Labourers in this unit group perform material handling, clean­up, packaging and other elemental activities related to food and beverage processing. They are employed in fruit and vegetable processing plants, dairies, flour mills, bakeries, sugar refineries, meat plants, breweries and manufacturers of specialty foods like pizza or snack foods. This profile is based on four interviews in Alberta processing facilities, including a dairy, a meat processor, a specialty foods manufacturer and a crop-based processing plant. The job tasks, level of responsibility and required skills for labourers vary considerably from one sector to another and one worksite to another.

• document use
• numeracy.
• problem solving.
• job task planning and organizing.

The typical text reading tasks of labourers are at Complexity Levels 1 and 2. Their most complex text reading tasks are at Complexity Levels 2 to 3.

Labourers:

• read notes from co-workers with directions for tasks to be performed on the next shift. (1)
• read memos posted on the bulletin board concerning changes in policies, changes in scheduling or dates of meetings, such as staff meetings. (frequently) (2)
• read instructions for operating equipment. (2)
• may read company procedures. (occasionally) (2)
• may read catalogues for information on new products and processes. (2)
• may refer to manuals such as the forklift manual or the dangerous goods manual. (3)

The typical document reading tasks of labourers are at Complexity Levels 1 and 2. Their most complex document reading tasks are at Complexity Level 2.

Labourers:

• read labels on supplies such as ingredients and chemicals. (daily) (1)
• refer to pictures, such as illustrations showing cuts of meat. (occasionally) (1)
• refer to shift schedules and work orders. (frequently) (2)
• read shipping and receiving forms and packing slips. (daily) (2)
• refer to production charts. (2)
• read assembly drawings for machines, such as butter churns. (2)

Labourers:

• enter numerical information about processes into operators' reports.
• complete forms such as tally sheets to document information on different products.
• complete invoices.
• write changes on worksheets, such as recording the substitution of materials. (occasionally)

Labourers:

• read signs, labels or lists.
• complete forms by marking check boxes, recording numerical information or entering words, phrases or sentences.
• read completed forms containing check boxes, numerical entries, phrases, addresses or sentences.
• read tables, schedules or other table-like text.
• enter information on tables, schedules or other table-like text.

The typical writing tasks of labourers are at Complexity Level 1. Their most complex writing tasks are at Complexity Levels 1 and 2.

Labourers:

• make log book entries to record tasks completed. (daily) (1)
• write notes to co-workers to document problems, such as a machine breakdown and write notes to mechanics describing the circumstances of the breakdown. (1)
• write memos to managers to order equipment and give reasons why it is needed. (occasionally) (2)

The numeracy tasks of labourers involve:

• measurement and calculation math at Complexity Levels 1 to 2.

• numerical estimation at Complexity Level 1.

• read, count and record numbers. For example, a labourer may read a picking slip and count out the number of products indicated on the form. (measurement and calculation ) (1)
• weigh containers full of products to ensure they meet packaging weight standards. (measurement and calculation) (1)
• weigh ingredients for recipes. (measurement and calculation) (1)
• calculate the difference between two numbers, as in determining the number of units in an order that are over or under the required amount. (measurement and calculation) (1)
• calculate quantities or volumes with given amounts or sets of amounts. For example, labourers may multiply the number of units in a case times the number of cases to determine the total number of units in a load, or determine the number of cases required by dividing the total order by the number of units that fit in each case. (measurement and calculation) (2)
• may calculate and measure the amount of an ingredient to add to a product. For example, if game sausage is to contain 30% pork, they may need to calculate 30% of the total and measure the required amount of pork. (measurement and calculation math) (2)
• estimate the amount of product in a bin to determine the time it will take to empty out. (numerical estimation) (1)
• estimate the amount of time it will take to complete a certain task. (numerical estimation) (1)

a. Mathematical Foundations Used

b. How Calculations Are Performed

• in their head.
• using a pen and paper.
• using a calculator.

c. Measurement Instruments Used

• time - using a clock, watch or timer.
• weight or mass - using a scale.
• temperature - using a thermometer or temperature gauge.
• pressure - using a pressure gauge.

• the metric measurement system.
• the imperial measurement system.

The typical oral communication tasks of labourers are at Complexity Levels 1 to 2. Their most complex oral communication tasks are at Complexity Levels 1 to 3.

Labourers:

• may talk to truck drivers and railroad workers to get information or arrange for pickups. (1)
• may talk to maintenance workers to report a breakdown and the circumstances surrounding the breakdown. (1)
• interact with co-workers to exchange information and to co-ordinate work. (daily) (2)
• interact with supervisors to receive work orders and to discuss conflicts. (frequently) (2)
• may talk with customers to take orders or to answer questions about products and shipping. (2)
• may communicate with suppliers to get more information about their products. (2)
• may participate in staff meetings to discuss improvements in processes. (2)
• communicate with co-workers regarding safety issues such as methods for extinguishing fires or evacuation procedures. (3)

Labourers communicate:

• in person.
• using the telephone.
• using a two-way radio or other such means

Labourers may work in noisy environments in which the sound of running machinery or forklifts impedes communication. They may wear earplugs or ear muffs, which further limit communication.

