Training protocol for post-mortem examination program

On this page

• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 General Accreditation Criteria
• 3.0 Accreditation criteria for trainers
• 4.0 Accreditation criteria for defect detectors and rejecters
• 5.0 Accreditation criteria for supervisors and monitors
• 6.0 Training and accreditation procedures for defect detection/rejection
  • 6.1 Theoretical Training
  • 6.2 Theoretical Evaluation
  • 6.3 Practical Training
  • 6.4 Practical Evaluation
  • 6.5 Trial Period
  • 6.6 Periodic Review
  • 6.7 Loss of Accreditation
  • 6.8 Reaccreditation
  • 6.9 Grandfather Clause
• 7.0 Training and accreditation procedures for trainers and monitors of process controls
  • 7.1 Theoretical training and evaluation
  • 7.2 Practical training and evaluation
  • 7.3 Summary of accreditation testing criteria
• 8.0 Training and Accreditation Forms

1.0 Introduction

This "Training and Accreditation Protocol" will achieve the competency criteria as required in section 75 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) and the document Incorporated by Reference (IBR) document on Fundamentals of the Post-mortem Examination Program. The Post-mortem Examination Program is also called Modernized Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP).

The CFIA has developed this training and accreditation protocol to ensure that licence holder's employees assigned to specific tasks carry out their duties competently, so that slaughter operations proceed under optimum conditions.

It is licence holder's responsibility to produce safe and wholesome poultry products of acceptable quality. This is facilitated by having licence holder assume responsibility for defect detection, defect removal, rejection and process control of defective poultry carcasses and viscera during the slaughter process.

2.0 General Accreditation Criteria

1. The licence holder must present its written training and accreditation program for examination by CFIA to ensure that the delivery of training program is in compliance with all the criteria contained in this document.
2. The licence holder must present its practical training and accreditation program for examination by CFIA to ensure that the delivery of training program is in compliance with all the criteria contained in this document. The licence holder's trainers and employees may be trained and accredited by using a single option or combination of multiple options as below:
   1. training in another federal facility already operating under the post mortem examination program
   2. using the CFIA designed training material to develop own training program
   3. using a CFIA accredited trainer to train a new trainer
   4. requesting local CFIA area office for training. This service may vary depending upon the availability of the CFIA staff
3. All training, accreditation and documentation are the responsibility of the licence holder. Records must be maintained by licence holders for CFIA reference, audit and verification purposes. Company trainers must use equivalent procedures used to train CFIA inspectors.
4. All employees assigned to one or more of the following six (6) positions must be trained and accredited as per this protocol:
   1. defect detectors (carcass, cavity, viscera)
   2. rejecters* (carcass and viscera)
   3. evisceration standards (ES) monitors
   4. presentation standards (PS) monitors
   5. defect detection standards (DDS) monitors
   6. carcass dressing standards (CDS) monitors
5. Licence holder's employees may be trained and accredited for all six (6) tasks or any combination thereof. Training and accreditation is also species-specific. For example, an employee who works on broiler, turkey and fowl defect detection must therefore be trained and accredited for three species. The licence holder must keep up-to-date records using forms as written in section 8 of each employee's training and accreditation results for CFIA audit. Copies of all available training and accreditation materials for the industry employees are to be maintained in the establishment office while the copies for the trainers are submitted to local CFIA to be kept in the CFIA office.
6. The licence holder will ensure that trainers and employees are available for CFIA correlation tests before start of new operations and are judged acceptable by the veterinarian with supervisory authority to ensure that:
   • trainers and employees have same knowledge and competency as CFIA inspectors
   • trainers and employees can adequately perform post-mortem activities in local facility and settings especially if trainers and employees are trained in another facility, using own training program.
7. CFIA reserves right to administer and supervise licence holder training activities.
8. To become accredited, an employee must pass:
   • a knowledge evaluation consisting of an off-line theoretical test; and
   • an ability evaluation consisting of an on-line practical test
9. All employees assigned to the positions described in this document must possess the physical attributes required to perform their tasks such as:
   1. wear glasses (corrective lenses) when required to see fine details at high line speeds
   2. pass a test for color-blindness to ensure that they can distinguish color.

3.0 Accreditation criteria for trainers

The licence holder must have trainers trained and accredited for six (6) positions previously listed.

A specific accreditation is required for each of the three (3) defect detection stations (carcass, viscera and cavity), and for each of the two (2) rejection stations (carcass and viscera) and four (4) process monitoring stations.

