Assessor Resource

SITXFSA401
Develop and implement a food safety program

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


This unit applies to all tourism, hospitality and catering organisations with permanent or temporary kitchen premises or smaller food preparation areas.

This includes restaurants, cafes, clubs, hotels, tour operators, attractions, function, event, exhibition and conference caterers, educational institutions, aged care facilities, correctional centres, hospitals, defence forces, cafeterias, kiosks, canteens, fast food outlets, residential caterers, inflight and other transport caterers.

A food safety program would most commonly be based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) method but this unit can apply to other food safety systems.

It applies to senior personnel who work independently and who are responsible for making strategic decisions on establishing and monitoring risk control systems for foodrelated hazards. This could include chefs, kitchen managers, catering managers, fast food store managers and owner-operators of small business catering operations or retail food outlets.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop, implement and evaluate a food safety program for the all stages in the food production process including receipt, storage, preparation, service and disposal. It requires the ability to determine program requirements and prepare policies and procedures for other personnel to follow.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

develop and implement a complete food safety program in line with regulatory requirements, that includes:

policies

procedures

product specifications

monitoring documents

monitor, evaluate and make ongoing improvements to food safety program over a period of time

demonstrate knowledge of food safety systems and options for a service industry food preparation organisation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure use of:

an operational food preparation area or commercial kitchen with the fixtures, large and small equipment and workplace documentation defined in the Assessment Guidelines; this can be a:

real industry workplace

simulated industry environment such as a training kitchen servicing customers

current plain English regulatory documents distributed by the national, state, territory or local government food safety authority

the Code

current commercial food safety programs, policies and procedures used for the management of a food preparation team.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

review of a completed food safety program developed by the individual inclusive of policies, procedures and product specifications

use of case studies to assess ability to develop programs to meet differing workplace needs, including responding to uncontrolled hazards

written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of regulatory requirements and food safety systems, such as HACCP and their application to different situations

review of portfolios of evidence and thirdparty workplace reports of onthejob performance by the individual.

Guidance information for assessment

The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

BSBWRT401A Write complex documents

SITHKOP403 Coordinate cooking operations

SITHKOP404 Plan catering for events or functions.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

communication skills to:

consult on and review food safety program

provide information to colleagues

critical thinking skills to evaluate and respond to a range of strategic and operational factors that influence the food safety program

literacy skills to:

interpret sometimes complex materials describing regulatory requirements relating to food safety

develop and write comprehensive food safety programs and procedures

numeracy skills to work with the concepts of measurement

planning and organising skills to coordinate and respond to multiple and interrelated operational challenges

problem-solving skills to proactively identify and respond to systemic operational issues.

Required knowledge

ptions for the structure and implementation of a food safety program, including the use of the HACCP method as the basis

consultative and communication mechanisms used by organisations to develop and implement procedural systems

key features of federal, state or territory and local food safety compliance requirements as they impact food safety program development, including:

contents of national codes and standards that underpin regulatory requirements

components of a food safety program, especially procedures and monitoring documents

local government food safety regulations and audit frequencies

consequences of failure to observe food safety policies and procedures

meaning of contaminant, contamination and potentially hazardous foods as defined by the Code

HACCP or other food safety system principles, procedures and processes as they apply to particular operations and different food types, including:

critical control points for the specific food production system and the predetermined methods of control, especially time and temperature controls used in the storage, preparation, display, service and cooking, cooling and transporting of food

methods of food storage, production, display, service and cooking, cooling and transporting, especially, appropriate temperature levels for each of these processes

main types of safety hazards and contamination

conditions for development of microbiological contamination

environmental conditions, including temperature controls, for storage

temperature danger zone and the two-hour and four-hour rule

equipment operating procedures, especially how to calibrate, use and clean a temperature probe and how to identify faults

choice and application of cleaning, sanitising and pest control equipment and materials

high risk customer groups, such as:

children or babies

pregnant women

aged persons

people with immune deficiencies or allergies.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Organisational characteristics may include:

clientele:

at risk client groups with a higher than average risk of harm from food contamination, such as:

aged persons

children or babies

people with immune deficiencies or allergies

pregnant women

equipment

existing prerequisite programs

facilities

food items prepared and sold

re-thermalisation and service requirements

size and nature of organisation.

