Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

Description

Use hand or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.

Tasks

  • Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
  • Clean, trim, slice, and section carcasses for future processing.
  • Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
  • Remove parts, such as skin, feathers, scales or bones, from carcass.
  • Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
  • Produce hamburger meat and meat trimmings.
  • Process primal parts into cuts that are ready for retail use.
  • Obtain and distribute specified meat or carcass.
  • Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.
  • Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
  • Clean and salt hides.
  • Prepare sausages, luncheon meats, hot dogs, and other fabricated meat products, using meat trimmings and hamburger meat.
  • Prepare ready-to-heat foods by filleting meat or fish or cutting it into bite-sized pieces, preparing and adding vegetables or applying sauces or breading.

Knowledge

Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Food Production
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.

Abilities

Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Finger Dexterity
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Work Activities

Handling and Moving Objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Performing General Physical Activities
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Controlling Machines and Processes
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Training and Teaching Others
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Work Context

Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

Interests

Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Style

Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Work Values

Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Lay Titles

Abalone Processor
Animal Eviscerator
Animal Skinner
Animal Sticker
Bacon de-Rinder
Bacon Skin Lifter
Bacon Skinner
Bacon Slicer
Beef Boner
Beef Breaker
Beef Skinner
Bladder Blower
Bladder Cleaner
Bladder Tier
Blowing Weasand
Boner
Boston Cutter
Breast Puller
Breast Splitter
Breast Trimmer
Brisket Puller
Bruise Trimmer
Bung Dropper
Butcher
Calf Skinner
Carcass Splitter
Casing Splitter
Cattle Knocker
Caul Dresser
Caul Puller
Chicken Boner
Chicken Dresser
Chuck Splitter
Clean Up Crew Worker
Clod Puller
Crab Backer
Crab Butcher
Crab Meat Processor
Crop Puller
Crotch Breaker
Cutter
Cutter Off
Deboner
Draw Off Worker
Eviscerator
Fatter
Fell Cutter
Filleter
Final Dressing Cutter
Fish Butcher
Fish Cleaner
Fish Cutting Machine Operator
Fish Filleter
Fish Flipper
Fish Header
Fish Roe Processor
Frozen Meat Cutter
Gamb Cutter
Gambreler
Gang Knife Fish Chopper
General Production Laborer
Gizzard Peeler
Gizzard Puller
Gullet Slitter
Gut Cleaner
Gut Dropper
Gut Puller
Gut Snatcher
Gutter
Ham Boner
Ham Facer
Ham Sawyer
Ham Stripper
Ham Trimmer
Hand Slitter

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):
$10.98 hourly, $22,830 annual.
Employment (2008):
158,480 employees