A minimum of two (2) licence holder's employees must be chosen by the licence holder to act as designated establishment trainers. Licence holder's trainers must perform in a manner satisfactory to the CFIA's veterinary inspector with supervisory authority.

Once trained and accredited, the licence holder's trainers must function as trainers and accreditors for the remaining licence holder's employees.

The accreditation of the Licence Holder's Trainers must include:

For the accreditation of the trainers of the Evisceration Standards monitors, Presentation Standards monitors, the DDS monitors and the CDS monitors, please refer to the Section 7 of this document.

4.0 Accreditation criteria for defect detectors and rejecters

As stated above, once the licence holder's trainers are accredited for defect detection and/or rejection, they may train and accredit licence holder's defect detectors or rejecters using the same training and accreditation process under which they were trained(plus, if applicable, the additional trial period).

The accreditation of the Defect Detectors and Rejecters must include:

When employees have successfully completed each of these tests, they are accredited for the position(s) for which they have been trained.

5.0 Accreditation criteria for supervisors and monitors

As stated above, once the licence holder's trainers are accredited, they may train and accredit licence holder's supervisors using the same training and accreditation process under which they were trained.

The accreditation of the Licence Holder's Supervisors and Monitors must include:

6.0 Training and accreditation procedures for defect detection/rejection

6.1 Theoretical Training

The defect detector and the defect detector trainers must be supplied with copies of the following training materials, for the type of poultry under which the training session is given:

Module IND-B1: Defect Detection - Chicken

Module IND-B2: Defect Detection - Fowl

Module IND-B3: Defect Detection - Turkey

Module IND-B4-A: Defect Detection - Secondary Species - Quail

Module IND-B4-B: Defect Detection - Secondary Species - Ducks

After studying the available training materials, the defect detectors and defect detector trainers must continue the theoretical training. The following training steps are recommended:

• The trainer shows the trainee a normal carcass indicating the proper conformation, coloration and size;
• The trainer dissects a carcass in order to clearly identify the internal and external anatomical structures;
• The trainer demonstrates normal viscera indicating the structures (liver, heart, gizzard, spleen etc.)
• The trainer explains the various conditions that must be recognized and identified using specimens (carcasses and viscera with various conditions) and training material developed for this purpose by the CFIA. The pathologies described are those most frequently encountered, e.g. subcutaneous condition (cellulitis), respiratory condition (airsacculitis, pericarditis), liver condition (hepatitis), etc.

6.2 Theoretical Evaluation

This evaluation determines the employee's knowledge in order to identify specified defects. Employees must undergo this test once they have completed their theoretical training and prior to starting their ability or practical training.

The trainer should follow the following procedure:

• Off-line test on twenty (20) carcasses/viscera.
• Time allotted: 10 minutes.
• Carcass/viscera selection criteria:
  • Choose carcasses and/or viscera that are representative of the defects that are commonly detected at the local establishment;
  • Choose carcasses and/or viscera with obvious defects (avoid questionable cases or cases that are more difficult to interpret);
  • Choose carcasses and/or viscera that have only one defect each; and
  • Include one or two normal carcasses and/or viscera in the group.
• Carcasses/viscera should be identified with numbers so that they may be easily recognized if moved during the test.
• The employee must point out any defective carcass or defective viscera. The accreditor must take note of the answers. This is an oral test since a written test is not always possible.

One (1) point is given for each correct answer.

The passing mark is 95% or nineteen (19) correct answers for the group of twenty (20) carcasses and/or viscera.

The test score must be reported as "passed" or "incomplete". When an employee fails the test, the accreditor must identify where the problems are, and ensure that the employee receives additional training in this area before being tested again.

6.3 Practical Training

The objective of practical training is to reach the required ability for performing adequate defect detection directly on the evisceration line at normal operating line speeds. The theoretical accreditation must be completed before the practical training can begin.

For the time period specified in the licence holder's written training program, the employee must work as a defect detector under the supervision of the accredited trainer. The trainee must correctly identify carcasses or viscera with specified defects. Once the trainee demonstrates on-going competence with the necessary practical skills at normal operating line speeds, the trainer can begin the practical evaluation.

6.4 Practical Evaluation

The practical evaluation test evaluates the employee's effectiveness under normal working conditions.

