15 June 2015
Purpose
To advise stakeholders of the release of a new job function under the Authorised Officer (AO) Model titled TRE3001 Phytosanitary treatmentsand instructional material related to attachment one (1) of this job function, TRE3001:1 In-transit cold treatment.
Background
The Authorised Officer Program (AOP) is developing new job functions, instructional materials and competency assessments for specific plant export activities. This new job function was identified as a priority for release to allow external AOs to initiate in-transit cold treatments for a range of non-protocol markets. Prior to release of this job function a pilot was conducted with the table grape and citrus industries to train and assess a small group of external AOs to initiate in-transit cold treatments.
TRE3001 Phytosanitary treatments job function
The TRE3001 Phytosanitary treatments job function has been developed as part of a staged approach to the release of the HOR3005 protocol market job function due out later in the year. The TRE3001 Phytosanitary treatments job function consists of six attachments based on the requirement to supervise phytosanitary treatments for particular export markets. The job function attachments are:
- TRE3001:1 In-transit cold treatment (ITCT)
- TRE3001:2 On-shore cold treatment (not yet available)
- TRE3001:3 Vapour heat treatment (not yet available)
- TRE3001:4 Fumigation (not yet available)
- TRE3001:5 Irradiation (not yet available)
- TRE3001:6 Chemical treatment (not yet available).
The TRE3001:1 ITCT job function is the first available attachment under the TRE3001 Phytosanitary treatments job function. It is available to:
- departmental AOs for all export markets
- external AOs for any product/country combinations that are not listed in the Reference: Table of horticulture protocol markets.
The remaining attachments, TRE3001:2-6, will be available after the HOR3005 protocol market job function is released later in the year.
Instructional material
Instructional material for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function is available in the Plant Export Operations Manual (PEOM) under the ‘Treatments’ heading.
This material includes:
- Work Instruction: Initiating an in-transit cold treatment for plant exports
- Reference: Certificate of loading and calibration record for an in-transit cold treatment
- Reference: In-transit cold treatment instructional guide factsheet
- Reference: USDA treatment manual [link only]
- Reference: Table of horticulture protocol markets
- Candidate advice: TRE3001:1 Phytosanitary treatments - in-transit cold treatment.
Key Points for External AOs
External AOs appointed for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function
From Wednesday 17 June 2015 the external AOs who participated in the pilot and have been appointed for this job function must use the instructional material listed above.
External AO verifications
From Wednesday 17 June 2015 verifications of external AOs may include this job function.
How to apply
To apply for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function:
- existing external AOs will need to complete and return an AO change of job function/s form
- new external AOs will need to complete and return an AO application form.
Prerequisite requirements
The HOR3002 Inspection of fruit and vegetables (HOR3002) job function is a prerequisite for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function. An external AO must have at least one of the HOR3002 job function attachments.
Training and assessment requirements
There is no eLearning module and training is not mandatory for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function. Voluntary face to face training is available and strongly encouraged. Training options are provided to AOs once their application for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function has been accepted. Please note that training for the HOR3002 and the TRE3001:1 ITCT job functions can be done simultaneously however the external AO must attend an assessment and be deemed competent for the HOR3002 job function before they can be assessed for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function.
External AOs already appointed for the HOR3002 job function:
- may choose to attend a face to face training session for the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function
- must be assessed against the TRE3001:1 ITCT job function.
External AOs who are not already appointed for the HOR3002 job function:
- must complete the mandatory eLearning modules for the HOR3002 job function
- may choose to attend face to face training sessions for either or both job functions
- must be assessed against both the HOR3002 and the TRE3001:1 ITCT job functions.
Key Points for Clients
Clients are considered to be the exporter or those acting on behalf of an exporter to provide facilities for the calibration of containers and/or loading of containers for in-transit cold treatment.
From Wednesday 17 June 2015 clients must refer to the Work Instruction: Initiating an in-transit cold treatment for plant exports to understand their responsibilities for ITCT. Clients are responsible for:
- providing an invoice envelope slip and container seal where calibration is done offsite
- conducting the calibration of the temperature sensors
- providing the Export Compliance Record and Notice of Intention to the inspection AO
- nominating a treatment schedule
- providing assistance to the inspection AO where required
- loading the container
- placing the temperature sensors
- providing a seal and sealing the container once loaded.
Clients must also ensure container technicians or competent persons are available to:
- provide the temperature recorder serial number
- demonstrate that the container is set to Greenwich Mean Time
- operate container equipment to demonstrate the sensor readings
- replace faulty temperature sensors if required.
Queries
If you have any enquiries regarding the content of this Industry Advice Notice please contact the AOP at Plant Export Training.
Peter Creaser
A/g Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations