Primary Products Inspector - Career Advice - Government and Defence

Primary Products Inspectors check a variety of different products such as abattoirs, plants and produce from farms as well as storage or shipment locations and wholesale markets to make sure they meet Future Growth Static government hygiene and quality standards. They also make sure they meet all export requirements.

ANZSCO ID: 311314

Specialisations may include meat inspectors, quarantine inspection service officers, and sugarcane analysts/ auditors.

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

A Primary Products Inspector needs:

Ability to make accurate observations
Able to handle many kinds of animals with patience and confidence
Comfortable working with computers and other current technologies
Excellent communication skills/ interpersonal skills
Excellent supervisory and organizational skills and interest in food safety
to be observant and accurately record statistics
to be able to work independently and as part of a team.

Inspecting plant material
(Source: Price & Speed)

Duties and tasks

Advise others loading/packing best practices
Check live animals, produce, and crops for disease, residue from insects or chemicals, etc. and toss those with substandard quality
Examine and grade produce to assure that ingredients used in processing meet government grading and purity standards
Examine imported products, animals, and plants and make quarantine regulations as necessary
Make sure that fishing regulations are obeyed and livestock are fit for human consumption before and after slaughter
Inspecting animals, plants and agricultural produce to identify product quality issues, and providing advice to producers
Developing, implementing, auditing and monitoring quality procedures at farms and food handling and processing facilities to ensure compliance with required standards
Testing samples of produce for quality, size and purity ensuring that required standards of hygiene are observed at storage, processing and packing facilities and in transport vehicles
Advising primary producers on economic aspects of disease eradication and informing producers and the general public of the health implications of diseases and impurities
Advising on the identification of pests and diseases and on regulations pertaining to grading, packing and loading of products
Examining imported plants and animals, and products, such as dairy and meat products, timber, seeds and dried fruits and the conveyances that transport them for biosecurity risks, and issuing directions to control biosecurity risks
Patrolling and investigating waterways for unlawful fishing activities and the removal of protected marine life
Educating, advising and providing information on a wide range of topics relating to fish and their protection
May initiate or assist in legal action to enforce regulations
Supervise proper disposal of quarantine trash and the fumigation of aircrafts and ships
Advise primary producers on economic aspects of disease eradication, and inform producers and the general public of health implications of diseases and impurities
Appear in court to give evidence in cases involving breaches of the regulations.

Working conditions

Primary Products Inspectors should be in good physical condition for lifting, walking, and standing- sometimes long hours. Kneeling and stopping or sometimes also required. This job requires a good bit of concentration, and workers may sometimes be exposed to inclement weather outside and potentially large amounts of dust when working in storage areas.

Education and training/entrance requirements

An Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma, or at least 3 years of relevant experience is usually needed. Even with a qualification, experience or on-the-job training is usually needed.

Did You Know?

How long can I keep meat in the refrigerator?

What would we do without our refrigerators! When it comes to appliances that keep our foods safe, the refrigerator may be the most important because it slows down the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning. At temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, bacteria grows most rapidly. That’s why we call this temperature range “the Danger Zone.”

A refrigerator set to 40 °F or below will protect most foods – but not forever. The cool temperatures slow down bacterial growth but they don’t stop the growth completely. So, it’s important to use food in a timely fashion to help maintain freshness and quality. Over time, even chilled foods will spoil.

Raw SteakHere are some basic guidelines for storing meat in the refrigerator.

•Raw ground meats, all poultry, seafood, and variety meats: Refrigerate 1 to 2 days.

•Raw roasts, steaks, and chops (beef, veal, lamb, and pork): Refrigerate 3 to 5 days.

•Cooked meat, poultry, and seafood: Store in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.
(Source: Food Safety)

Government & Defence

Meat inspectors inspect meat handling and processing facilities to ensure hygiene and food safety standards are followed to meet Australian industry requirements. Future Growth Static They test samples of produce for quality, size and purity, and also make sure that food animals are treated and slaughtered humanely. Meat Inspectors inspect animal carcasses, internal organs and meat processing facilities for disease to ensure compliance with government and industry standards with respect to quality and health.

Meat inspectors may inspect domestic and export meat-processing facilities.

ANZSCO ID & Description: 311312: Inspects animal carcasses, internal organs and meat processing facilities for disease to ensure compliance with government and industry standards with respect to quality and health.

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A meat inspector needs:

an interest in food safety
to have a good level of computer literacy
strong communication and interpersonal skills
to be observant and accurately record statistics
good organisational skills
to be able to work independently and as part of a team.

Inspecting meat in cold storage
Photocredit

Duties and Tasks

Inspects animals and animal products to identify product quality issues and provide advice to producers.
Audits and monitors quality procedures at farms, food handling and processing facilities to ensure compliance with required standards.
Tests samples of produce for quality, size and purity.
Ensures that required standards of hygiene are observed at storage, processing and packing facilities and in transport vehicles.
Advises primary producers on economic aspects of disease eradication and informs producers and the general public of the health implication of disease and impurities.
Examines imported animals, and makes necessary quarantine arrangements.
May initiate or assist in legal action to enforce regulations.

Working conditions

Meat inspectors inspect meat processing facilities and handle meat during the testing process. They may come into contact with blood or hazardous substances and must adhere to strict health and safety standards, which requires wearing personal protective clothing. The working conditions in the processing facilities are usually kept clean, well-lit and ventilated. Meat inspectors may spend most of their day standing up.

Tools and technologies

Meat inspectors need to be proficient in the use of knives to examine meat products and carcasses, and collect samples. They use special testing kits to analyse the chlorine levels in water used in processing the meat, and they record inspection data results. They may be required to wear special clothing such as hairnets or snoods, gloves, boots and aprons.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a meat inspector you usually need to complete a traineeship. The meat inspector traineeships usually take 24 months to complete.