1. Problem Solving

The typical problem solving tasks of labourers are at Complexity Levels 1 and 2. Their most complex problem solving tasks are at Complexity Levels 1 to 2.

Labourers may:

• have to cope with improper labeling on bags of products which have just been packaged. They remove the faulty bags from the line and send them for relabeling. (1)
• find that there is a shortage of containers into which to put the finished product. They try to locate and wash more tubs. (2)
• find that equipment such as the butter churn, breaks down. They try to locate and fix the problem. If they cannot do this they call maintenance. (2)
• find that the conveyor belt shuts down. They look for the source of the problem, such as broken parts or the accidental tripping of a switch. If the belt cannot be immediately restarted, they deal with products manually until repairs have been completed. (2)
• realize that a product is not up to standard. They meet with operators and production managers to determine how the problem can be corrected. (2)

The typical decision making tasks of labourers are at Complexity Levels 1 and 2. Their most complex decision making tasks are at Complexity Levels 1 to 2.

• decide where to store items and when to begin clean up tasks. (1)
• decide when to shut down machines which are not operating properly. (2)
• decide when to get additional materials to the production area. This decision is important since a bad decision can lead to production slowdowns because of lack of stock. (2)

Labourers plan and organize their job tasks at Complexity Level 2.

Labourers follow priorities set by supervisors and sequence their tasks within that framework. Their tasks are generally repetitive. Disruptions may occur, such as the introduction of rush orders which cause their tasks to be reprioritized. Job task planning and organizing is often affected by factors outside the worker's control. For example, a labourer in a meat packing plant must plan the day according to the number of animals that are delivered. On days of heavy volume, such as hunting season, it is important for them to be well organized so that customers' orders are not mixed up.

Examples

Labourers may:

• remember the processing time and temperature for a range of different products.
• remember measurements for a brief period of time until they can be recorded in logs.
• remember operating procedures for machines.
• remember weight minimum and maximum weight specifications for products.
• remember colour coding for products and codes for computerized equipment, such as weigh scales.
• memorize regulations, such as cleanliness regulations.

5. Finding Information

The tasks of labourers that involve finding information are at Complexity Levels 1 and 2.

Labourers:

• contact managers and quality control workers to obtain information about process improvements. (1)
• refer to the index of catalogues to find information on products. (2)
• look at product specifications books to get information on changes that have been made to manufacturing and product specifications. (2)

Labourers mainly work independently. They sometimes work with partners to carry out tasks that require co-operation, such as lifting heavy bags or tubs. They are part of a larger team that includes operators and managers.

Labourers

• participate in formal discussions about work processes or product improvement.
• have opportunities to make suggestions on improving work processes.
• inform other workers or demonstrate to them how tasks are performed.
• orient new employees.
• assign routine tasks to other workers.

The computer use tasks of labourers are at Complexity Level 1.

• use computerized equipment, such as weigh scales or labeling machines. They may also use computer controlled equipment to monitor processes, such as temperature settings.

Labourers learn continuously on the job. They may take training in first aid, HACCP, Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and in the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). They take part in in-house training sessions to learn about new products or processes. They may also upgrade their knowledge through reading magazines related to their occupation or industry.

• as part of regular work activity.
• from co-workers.
• through training offered in the workplace.
• through reading or other forms of self-study
• at work
• using materials available through work
• through off-site training
• during working hours at no cost to the worker.

In addition to collecting information for this Essential Skills Profile, our interviews with job incumbents also asked about the following topics.

The labourers interviewed mentioned these physical aspects of their jobs:

Body Position

Labourers stand or sit at work stations to perform their tasks. They often walk to other parts of the factory or facility.

Limb Co-ordination

Labourers use upper limb co-ordination to perform tasks such as stirring mixtures or lifting bags. They use multiple limb co-ordination to operate forklifts. Eye-hand co-ordination is need for the meat slicers and tenderizers. Eye-hand-foot co-ordination is needed for many tasks such as strapping boxes.

Strength

Labourers lift and move heavy items such as cartons of products, bags of garbage, or tubs of fill.

Sensory

Labourers may need excellent eyesight to detect minute faults in products or to see far down the conveyor belt to trouble-shoot. They may use their hearing to identify changes in pitch which may indicate machinery is about to break down.

The labourers interviewed felt that labourers in food and beverage processing should be alert, patient and attentive to detail. They should be able to carry out repetitive tasks with a positive attitude and be able to adapt to working in areas that are extremely hot or cold.

The introduction of more sophisticated computerized equipment will lead labourers in food and beverage processing to upgrade their computer skills. The introduction of ISO 9000 and HACCP and the greater regulation of safety and environmental practices in workplaces will likely mean that these workers will need to hone their textual reading, document use and writing skills.

Copyright is held by the Alberta Food Processors Association.

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