to be both severe in terms of seriousness to
consumer safety and has a high likelihood of risk
occurring. A control measure must be put in place
to prevent, eliminate or reduce the hazard to an
acceptable level. In this case a number of control
measures are normally put in place:
Good farming practices (common sense and

industry best practice).
Monitoring pest and disease levels in the crop
utilising integrated pest/disease management
to minimise chemical use.
The responsibility for controlling agricultural
chemical hazards must lie with the grower.
Dairy Australia; Farm

Policies and Systems;
Health and Safety Risk
Management.
W
EB
www.thepeopleindairy.org.au/farm-policiessystems/health-and-safety-risk-management.htm
The methods and priorities for controlling risks are
often addressed in the following order.
Elimination of the hazard: If a hazard can
be eliminated there is no risk of injury or
contamination. An easy way of eliminating
hazards is at the first stage of purchasing or
installing a piece of equipment or selecting a
chemical. It may also include the disposal or
destruction of the hazard.
Substitution of the hazard: If the hazard
cannot be eliminated, it may be able to be
substituted with one that is less harmful e.g.
use a less hazardous chemical.
Use of engineering controls: If the hazard
cannot be substituted or eliminated,
engineering controls can be effective ways to
reduce the risk of hazards occurring. These
controls include barriers to isolate people or
animals from the hazard, such as a guard cover
on a feed auger, a safety switch on an electrical
system, or the construction of a chemical
storage shed.
22
WE
B
Safe work practices and administrative

controls: If engineering controls cannot be
applied, a mix of work practice changes should
be considered. This involves revising the
standard operating procedures for the task and
possibly training, induction and safety signage.
Safe work practices may also need to be
established to support engineering controls.
How you control risks must stand the test of

practicability, an occupational health and safety
term often cited in legislation. Practicability takes
into account:
The likelihood of a hazard or risk occurring
The potential seriousness of injury or harm
The state of knowledge about that hazard or
risk, and any ways of eliminating or reducing
that hazard or risk
The availability and suitability of ways to
remove or reduce that hazard or risk
The cost of eliminating or reducing that
hazard or risk
The following links provide details of HACCP plans
across a number of different industries. Conduct
your own research to identify HACCP plans that are
of use to your enterprise.
AQIS; HAZARD ANALYSIS

(HACCP); A Guideline to
Compliance with the Export
Control (Fish and Fish
Products) Orders; 2005.
Australian Egg
Corporation Ltd; Code of
Practice for Shell Egg,
Production, Grading,
Packing and Distribution;
Victoria, 2010.
W
EB
Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

This is always the last control measure to be
considered. There is still a potential risk to the
individual because the effectiveness relies
on wearing and using PPE properly. Although
PPE is effective for the individual using it, PPE
provides no protection for other workers or
bystanders. If you have controlled or eliminated
the risk by some other method you may not
need to wear PPE. PPE includes face shields,
respirators, dust masks, earmuffs or gloves.
Personal protective equipment is often used in
conjunction with other risk control measures.
www.aecl.org/system/attachments/362/original/
Code%20of%20Practice%20for%20Shell%20
egg%20production,%20grading,%20packing%20
and%20distribution%202009.pdf?1291694499
Diary Australia; Farm

Standard Operating
Procedures; 2012.
WE
B
www.thepeopleindairy.org.au/farm-policiessystems/farm-standard-operating-procedures.htm
Western Australia Dairy

Farm Assurance Group;
GUIDE TO DAIRY FARM
ASSURANCE: Agriculture
Western Australia; 2006.
www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/
content/aap/dc/dfaguide.pdf
WE
B
23
Activity 6
In your previous activities, you identified the tasks within a process, potential hazards and the risk rating for each
hazard. It is now time to update this table (grey shaded columns) and identify:
The control measures that could be implemented to minimise the identified risk
This document includes a decision tree to assist you

establish if a step is a CCP: AQIS; HAZARD ANALYSIS
CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) - A Guideline to
Compliance with the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products)
Orders; Australia; 2005; Appendix I.
WE
B
www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/126181/haccp_ffp.pdf
Hazard Analysis
Procedure Title
Date and Version
Ref
Tasks
Potential Hazard
Likelihood of
Occurrence
Consequence
Risk
Assessment
Control
Measures
CCP?
Y/N
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Establish Critical Limits for Each CCP

A critical limit is the point at which a hazard must be controlled to prevent, control, eliminate or reduce the
occurrence of the hazard to an acceptable level.
Some CCPs will have clearly defined parameters (all food contaminated by broken glass must be discarded)
whereas other critical limits will have a range or degree of tolerance (chilled fish or fish product must be stored be
between -1C and 5C)
24
A critical limit is the point

