A proprietor of a food business must ensure that food handlers engaged in the food business are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their food activity.
Supervision and instruction
The person in control of a food business should properly supervise and instruct all staff to ensure that they work hygienically.
There may also be a need for greater supervision:
Even if staff have received formal training, supervision must depend upon the competence and experience of the individual food handler
Small food operations should place greater emphasis on formal training to enable unsupervised work with occasional monitoring.
Management Aids
Written management systems including as cleaning schedules, temperature monitoring, delivery checks and hygiene lists can be useful aids to managing the food operation. Providing that you monitor and review these systems on a regular basis. If you require more information on such management systems please contact Environmental Health
Appropriate training
Previous industry guidelines for the former food hygiene regulations included the following guidance:
Category A Staff e.g. Handing low risk or wrapped food only i.e. bar staff, waiters, delivery drivers etc.
Recommeded level of training.:
Category B Staff e.g. Food Handlers handling or preparing high risk open foods i.e. chef, cook, kitchen assistant, servery staff
Recommeded level of training.:
Category C Staff e.g. Food Handlers with a supervisory role i.e. managers or supervisors who handle food
Recommeded level of training.:
Other Staff e.g. Cleaners
Induction and the essentials of Food Hygiene (before starting)
Hygiene Awareness (within four weeks of starting)
However, recent guidance incidates that compliance with the training requirements for food handlers and managers need not necessarily include attending formal and/or accredited training, whether external or in-house. The necessary skills may also be obtained in other ways such as through on-the-job training, self study or relevant prior experience. Overall the food business operator must be able to show that they and their food handlers are competent to provide safe food and are operating appropriate food safety measures based on HACCP principles.
Records
Records of all food hygiene and safety training should be kept to show what has been provided for each individual and ensure continuity of training provision.
Local food hygiene training course
This above list does not suggest any recommendation of a company by this Council or of the training provided.
The following Organisations also list companies that offer food hygiene training courses and bilingual trainers.
Local Provision of Low Cost level 3 and level 2 Food Hygiene Training
This Authority is now running level 2 & 3 Food Hygiene Courses for local catering businesses and their employees.
If you would like to be informed about any courses please email eh@tandridge.gov.uk to register your interest or look at our on line booking page.
The following documents provided guidance on the training standards for each type of industry under the former foods laws, however,they are being replaced:
The above guidance documents cost £3.60 each and can be obtained from:
Chadwick House Group Limited, Publications Department, Chadwick Court, 15 Hatfields, London SE1 8DJ Tel: 020 7827 6006
These guides are being replaced in light of changes in Food Safety Regulations and do not reflect all the laws brought into effect in January 2006 but may be of help.
The new industry guides as they are published can be ordered from The Stationary Office using the following Food Standards Agency link page:
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