Description
Operate power saws to portion carcasses and primal cuts to specification in slaughtering, meat packing, and wholesale cutting rooms. Perform precision sawing, splitting, and bone-in trimming of large meat sections; set up and maintain saws; and follow strict safety and sanitation standards.
- • Operate band, circular, and splitting saws to saw, split, or scribe carcasses and primals to spec.
- • Cut bone-in portions into standard or premium cuts for marketing.
- • Measure and mark cut lines; verify thickness, weights, and yields.
- • Adjust saw speed, guides, and fences for product and cut accuracy.
- • Change, tension, and align blades; perform minor preventive maintenance.
- • Saw through joints, spines, and heads to remove required sections.
- • Position and secure carcasses or primals on conveyors or tables for safe cutting.
- • Clear bone dust and debris to maintain clean, smooth cut surfaces.
- • Sanitize saws, guards, and work areas per HACCP and USDA requirements.
- • Apply lockout/tagout and machine guarding; use PPE and follow safety procedures.
- • Record production counts, lot IDs, and weights; report defects or equipment issues.
- • Coordinate with butchers, trimmers, and QA to meet specifications and schedules.
- • Inspect products for contamination or defects and trim or rework as needed.
- • Stage or package cut portions for further processing or shipment.
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Agriculture
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