at which a hazard must be
controlled to prevent, control,
eliminate or reduce the
occurrence of the hazard to an
acceptable level.
So now you can see that in some instances, a minimum and maximum range may be permissible for
any given CCP.
Have a look at the following example of how critical limits can be determined.
25
Activity 7
Copy the relevant data from your previous activity into the following table and identify if critical limits apply to the
CCP. If so, document these limits. Complete the grey shaded columns only.
Hazard Analysis
Procedure Title
Date and Version
Ref
Tasks
Potential
Hazard
Control
Measures
CCP?
Y/N
Critical Limits
Monitoring
Procedure
Verification
Procedure
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Processes to Monitor the Effectiveness of Quality Assurance Procedures are Developed
There is no point implementing control measures if you are not going to monitor them. If you do not monitor, how
would you know if your control measures are working effectively?
When determining how you are going to monitor your control measures, consider:
What will be monitored?
Who will monitor? Will the operator responsible for the control measure be responsible, or will a more
independent person be responsible?
How will CCPs be monitored?
When will CCPs be monitored? Measurements need to be completed ideally in-line during processing or as
quickly as possible, in order to determine whether a process is operating within the required critical Limits.
If the system is outside of operating parameters, unsafe food may result and operating systems must be
immediately corrected.
How often will CCPs be monitored? The frequency of monitoring is also important and depends on the
potential hazards identified in the hazard analysis. Frequent monitoring will ensure processes are operating
within the required limits and minimise the production of unsafe food.
26
How will the results be verified? Monitoring

could be verified upon observation, sensory
evaluation (e.g. smell), chemical measurements
and physical measurements (e.g. taking
temperatures). Equipment used for monitoring
should be calibrated frequently for accuracy.
How will you demonstrate that monitoring
has occurred? Records should be signed,
dated and retained for audit and verification
purposes.
The following extracts provide some examples of
monitoring and verification methods:
AQIS; HAZARD
ANALYSIS CRITICAL
CONTROL POINT (HACCP)
- A Guideline to Compliance
with the Export Control (Fish
and Fish Products) Orders;
Australia; 2005; p18.
WE
B
Australian Egg
Corporation Ltd; Code of
Practice for Shell Egg,
Production, Grading,
Packing and Distribution;
Victoria, 2010.
W
EB
www.aecl.org/system/attachments/362/original/
Code%20of%20Practice%20for%20Shell%20
egg%20production,%20grading,%20packing%20
and%20distribution%202009.pdf?1291694499
Example 1: Periodically take samples of the feed
for microbiological analysis and record results in
a log book. Visually check incoming feed where
possible and obtain written assurance that it
complies with your purchase specification criteria.
Document date, time and condition upon delivery
and retain dockets.
Example 2: Take the temperature of the wash water

with a thermometer. Check that the temperature
is 41-44C regularly during the process. Record
results in a log book.
Example 3: Take the temperature of the packing
area/storage room at least once daily and record
temperatures in a log book.
27
Activity 8
For each control measure identified in the previous table, record the monitoring and verification procedures that
you will use to determine if the control measure is effective.
Update the grey shaded columns with your response.
Hazard Analysis
Procedure Title
Date and Version
Ref
Tasks
Potential
Hazard
Control
Measures
CCP?
Y/N
Critical Limits
Monitoring
Procedure
Verification
Procedure
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

28
ASSIST IN
PLANNING,
DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF
QUALITY ASSURANCE
PROCEDURES
So far throughout this work book you have
determined:
Quality specifications for your product
Potential hazards that may impact the quality of
your product
The risk rating of the hazard and whether
it warrants the implementation of a control
measure
What the control measures are
Which steps in the process are CCPs
Critical limits (ranges) that may apply to CCPs,
Monitoring and verification processes to ensure
that control measures are working.
By this stage you have done a lot of research
and planning, but now it is time to document
these procedures and implement them. You may
feel daunted at the prospect of introducing QA
procedures to your enterprise. Take heart, you are
not alone and you should not feel the need to over
engineer your business to cover every potential
risk or hazard up front.
As with all change management projects, you need
to tackle the implementation of a QA program within
the context of your business needs and values, and
on an incremental rather than a big bang basis.
You might go about this by deciding to prioritise

procedures for immediate implementation. This
might be done on the basis that:
Significant (high, extreme) risks should be
managed first. This may involve a range of
simple to complex controls (e.g. reduced
chemical use, repairs, disposal, guarding,
re-design of infrastructure, providing
personal protective equipment, re-design of
work procedures, signage or training or a
combination of controls).
Controls that do not require significant
resources, and can be implemented quickly
and easily, can be done immediately.
Controls that require long-term investment,
might be staged.
When planning the implementation of a QA
program, look at the big picture project and then
break it down into a series of bite sized chunks or
stages. Make a plan that shows what the priorities
for implementation are (e.g. stage 1, stage 2, stage
3) and then for each stage:
Identify the tasks to be completed (e.g. train all
staff in procedure 123).
Who will train staff and then subsequently
monitor procedures?
What resources/equipment/manpower is
required to implement each stage?
Any dependencies between stages or tasks
within stages?
Once you have a plan, you are in control and can
approach the implementation of a QA program in a
logical and systematic way.
29
Activity 9
Complete the following table with specific reference to documenting your QA implementation plan. Space has
been provided to document 3 stages. If more are required, duplicate the table.
Stage 1
Task
Person
Responsible
Resources
Duration
Start Date
End Date
Dependencies
Stage 2
Task
Person
Responsible
Resources
Duration
Start Date
End Date
Dependencies
30
Stage 3
Task
Person
Responsible
Resources
Duration
Start Date
End Date
Dependencies