Food hazards may be:

actual or potential

chemical

environmental

insects and vermin

microbiological:

bacteria

natural poisons

moulds

yeast

physical:

broken glass

metal

foreign objects

process-related where food is vulnerable to contamination:

displayed food

need for food to be touched by hand

re-thermalisation or defrosting

processes involving temperatures that promote rapid growth of microorganisms.

Critical control points include:

receiving

storing

preparing

processing

displaying

serving

packaging

transporting

disposing.

Policies and procedures may relate to:

audit

cleaning and sanitation

communication

contingency management

corrective actions

equipment maintenance

evaluation

food:

supply

receiving

storage

preparation

display

service

disposal

hazards:

control methods for each critical point

corrective actions

systematic monitoring of hazard controls and record keeping

personal considerations:

dress

hygiene

protective equipment and clothing

pest control

record maintenance

training.

Monitoring of controls may involve:

bacterial swabs and counts

checking and recording that food is stored in appropriate timeframes

chemical tests

monitoring and recording food temperatures

monitoring and recording temperature of cold and hot storage equipment

visual examination of food for quality review.

Incidents of uncontrolled food hazardsmay include:

customer complaints

existence of pests and vermin

food not under temperature control

food poisoning

misuse of single use items

spoilt or contaminated food

stocks of outofdate foodstuffs

unclean equipment.

Food safety management documents may include:

audit reports

audit tables

customer complaint forms

documented food safety program

food flow diagrams

food production records

hazard analysis table

incident reports where food hazards are found not to be under control

policies, procedures and product specifications

records of the monitoring of hazard controls, including:

any record required by local legislation

illness register

list of suppliers

temperature control data

training logs

verification records.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Evaluate organisational characteristics that impact on food safety. 
Examine food handling operations and processes and identify potential or existing food hazards. 
Identify critical control points in food preparation system where food hazards must be controlled. 
Identify product suppliers and determine quality assurance specifications for foodstuffs supplied. 
Evaluate existing product specifications for food items prepared and sold. 
Evaluate existing policies and procedures and monitoring practices, including record keeping, and assess need for change. 
Consult with stakeholders in program development. 
Integrate regulatory requirements and standards into policies and procedures. 
Establish and document critical control points and control methods for each point. 
Develop procedures for systematic monitoring of controls and associated record keeping. 
Develop corrective action procedures for uncontrolled hazards. 
Develop or modify and record product specifications covering food items prepared and sold. 
Identify training needs and develop training program. 
Develop schedule for regular review of food safety program. 
Document food safety program and provide to regulatory authorities as required. 
Communicate food safety programs, policies, procedures and product specifications to colleagues and ensure display of appropriate signage and access to information. 
Organise appropriate training and mentoring. 
Monitor operational activities to ensure that policies and procedures are followed. 
Manage response to incidents of uncontrolled food hazards and oversee implementation of corrective action procedures. 
Make changes to practices that led to the food safety breach, and document, communicate and implement changes. 
Maintain food safety management documents. 
Ensure food safety program is audited as required by legislation. 
Participate in food safety program audits and provide assistance to inspectors. 
Retain records of food audits according to legislative requirements. 
Conduct scheduled review of food safety program in consultation with colleagues. 
Validate required food safety controls. 
Review policies, procedures, product specifications, monitoring systems and record keeping methods, and revise as required. 
Prepare and document amended food safety program and provide to regulatory authorities as required. 
Communicate changes and monitor inclusion in production processes. 
Identify and respond to additional training needs based on changes to food safety practices. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SITXFSA401 - Develop and implement a food safety program
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Assessment Record Sheet

SITXFSA401 - Develop and implement a food safety program

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