Tests must be scheduled so as to include all defects encountered at the local establishment (suggest at least one test on a "bad flock" to reproduce worst case scenario).

The trainer must follow the following procedure:

• The employee must take his/her place as a defect detector and evaluate carcasses or viscera. The test must be carried out under normal operating conditions.
• The accreditor is positioned after the employee in order to evaluate the defect detector/ rejecter's performance. The evaluation is performed using one of the two following options:

Option A: The accreditor evaluates the candidate's ability using an ISO sampling plan, randomly selecting 200 carcasses and/or viscera examined and accepted by the trainee for an on-line test for defect detection or 200 carcasses examined off-line and rejected or passed while performing off-line rejections. Candidates for performing rejections on-line must pass an off-line test on 200 carcasses screened out by the defect detectors for evaluation by the rejecter off-line before they may perform rejections on-line. (See the sampling procedure for the Defect Detection Standard in guidance on Process Controls)

Using an AQL of 0.4%, the passing criteria is a score of 2 defective carcasses/viscera or less (Acceptance number = 2) and the failure criteria is a score of 3 or more (Rejection number = 3).

Option B: For an on-line test for defect detection, the accreditor evaluates all of the carcasses or viscera examined and passed by the candidate for a complete period of fifteen (15) minutes.

The passing criteria is a minimum efficacy of 99.6 % [i.e. 100 - (number of defects missed )/ number examined X 100)].

If the operation is halted during the test, the period of stoppage should be taken into account so that the evaluation is based on a total time of fifteen (15) minutes.

• Should the accreditor find that an excessive number of carcasses or viscera are being selected when they should not have been (false positives), the evaluation must be stopped and the employee's supervisor informed of the situation. The test must be repeated when the accreditor judges that the employee is no longer selecting normal carcasses or viscera.
• A missed defective carcass or viscera, represents an error on the part of the candidate. Each error is noted and counts for a demerit point.

In order to pass the practical evaluation, the trainee must pass three on-line tests out of a maximum of 5 attempts.

Form V, found at the end of this document, "Practical Accreditation Record", is used to record test results.

When an employee fails the practical test, the accreditor must identify where the problems lie and ensure that the employee receives appropriate additional training in this area before being tested again. Each failed test may be resumed without having to start the practical training evaluation process all over again, but need only retake the failed test. However, when a licence holder's employee fails three (3) attempts out of five (5) consecutive tests, the veterinary inspector with supervisory authority and the licence holder must reassess the suitability of the training process and of the employee as a defect detector or rejecter.

6.5 Trial Period

A trial period is required for all defect detectors and/or rejecters. Once the trainee has successfully passed the theoretical and the practical evaluations, he or she must begin a stipulated trial period of a minimum of four (4) working weeks. During this period, the employee must perform independent defect detection or rejection and be evaluated on a weekly basis by the accredited licence holder's trainer, until the candidate has passed four (4) practical tests.

The practical evaluation procedure corresponds to one of the two options that are described previously in the "Practical Evaluation section". On-line detectors or rejecters receive on-line evaluations and off-line detector or rejecters receive off-line evaluations.

The trial period ends when the employee has succeeded four (4) weekly evaluations. If the employee fails two (2) attempts, he or she must start the trial period over again. The accreditor will before identify the cause of the failures and correct them in an appropriate manner (e.g. additional period of training, or work pairing with a very qualified employee). Once the trial period has been successfully completed, the employee receives his/her accreditation.

6.6 Periodic Review

The periodic review is to determine whether the level of skill of the employee remains still satisfactory. The frequency of this review should be specified in the company's written training program and should not exceed 12 months. The periodical review of all licence holder's trainers will be administered by CFIA.

One evaluation is required for each defects detector, rejecter, monitor, trainer and supervisor. The annual review is not necessary for on-line defect detectors, on-line rejecters and off-line rejectors as these personnel are routinely assessed during process control monitoring tests (DDS, CDS) and Poultry Rejection Process (PRP) correlation test. The practical evaluation procedure corresponds to one of the two options that are described previously in the "Practical Evaluation section".

If the employee's score does not meet the standards, the employee must be notified of the errors made. The employee must then have to take the test again as soon as possible. Employees who fail the test again will lose their accreditation. They must be given appropriate training and undergo the entire accreditation process a second time. Employees who obtain satisfactory scores (whether on the first test or when taking the test again if they failed the first time) must have their accreditation updated and be allowed to continue working in their positions.