Develop QA Procedures
So you are now in the drivers seat and are ready to develop QA procedures for implementation. Do you know
how to approach this task?
What resources are available to help get you started? The best way to approach this is to develop Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs). These explain how to do a particular task/process and will include all of the
QA rules that you want to apply (e.g. control measures, monitoring and verifications tasks). If these rules are
integrated into every day practices, the more likely they are to become the norm rather than the exception.
Creating an SOP manual from scratch can be quite daunting as most owner/operators start with the information
in their heads. Each farm will have its own way of doing things, partly because of the infrastructure and partly
because of the management.
Many QA programs will provide you with SOPs but no existing system will fit all circumstances. The essential skill
is to refine the SOPs that you are provided with to specifically suit your production system and business, whilst
still achieving compliance for the whole QA program.
31
The following extract provides an example of where

equipment might need to be purchased and staff
training may need to be undertaken in order to
comply with product quality standards.
Free Range Farmers

Association Inc.; Quality
Assurance and Food Safety.
This on line resource

could assist beef producers
develop safe cattle handling
procedures to prevent the
risk of injury to staff and
livestock.
www.freerangefarmers.com.au/food-safety.html
WEBEggs need to be graded for size, and candled
(passed over a light) to ensure there are no cracks

in the shell, bloodspots or other imperfections in the
eggs being packed for sale.
There are many types of candler-graders on the
market from small table top models such as the
one pictured here, in the You Tube video link below,
to massive units which handle many thousands of
eggs an hour and automatically pack into cartons.
The most popular small units are the Egomatic and
the Mobanette, but other models are available.
WorkSafe Victoria; Beef

Cattle Handling: A Practical
Safety Guide; 2007.
WEB
www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/forms-andpublications/forms-and-publications/beef-cattlehandling-a-practical-safety-guide
The grading process on a small farm is shown in

this You Tube clip:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmRBQj-3QRE
WEB
32
Activity 10
You are required to complete the following activity related to SOPs for your business.
Write 4 complete SOPs that are applicable to your business and will be used in your QA system.
You can use templates that you have downloaded or those that have been provided by your QA program but they
must be contextualised to your business systems. An example completed SOP from APIQ, has been provided below.
Date
Version No
Approved By
Purpose: To ensure that the piggery facilities and environment are suitable to maintain the welfare of pigs,
and protect them from biological, physical or chemical hazards.
Also relates to APIQ Standards 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
Action and Person Responsible
Owner
Manager
Record(s)
Staff
Other (specify)
Facilities design and contingency planning

Appropriate facilities and structures are provided and maintained to
protect and shelter pigs from weather extremes, pests and predators.
Piggery Plan
Pig accommodation is designed to provide at least the minimum space

requirements outlined in the Appendix III of the Model Code of Practice
for the Welfare of Animals Pigs (3rd Edition, 2007) and to protect pigs
from injuries as much as practically possible.
Model Code Compliance Plan (SOP17)
Contingency arrangements are in place in case of power failures or failures

of automated temperature and ventilation control equipment including:
outline arrangements in place, for example, a standby generator.
Daily Checklists/Diary
For deep bedding systems: Adequate supplies of fresh bedding are

provided and a procedure is in place to ensure bedding does not
contain unacceptable levels of chemical residues.
Vendor Declarations (SOP16)
For pigs kept outdoors: Pigs are not able to access areas which contain,
or are likely to contain, contaminated soil that may cause chemical
contamination in pigs or pork.
Soil test results (SOP15)
33
Cleaning and maintenance

Facilities are cleaned as necessary, including laneways, after pig
movements or feed spillages.
Pens and feeders are cleaned between batches of pigs, ensuring that
manure build-up is minimised.
Pens are allowed to dry before pigs are moved in.

Facilities, plant and equipment are checked and maintained, as necessary.
Piggery Maintenance Record/Diary
The pig environment is kept free from protrusions and foreign objects by: Daily Checklists
checking there are no cracks, holes or problems in flooring,
roofing, feeders, fences, drinkers and other facilities that may
cause injury to pigs or people
maintaining fences in outdoor systems
checking that all mechanical equipment essential to pig husbandry
and welfare requirements is in good working order
ensuring that all materials, plant and equipment used for
maintenance is removed prior to pigs accessing the area.
Maintenance and clean-up is recorded in a Maintenance Record.
In fully automated sheds, temperature is monitored daily, maintaining

ambient temperatures for different classes of pigs, as per the
Model Code Appendix IV, Table 9 recommendations, and adjusting
temperatures if required.
Feeder space and drinker heights are adjusted for the size of pigs.
Daily Checklists
Malfunctioning water nipples are repaired or replaced, as required, and

drinker flow rates are maintained as per the Model Code Appendix II,
Table 4 recommendations.
Piggery Maintenance
Record/Diary
Sufficient ventilation is maintained at all times in pig sheds so that there is no,
or only a slight, smell of ammonia and no, or only a slight, visible dust haze.
If ventilation is unsatisfactory, one or more of the following actions is taken:

sheds are cleaned out at more regular intervals

effluent channels are flushed

laneways are cleaned out.
Checklists
Mating areas are kept dry and non-slip.
Checklists
Fire and electrical safety

