Are you managing a business that is required to implement a food safety program?

Are your staff trained in the requirements of the program?

Food Standards Code 3.2.1 states: a food business must comply with the food safety program.

Having a written plan on site is not enough, you must ensure that all catering and other staff that handle food understand the requirements of the program. Maintenance staff should also be aware of specific requirements of the support program such as calibration, maintenance and pest management.

Training should include how to control hazards, critical limits, when to take and record effective corrective action and completion of the monitoring forms.

Most plans will also include specific work instructions or standard operating procedures. The specifics of these procedures should also be included in the training.

Ensure the food safety program is available for all staff, make it user friendly by placing the pages into sleeves for accessibility.

When the plan is reviewed, use the plan as a tool during the training to ensure that staff get familiar with it and understand any changes that have been made.

A food safety program should not be gathering dust on a shelf in the chefs office and it should be reviewed at least annually.