Food safety training has an important role in protecting human health and helping a food business comply with food safety legislation. Competent food handlers are less likely to cause foodborne illness through conscious or unconscious risk behaviours and practices. There are legal requirements for food safety training. Food handlers must receive training commensurate to the work activity and those responsible for the development and maintenance of the HACCP system must trained in its practical application. Effective and regular food training improves behaviours and practices of food handlers by raising risk perception awareness and providing them with practical skills. It is an efficient way to communicate expectations for standards of food hygiene and personal responsibilities. Many cases of food poisoning are caused by improper storage of high-risk foods, cross contamination, poor personal hygiene, infected employees handling foods, and inadequate temperature control.
Investing time and resources into training competent food handlers can also:
- protect company brand image and reputation
- reduce avoidable food wastage due to spoilage
- avoid the risk of prosecution, costly fines and civil claims for compensation.
- reduce the risk of closure of the business due poor hygiene practices.
- supports a positive food safety culture.
The food business operator must clear on the rationale for food safety training. A risk-based approach puts under the spotlight which practices and behaviours pose a significant risk to the business. Training must prioritise key information that will have the most impact in reducing foodborne illness and communicate real consequences. There is no point in overloading people overload people with pointless facts and figures that have no relevance food business operation. Keep the food safety message simple and make sure it is understood by everyone.
Assessment is not simply about passing a test and should include competency-based checks relevant to the job. Competency can be assessed through Observations, demonstrations, simulations, asking questions and checking records
Selecting the right level of training for the team is important. Level 2 courses in food safety and hygiene are suitable for general assistants, kitchen porters, chefs and front of house staff. Level 3 courses are mostly aimed with a day to day responsibility to manage food safety, such as frontline supervisors or managers. Level 4 courses are suitable for those with a responsibility implementation, development and/or maintenance of the food safety management system including general managers, HACCP team leaders, auditors, trainers and external consultants.
We offer a wide range of accredited food safety and HACCP course delivered remotely or via e-learning. These include the following.
- Level 2 Food Safety
- Level 2 HACCP
- Level 2 Food Allergen Awareness and Control
- Level 3 Food Safety
- Level 3 HACCP
- Level 3 Food Allergen Management
- Level 3 Auditing and Inspection Skills
- Level 4 Food Safety Management
- Level 4 HACCP Management (Codex Principles)