All buildings have fire prevention measures in place, in accordance with
the requirements of the local controlling authority.
Fire safety advisor recommendations
Approved fire-fighting equipment is available to service all pig housing,

except the large straw-based shelters that have gates at both ends
doubling as emergency fire exits for pigs.
Staff are trained in the correct use of fire safety equipment and fire
emergency procedures.
Staff Training/Competency Register
Electrical installations at mains voltage are not accessible to pigs and

are properly earthed. All such fittings are checked by staff in routine
facility inspections and an electrician called in if any signs of obvious
damage or malfunction are found.
Annual electrical safety inspections are carried out by a registered

electrician (or other suitably qualified person).
Piggery Maintenance Record/ Diary/

Electrical inspection report
34
Attach each completed SOP to this interactive document and submit to your lecturer.
SOP 1
SOP 2
35
SOP 3
SOP 4
36
10
IMPLEMENT
QUALITY ASSURANCE
PROCEDURES
Module 2 - Tactical stock control - Provides

information and tools to help producers manage
stock numbers and tactically increase or decrease
numbers to match animal feed demand to available
feed supply.
Now that you have developed your SOPs you can

assign responsibilities for carrying out procedures
to staff and contractors and provide induction/
in-service training relevant to these assigned
procedures.
Module 3 - Pasture growth - Helps producers

develop expertise in soil, pasture and grazing
management to boost productivity and profitability.
It is not possible to successfully implement a QA

system that involves significant procedural changes
in the workplace without providing training to staff.
In some cases the training may be legislated (e.g.
related to chemical accreditation or licensing for
machinery operation). In other cases the training
will be specifically related to the required changes
in the workplace to ensure accreditation is met.
Successful training will involve the strategic use of
techniques, tools, activities and actions to engender
change in target groups (e.g. staff). The capacity of
the business managers to achieve practice change
is determined by the knowledge and confidence
gained by staff in the training process.
W
www.mla.com.au/Research-and-development/ EB
Extension-and-training/More-Beef-from-Pastures
These modules provide tools and information
to enable southern beef producers to increase
productivity and profit while minimising risk:
Module 1 - Setting directions - Helps producers
set clear business objectives and the strategic
direction of the beef enterprise.
Module 5 - Genetics - Provides information to help

producers lift productivity and profitability through
ongoing genetic improvement.
Module 6 - Weaner throughput - Outlines practices
to determine how and when to wean calves early in
order to maximise production and profitability.
Module 7 - Herd health and welfare - Outlines
procedures required to manage a healthy,
productive and profitable cattle herd.
Module 8 - Meeting market specifications - Helps
producers to increase financial returns by better
meeting target market specifications, exploiting
market opportunities and managing the risks.
B
WE
The following examples are provided to

demonstrate specific training provided by
different programs. The examples provided are
not recommended training nor are they the only
options. Looking at these web sites will help clarify
your research and thus ensure you find training
specific to your business needs, staff needs and
quality assurance objectives.
Module 4 - Pasture utilisation - Details methods to

increase stocking rates and adopt a plant growthbased approach to grazing management.
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/animals-andlivestock/pigs/australian-pig-industry-qualityassurance-program
Staff at the Pig Health and Research Unit at DPI
can assist pig producers to understand and
implement the Australian Pork Industry Quality
Program (APIQ) on their farms.
Individual producers who are thinking about

starting APIQ on their farms, or who are making
the transition from PigPass QA to APIQ can get
assistance on getting started or information on how
to update APIQ.
APIQ workshops are held at the DPI offices with
small groups of producers on an as-needs basis.
These allow producers the opportunity to discuss
any issues with APIQ implementation.
37
APIQ Example of a model compliance plan

Plan to manage pig accommodation for
1. Description of current situation
This piggery has 200 gestation stalls. 160 of the stalls measure 0.6 m width x 2.0 m length; 30 stalls are 0.6 m x
1.9 m, whereas the other 10 are 0.55 m x 1.95 m.
Sows are housed in these stalls for eight weeks of gestation.
All other pig housing meets the requirements outlined in the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals
Pigs (3rd Edition, 2007).
2.Management system
Sows are placed in stalls according to their size. For example, smaller sows and gilts are placed in the smaller
stalls, as per the sow fit outcome based requirements in Standard 4.1.3 in the Model Code. If the size of a
stall does not allow a sow to stand normally, lie with her limbs extended and to stretch, she is moved to another
larger stall.
Sows are maintained in an adequate body condition, for example, a body condition score of around 3 [scale
15]. The water provided is fresh, cool and palatable.
All other conditions are managed to provide maximum comfort possible in accordance with the Model Code,
including maintaining an ambient temperature between 15C and 30C, as target temperatures. Water drippers
are activated for cooling if temperatures exceed 30C.
The gestation shed is maintained to prevent draughts, and blinds and shutters are in place to protect pigs from
cold winds during winter.
Mechanical ventilation ensures a constant supply of fresh air.
3. Plan to meet Model Code requirements
In 2015, it is planned to build a new sow gestation shed housing 120 sows in groups of five. Once that shed is
completed, 115 stalls will be removed from the existing gestation shed, including all the smaller stalls. Group
pens will then be fitted into the existing shed and sow numbers will be increased over time to fill them. From
2016 onwards, sows may spend, between weaning and five days post mating, in a mating stall to ensure they
are confirmed pregnant and their body condition is adequate to move into loose housing.
Owners signature:
Printed name:
Date:
38
Activity 11
Many industry sectors as well as specific QA programs offer training applicable to a farmers needs.
In previous activities you have selected quality assurance procedures that are applicable and useful to your
business. Complete the table below identifying the training needs for your workplace to implement and maintain
your QA outcomes.
Who requires training?
What training is required? How will training