6.7 Loss of Accreditation

Whenever the veterinary inspector with supervisory authority determines that an accredited employee is not performing their tasks in a complete and proper manner, veterinary inspector with supervisory authority should notify the licence holder.

The licence holder must take immediate corrective action. If, after the corrective action has been taken and the employee's performance is still not deemed satisfactory by the veterinary inspector with supervisory authority, then the employee must undergo a practical evaluation. The test is conducted using the practical evaluation procedure of this protocol, but is given by the CFIA. However, since the quality of the employee's performance has already been called into question, the employee is permitted only one test (the employee does not have the right to take the test again). If the employee fails this test, the employee automatically loses his or her accreditation. From that moment on, the employee is not allowed to perform the duties of the position in question until such time as he or she has been reaccredited.

6.8 Reaccreditation

An employee must be fully reaccredited should any of the following arise:

• The employee has not worked in one of the positions included in this protocol for a twelve (12) month period; or
• The employee has failed two (2) consecutive periodic reviews as described previously in the section "Periodic Review"; or
• The employee has lost their accreditation as stipulated previously in the section "Loss of Accreditation".

To be reaccredited, the employee must go through the entire training and evaluation process again. Theoretical and practical training and evaluations (including the four (4) week trial period for the detectors/rejecters) are to be performed.

6.9 Grandfather Clause

Please note that this clause applies to those employees occupying positions that have been previously trained and accredited as per this protocol. If an employee has not worked in the given position for a twelve (12) month period, this clause does not apply.

Employees are eligible to be grandfathered provided they are judged acceptable by the veterinary inspector with supervisory authority and pass a practical evaluation using the practical evaluation procedure of this protocol. Upon successful completion of this test the employee is considered as grandfathered for that position.

The employee's records must state the positions for which he/she has been grandfathered.

7.0 Training and accreditation procedures for trainers and monitors of process controls

The licence holder must have one (1) or two (2) licence employees trained and accredited for following process controls:

• Presentation standards
• Evisceration standards
• Defect detection standards
• Carcass dressing standards

These trainers must be responsible for the training and accreditation of the monitoring personnel for all four (4) of the above mentioned process controls.

These trainers and monitors with valid and documented accredited status as per this protocol must maintain their accredited status for the Modernized Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP). The final test results of the theoretical and practical accreditation may be entered in the employee's training chart from the Trainer's manual.

7.1 Theoretical training and evaluation

The licence holder's trainers and monitors for the process controls must be supplied with copies of the following training materials:

Module IND-B5: Poultry Process Controls

Module IND-BP: Poultry Industry Trainer's Manual

After studying the available training materials, these trainers and monitors are given a theoretical questionnaire on each of the four process controls. The trainee (s) must pass the theoretical questionnaire to be eligible for the practical evaluation.

7.2 Practical training and evaluation

7.2.1 Presentation standards trainers and monitors

The trainee (s) must have the practical skills in the detection of the various presentation non-conformances, corrective actions, process action and the completion of the necessary forms.

Under the supervision of the accreditor, the practical evaluation must consist of an actual Presentation Standards test on carcass and viscera as per the Industry Trainer's Manual.

7.2.2 Evisceration standards trainers and monitors

The trainee (s) must have the practical skills in the detection of the various non-conformances related to evisceration, corrective actions, process action and the completion of the necessary forms.

Under the supervision of the accreditor, the practical evaluation must consist of an actual Evisceration Standards test on carcass and viscera as per Industry Trainer's Manual.

7.2.3 Defect detection standards trainers and monitors

Practical skills in the detection of the various carcass and/or viscera conditions, corrective actions, process action and the completion of the necessary forms, must be evaluated.

Under the supervision of the accreditor, the practical evaluation must consist of an actual DDS test on carcass and viscera as per the Industry Trainer's Manual.

7.2.4 Carcass dressing standards trainers and monitors

Practical skills in the detection of the various dressing defects, corrective actions, process action and the completion of the necessary forms, must be evaluated. These practical skills must be evaluated.

Under the supervision of the accreditor, the practical evaluation must consist of an actual CDS test on carcass and viscera as per the Industry Trainer's manual.

7.3 Summary of accreditation testing criteria

8.0 Training and Accreditation Forms

The CFIA has developed industry training and accreditation forms (see list below) and they are included in the document "Module IND-BP: Poultry Industry Trainer's Manual".