be provided and who
will provide it?
How will staff

competency be assessed
following training?
39
11
SUMMARY
OF KEY INNOVATIONS/
OPPORTUNITIES AS A
RESULT OF ADOPTING
THESE SKILLS
The adoption of new opportunities and key

innovations should always be considered from the
perspective of the triple bottom line. However each
producer will need to determine:
What are the most important aspects of each
opportunity and innovation?
How can a new innovation or opportunity
be sustainably applied to your business or
production system?
The summary below is provided as a list of
suggestions. It is by no means complete. It is also
unrealistic to assume any single business can
adopt every opportunity.
Improved understanding of market and
customer requirements relative to product.
Improved understanding and compliance with
legislative, regulatory and policy requirements
within the supply chain.
Improved management systems in place to
produce quality product.
Delivery of consistent, quality product to market
= improved reputation and product branding.
Avoiding costs associated with product faults/
returns = greater profit margin.
Improved communication of quality control
policies and procedures amongst staff and
other key stakeholders.
Ability to supply proof of quality assurance

policies, procedures and outcomes for quality
accreditation purposes.
Becoming a member of a broader network of
like-minded producers (via membership to
quality assurance programs).
At this final stage of the workbook you are required
to take the time to reflect on the knowledge
gained and the reasons for implementing a quality
assurance process.
Re trace your research during completion of
this unit. What were the primary reasons for
implementing a QA procedure? In many cases
the reason relates to improving the product quality
and subsequently the market share or obtaining a
premium price.
In todays market the consumer is demanding and
health conscious resulting in many QA programs
or marketing claims requiring the very strict
and justified use of chemicals, or the removal of
chemicals entirely from a production system.
As the producer you are operating in an
increasingly complex environment where you
must balance many requirements to produce your
product. The requirements are likely to be:
Minimum yield or productivity to cover costs
and make a profit
Minimum price
Legislative or regulatory standards
Standards that must be met to achieve market
specifications
Standards that must be met to achieve labeling
specifications
OH&S
Improved ownership of quality product by

staff and other key stakeholders involved in the
supply chain (via formal training sessions and
incentive programs).
40
Activity 12
In this final activity you are required to summarise your thought process or reasoning for selecting and
implementing a QA program:
Why did you decide to implement a QA program?
How did you select the appropriate QA program?
41
What are the benefits for your business?
What are the traps to be aware of in implementing the program and how do you minimise/avoid them?
42
Who will provide you with support/information/guidance during the implementation

and management of the program?
Who will audit your system?
43
12
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCE MATERIAL
Organisation
Standard Legislation
Contact Details
Web Site
Reason for Inclusion
APIQ Australian
Pork Industry Quality
Assurance Program
Code of Practice
www.apiq.
com.au/index.
php?option=com_cont
ent&view=article&id=2
&Itemid=2
www.apiq.
com.au/index.
php?option=com_
content&view=
frontpage&Itemid=1
APIQ is an on-farm quality

assurance system. It is based on
managing farm risks by following
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP),
using the principles of Hazard
Analysis and managing Critical
Control Points (HACCP).
APVMA Australian
Pesticides and
Veterinary Medicine
Authority
Maximum Chemical
Residue Limit Standard
PO Box 6182
KINGSTON ACT 2604
AUSTRALIA
www.apvma.gov.au/
about/index.php
The APVMA is an Australian

government statutory authority
established in 1993 to centralise
the registration of all agricultural
and veterinary chemical products
into the Australian marketplace.
Previously each State and Territory
government had its own system of
registration.
Export Slaughter Intervals

Withholding Periods
and Export Intervals for
Pesticide Products
Tel +61 2 6210 4700

Fax +61 2 6210 4813
www.apvma.gov.au
Risk Assessment of ShortTerm Dietary Exposure to

Chemical Residues
Pesticides and veterinary

medicines are vital to quality food
and fibre production. Australias
primary production is worth an
estimated $30 billion a year with
an export value of over $25 billion.
AQIS Australian
Quarantine and
Inspection Service
Import and Export

Inspection and Certification
www.daff.gov.au/aqis/
about
www.daff.gov.au/aqis
AQIS manages quarantine controls

at our borders to minimise the
risk of exotic pests and diseases
entering the country. AQIS also
provides import and export
inspection and certification to help
retain Australias highly favourable
animal, plant and human health
status and wide access to
overseas export markets.
AQIS Australian
Quarantine and
Inspection Service
National Standard for

Organic and Biodynamic
Produce
Tel 1300 552 406
www.foodauthority.nsw.
gov.au/_Documents/
consumer_pdf/
organics.pdf
The Australian Quarantine and

Inspection Service (AQIS www.
aqis.gov.au) has, together with
the Organic Industry Export
Consultative Committee,
developed a National Standard for
Organic and Biodynamic Produce.
Aus-Meat
Standard language for meat

products
www.ausmeat.com.au/
about-us/contact-us.
aspx
www.ausmeat.com.au/
home.aspx
The AUS-MEAT Language is a

common Language that describes
meat products and ensures that
you get what they want and get it
every time.
Australian
Livestock and
Rural Transporters
Association
TruckCare
http://alrta.org.au/
contact-us/
http://alrta.org.au/
truckcare/
TruckCare is the Livestock

Transporter Industrys
independently-audited quality
assurance program. The program
is built around the quality assurance
principles contained in international
standards and also uses hazard
analysis of critical control points.
TruckCare is designed to integrate
with other quality programs
including CattleCare, FlockCare,
National Saleyard Quality Assurance
and TruckSafe.
www.foodauthority.nsw.
gov.au
44
Organisation
Contact Details
Web Site
DAFF Government
Department of
Agriculture Fisheries
and Forestry
Codex General Standards

Food hygiene
www.fao.org/
DOCREP/005/
Y1579E/y1579e02.
htm#bm2.2.1
www.daff.gov.au/
agriculture-food/
codex/gsfa
The Codex Alimentarius

Commission (Codex) is the
international food standards
setting body recognised by the
World Trade Agreements on
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)
and Technical Barriers to Trade
(TBT) as being the reference
point for food standards applied
in international trade with the
objectives of protecting the health
of consumers and ensuring fair
practices in the food trade.
DAFF Government
Department of
and Forestry
Australian Government
Authorised Halal
Food Exports Branch

(03) 8308 5092
www.daff.gov.au/aqis/
export/meat/elmer-3/
notices/2009/mn09-08
Australian Government Authorised

Halal Program guidelines for the
preparation, identification, storage
and certification for export of halal
red meat and red meat products.
DAFF Government
Department of
and Forestry
National Residue Survey
www.daff.gov.au/
agriculture-food/nrs
www.daff.gov.au/
agriculture-food/nrs
NRS monitors residues of

agricultural and veterinary
chemicals and environmental
contaminants in Australian food
commodities. The cost of this
monitoring is largely industry-funded
through levies on the animal and
plant commodities that are tested.
DHA Department
of Health and Aging
Legislative and
Governance Forum
on Food Regulation
Domestic Food Regulation

Policy and Guidelines for
Domestic Food Standards
Contact can be
made at the following
web site:
www.health.gov.
au/internet/main/
publishing.nsf/Content/
foodsecretariat-anz.
htm
The Forum is primarily responsible

for the development of domestic
food regulatory policy and the
development of policy guidelines
for setting domestic food
standards. The Forum also has the
capacity to adopt, amend or reject
standards and to request that
these be reviewed.
FAO Food
and Agriculture
Organisation of the
United Nations
CODEX
www.
codexalimentarius.org/
contact-links/en
www.
codexalimentarius.org/
codex-home/en
The Codex Alimentarius

Commission, established by
FAO and WHO in 1963 develops
harmonised international food
standards, guidelines and codes
of practice to protect the health
of the consumers and ensure
fair trade practices in the food
trade. The Commission also
promotes coordination of all food
standards work undertaken by
international governmental and
non-governmental organisations.
Code of Practice and QA

Program
www.freerangefarmers.
com.au/contacts.html
www.freerangefarmers.
com.au/food-safety.
html
Members are required to meet

the standards of the Free Range
Farmers Association Quality
Assurance and Food Safety
Program and the Code of Practice
for Shell Egg Production, Grading,
Packing and Distribution. The
QA program is available from
the Association and the Code
of Practice is available from the
Australian Egg Corporation.
Food additives
www.health.gov.
au/internet/main/
publishing.nsf/Content/
health-central.htm
WHO World Health

Organisation
Free Range Farmers

Association
45
Organisation
Contact Details
Web Site
Freshcare
Farm Assurance Program

for the Fresh Produce
Industry
www.freshcare.com.au
www.freshcare.com.au
Freshcare is an industry
owned, not-for-profit on-farm
assurance program, established
and maintained to service the
Australian fresh produce industry.
Freshcare is currently the largest
Australian on-farm assurance
program for fresh produce; proudly
providing on-farm food safety
and quality and environmental
certification services to over 5000
members nationally.
FSANZ Food
Standards Australia
New Zealand
General Food Standards
Email info@
foodstandards.gov.au
www.foodstandards.
gov.au
FSANZ is a bi-national
Government agency. Their main
responsibility is to develop
and administer the Australia
New Zealand Food Standards
Code (the Code), which lists
requirements for foods such as
additives, food safety, labelling
and GM foods. Enforcement and
interpretation of the Code is the
responsibility of State/Territory
departments and food agencies
within Australia and New Zealand.
www.mygfsi.com/
contact-us/contact-us.
html
www.mygfsi.com
The Global Food Safety Initiative

(GFSI) is a non-profit making
foundation, created under
Belgian law in May 2000. The
daily management of GFSI is
undertaken by The Consumer
Goods Forum.
Food Product Standards

Food Safety Standards
Primary Production Standards
The Global Food

Safety Initiative
(GFSI)
Retail Standards for Food

Safety Schemes Voluntary
GFSI benchmarks existing food

standards against food safety
criteria, and also looks to develop
mechanisms to exchange
information in the supply chain,
to raise consumer awareness
and to review existing good retail
practices.
Graincare Australia
Pty Ltd
Graincare
www.graincare.com.au
www.graincare.com.au
Graincare is an on-farm program

designed to assist grain growers
produce grain which will satisfy
the quality assurance (QA)
requirements of the market.
Horticulture for
Tomorrow LTD
Horticulture for Tomorrow

Guidelines
www.horticulturefor
tomorrow.com.au
www.horticulturefor
tomorrow.com.au/
about_us/the_national_
program.asp
Managed by Horticulture Australia

Limited on behalf of industry,
Horticulture for Tomorrow aims
to help growers link production
targets to their care for the
environment as an integral part of
their daily business management.
ISO International
Organization for
Standardisation
ISO 9000 Quality Mgt
central@iso.org
www.iso.org/iso/home.
htm
ISO is a network of the national

standards institutes of 157
countries and develops and
publishes International Standards
in a wide range of areas including
agriculture.
ISO 31000 Risk Mgt

ISO 14000 Env Mgt
ISO 22000 Food Safety
46
Organisation
Contact Details
Web Site
ISTA International
Seed Testing
Association
Guidelines for Uniformity

in Seed Quality Evaluation
Worldwide
Nil available
www.seedtest.org/en/
home.html
The seed industry standardsetting body, ISTA, publishes

the International Rules for Seed
Testing (the Rules) annually. The
Rules include a chapter on seed
sampling protocols. These have
been adopted by many national
bodies around the world as the
sampling protocol for testing
seeds (including Genetically
Modified Organisms (GMOs).
National Saleyards
Quality Assurance
Ltd
National Saleyards Quality

Assurance (NSQA)
(02) 9247 1281
www.ausmeat.com.au/
auditing-accreditation/
quality-managementsystems.aspx
National Saleyards Quality

Assurance (NSQA): The National
Saleyards Quality Assurance
Program (NSQA) was originally
a joint initiative of The National
Association of Saleyard Service
Organisations (NASSO) and The
Australian Council of Livestock
Agents (ACLA). The program
is now owned and operated
by National Saleyards Quality
Assurance Ltd, which is a
company in its own right owned by
members of NSQA. The National
Standard and the NSQA Program
together provide the Saleyard
Selling Industry with a benchmark
and a mechanism for maintaining
the integrity of Saleyards as an
integral part of the Livestock
Production and Processing
Industry in Australia.
MLA Meat
Standards Australia
MSA Requirements for Beef

Handling
www.mla.com.au
www.mla.com.au
The tips and tools from the MSA

series with a focus on production are:
1. What is MSA?
2. How to supply beef in the
MSA system?
3. MSA requirements for
handling cattle?
4. How MSA beef is graded?
5. How MSA grades are determined?
MLA Meat
Standards Australia
MLA Food Safety Program
www.mla.com.au
www.mla.com.au/
Meat-safety-andtraceability/Off-farmfood-safety
The Food Safety Program is

designed to assist all participants
in the Australian red meat industry.
By assisting the industry build its
expertise in relation to red meat
food safety issues, MLA is helping
to ensure the sustainability of the
industry and assist companies
along the supply chain to
profit from implementing new,
scientifically proven technologies.
MLA Meat
Standards Australia
Livestock Production
Assurance (LPA)
www.mla.com.au
www.mla.com.au/
Meat-safety-andtraceability/On-farmassurance/LPA
Livestock Production Assurance

is a program that underpins the
National Vendor Declaration and
Waybill (LPA NVD/Waybill), which
upholds Australias reputation as a
world leader in meat and livestock
food safety.
Cattlecare and Flockcare

standard
47
Organisation
Contact Details
Web Site
MLA Meat
Standards Australia
National Livestock
Identification System (NLIS)
1800 654 743 or email

nlis.support@mla.
com.au
www.mla.com.au/
Meat-safety-andtraceability/Livestockidentification
The National Livestock

Identification System (NLIS) is
Australias system for identification
and traceability of livestock. It
was introduced in 1999 to meet
European Union requirements
for cattle exports. Since then it
has expanded to enable cattle,
sheep and goats to be traced from
property of birth to slaughter.
MLA Meat
Standards Australia
AgriSure
www.mla.com.au
www.mla.com.au/
Meat-safety-andtraceability/On-farmassurance/AgriSure
Following a strategic review of the

Livestock Production Assurance
Quality Assurance (LPA QA)
(incorporating CATTLECARE
and FLOCKCARE) program, a
new initiative called AgriSure
was identified and is under
development.
NSW Food Authority
Food Safety and Labelling
Email:
contact@foodauthority.
nsw.gov.au
www.foodauthority.
nsw.gov.au
The NSW Food Authority is the

government organisation that
helps ensure food in NSW is safe
and correctly labelled.
Safe Quality Food

Institute
Safe Quality Food Program

(SQF):
www.sqfi.com
www.sqfi.
com/2011/09/28/
technical-updaterevising-the-sqfcode-for-a-changingmarketplace
SQF is recognised by retailers

and foodservice providers
around the world who require
a rigorous, credible food safety
management system. Using the
SQF certification program will help
reduce assessment inconsistencies
and costs of multiple assessment
standards. Whats more, the SQF
Program is recognised by the
Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)
and links primary production
certification to food manufacturing,
distribution and agent/broker
management certification.
Sheepmeat Council
of Australia
Flockcare
www.sheep
meatcouncil.com.au/
index.php/component/
option,com_contact/
Itemid,89/contact_
id,14/task,view
www.mindshop.com.
au/agridata2.nsf/8178
b1c14b1e9b6b852562
4f0062fe9f/94732b515
15891bfca2568b6005
80950?OpenDocument
Flockcare is a QA system
developed for the Sheep
producer by the Sheepmeat
Council of Australia.
www.sheep
meatcouncil.com.au
48
13
BEING CONFIDENT ABOUT YOUR SKILL LEVELS
Before commencing on your summative assessment take a few minutes to review this workbook and ensure you
feel that you are confident about your skill levels related to this topic.
Use the table below to help you check your skills. Before commencing your final assessments it is important to
review any sections in which you feel unsure. Remember: it is always OK to ask your assessor/lecturer questions.
In the table below, read the list of skills and knowledge you should have after completing this workbook.
1. Put a tick in the column if you can do this now and a brief comment re why you believe you have this skill.
2. Put a tick in the next column if you feel you need more practice and must review the work before completing
final assessments also a brief comment as to why.
Need
Practice
Skills/knowledge you
should have
Yes
3. If you require further training, complete the third column listing what training is needed. Show this list to your
supervisor or assessor and ask for more time or training before completing the summative assessments.
Comment on why
What additional
training do I need
Establish quality
specifications for product
Identify hazards and
critical control points in the
production of quality product
Assist in planning of quality
assurance procedures
Prepare instructions for
production processes
Provide induction and
in-service staff training
Implement quality
assurance procedures
Maintain records for a
quality system
Market requirements
for product
Definition of quality
Quality specifications
for product
49
Need
Practice
Skills/knowledge you
should have
Yes
Comment on why
What additional
training do I need
Enterprise and industry

quality assurance systems
HACCP techniques
Strategies for control of
hazards to quality
Work place training strategies
Delegation and empowerment
Contingency management
50
14
ASSESSMENT
You have now reached the end of this workbook. All of the information and activities you have covered have
developed your skills to competently plan, implement and review a quality assurance program in your workplace.
Your competency may be assessed through your successful completion of all formative activities throughout
this workbook. Alternatively, your RTO may require completion of a final summative assessment. You will need to
discuss this with your RTO.
FEEDBACK
This workbook has been developed to guide users to access current information related to gaining skills appropriate
to their workplace. Please complete the following table notifying us of any errors or suggested improvements.
Subject Name
Book Number
Page
What is the error
Suggested improvement
10
You tube video is not accurate
Better websites / You Tube example
Is there a link to your suggested improvement
Additional comments
Click here to email your feedback form to RST
51

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A Footprint to Quality Assurance

IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR

Materials produced by Regional Skills Training Pty Ltd

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

Trouble with website links

How are these materials used

What are these learning materials about

Unit descriptor and how the unit applies to your workplace

Establish quality specifications for product

Assist in planning, development and implementation of quality assurance procedures

Implement quality assurance procedures

Summary of key innovations/opportunities as a result of adopting these skills

Bibliography and source material

Being confident about your skill levels

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

Sometimes you may click on a web link and the

HOW ARE THESE

Please complete the

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

WHAT ARE THESE LEARNING MATERIALS ABOUT

Establish quality specifications for product

Market requirements for product

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

The statements below list the typical employability

This unit of competency applies to production

Quality assurance may include:

This work book provides an opportunity to develop

Identify and accurately report problems

Regulation of the quality of raw materials,

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

The International Organisation for Standardisation

Clean and green

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

Looking after the environment and the health,

The following information is provided to help

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

This new standard can be used to define, and

Meat and Livestock

Producing livestock that meet market specifications

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

Requirements Met? Explanation of

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

It is understandable if you are feeling a little

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

Requirements Met? Explanation of

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

HACCP is about identifying

the triple bottom line. There is also emerging frustration

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

Source: Dairy Australia; Dairy Food Safety; 2012.

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

The first step in the HACCP process is to identify

AQIS; HAZARD ANALYSIS

At every step of a process where the product is:

In contact with equipment surfaces the potential

For each step in the process horticulturalists must

All inputs to a process including raw materials

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

Madge D; Organic Farming: Risk Management Planning;

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures

AHCWRK401A Implement and Monitor Quality Assurance Procedures