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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Prepare to develop and/or review a food safety program
  2. Identify and/or review food safety hazards
  3. Establish and/or review methods to monitor and control food safety hazards
  4. Establish and/or review food safety documentation, communication and recording systems

Evidence Required

The assessment process must address all of the following items of evidence

Ability to

Identify personal roles and responsibilities for participating in the development or review of a food safety program

Identify processes and steps to be covered

Identify hazards that are reasonably expected to occur and establish appropriate methods of control This may include participating in validating existing control methods and where there is no adequate control method in place establishing an appropriate method

Establish or review procedures for implementing preventative action Typically this involves revision of materials processes andor food handling procedures It may require revision of workplace practices and documentation such as specifications operating procedures and approved supplier programs

Describe the appropriate monitoring requirements for each food safety hazard This includes a description of the method or procedure to be followed the frequency and timing the person responsible and the information to be recorded Procedures to be followed would typically be specified in the form of a standard operating procedure or work instruction

Describe corrective action requirements in the event that acceptable limits or requirements of support programs are not met

Develop or review documentation relating to the design and maintenance of the food safety program This may include process flow diagrams hazard analysis charts and tables support program requirements data analysis reports corrective action reports and verification reports

Develop or review documentation to communicate food safety responsibilities This may include Standard Operating Procedures processing parameters and recording devices such as log sheets

Communicate food safety responsibilities within level of responsibility using techniques and presentation styles appropriate to the audience

Knowledge of

The purpose and intent of food safety legislation

Purpose and responsibilities for maintaining records as required by legislation and workplace procedures

Roles and responsibilities for development and maintenance of the food safety program This includes roles of internal and external auditors and of authorized officers

Techniques for applying HACCPbased principles This includes techniques for identifying hazards assessing the likelihood of occurrence determining acceptable methods of control monitoring and recording requirements for each control point identifying corrective action if controls are not met and developing system review procedures

Techniques used to map operations and anaylse food safety requirements This may include preparation of flow charts hazard analysis charts and tables and data analysis reports

Raw materials ingredient and finished product composition and characteristics and related handling and storage requirements

Food processing methods used in the workplace or work area and their effect on food safety

Sources of technical expertise on food safety requirements

The role of consultation in the development implementation and ongoing maintenance of the food safety program

Documentation and recording requirements to support communication and monitoring of the food safety program This includes procedures for maintaining and updating relevant documents such as operating procedures

Main types of food safety hazardscontamination likely to occur given the type of product and processing methods used

Conditions required for bacterial food poisoning to occur This may include aw water activity pH composition time and temperature as relevant to food handled

Acceptable control methods for the hazards identified and required corrective action when control requirements are not met

Typical support programs such as cleaning schedules pest control stock rotation product traceability and personal hygiene etc and how they can be used as part of a food safety program

Acceptable control methods for the hazards identified and required corrective action when control requirements are not met

Validation and verification processes and techniques and responsibilities

The assessment process must address all of the following items of evidence

Ability to

Identify personal roles and responsibilities for participating in the development or review of a food safety program

Identify processes and steps to be covered

Identify hazards that are reasonably expected to occur and establish appropriate methods of control This may include participating in validating existing control methods and where there is no adequate control method in place establishing an appropriate method

Establish or review procedures for implementing preventative action Typically this involves revision of materials processes andor food handling procedures It may require revision of workplace practices and documentation such as specifications operating procedures and approved supplier programs

Describe the appropriate monitoring requirements for each food safety hazard This includes a description of the method or procedure to be followed the frequency and timing the person responsible and the information to be recorded Procedures to be followed would typically be specified in the form of a standard operating procedure or work instruction

Describe corrective action requirements in the event that acceptable limits or requirements of support programs are not met

Develop or review documentation relating to the design and maintenance of the food safety program This may include process flow diagrams hazard analysis charts and tables support program requirements data analysis reports corrective action reports and verification reports

Develop or review documentation to communicate food safety responsibilities This may include Standard Operating Procedures processing parameters and recording devices such as log sheets

Communicate food safety responsibilities within level of responsibility using techniques and presentation styles appropriate to the audience

Knowledge of

The purpose and intent of food safety legislation

Purpose and responsibilities for maintaining records as required by legislation and workplace procedures

Roles and responsibilities for development and maintenance of the food safety program This includes roles of internal and external auditors and of authorized officers

Techniques for applying HACCPbased principles This includes techniques for identifying hazards assessing the likelihood of occurrence determining acceptable methods of control monitoring and recording requirements for each control point identifying corrective action if controls are not met and developing system review procedures

Techniques used to map operations and anaylse food safety requirements This may include preparation of flow charts hazard analysis charts and tables and data analysis reports

Raw materials ingredient and finished product composition and characteristics and related handling and storage requirements

Food processing methods used in the workplace or work area and their effect on food safety

Sources of technical expertise on food safety requirements

The role of consultation in the development implementation and ongoing maintenance of the food safety program

Documentation and recording requirements to support communication and monitoring of the food safety program This includes procedures for maintaining and updating relevant documents such as operating procedures

Main types of food safety hazardscontamination likely to occur given the type of product and processing methods used

Conditions required for bacterial food poisoning to occur This may include aw water activity pH composition time and temperature as relevant to food handled

Acceptable control methods for the hazards identified and required corrective action when control requirements are not met

Typical support programs such as cleaning schedules pest control stock rotation product traceability and personal hygiene etc and how they can be used as part of a food safety program

Acceptable control methods for the hazards identified and required corrective action when control requirements are not met

Validation and verification processes and techniques and responsibilities


Range Statement

The range statement indicates the context for demonstrating competence. This statement is a guide and unless otherwise indicated, items may or may not apply as required by the work context.

- This unit can be aligned at either AQF 3 or 4. When aligned at AQF 3 the person would typically participate in the development of the food safety program as part of a group. The scope of contribution would typically be limited to their immediate work area. When this unit is applied at AQF 4 the person may take a lead role in facilitating the development of the food safety program and would apply an understanding of food safety across more diverse operations or work areas

- A food safety program is a written document that specifies how a business will control all food safety hazards that are reasonably expected to occur in the food business. The food safety program must provide for the systematic monitoring of the controls as well as appropriate corrective action if a hazard is found not to be under control. Records must be kept to demonstrate action in relation to, or in compliance with the food safety program

- Methods used to control hazards include both support programs and specific hazard control limits or requirements. Typical examples of support programs include product recall, cleaning schedules, pest control programs, personal hygiene practices, calibration procedures and related operating procedures

- A food safety program may be developed as a stand-alone program or may be integrated with the quality program in a workplace

- Food safety hazards include micro-biological, chemical and physical hazards

- Validation refers to the use of objective evidence in order to prove that materials, processes, procedures or equipment used are capable of delivering the intended result

- Verification refers to reviewing all aspects of the food safety program and related records to determine compliance with and adequacy of the food safety program. At a minimum, food safety programs must be verified annually

- The scope of the HACCP-based plan depends on workplace requirements and may extend outside the direct area of responsibility of the team participants

The range statement indicates the context for demonstrating competence. This statement is a guide and unless otherwise indicated, items may or may not apply as required by the work context.

- This unit can be aligned at either AQF 3 or 4. When aligned at AQF 3 the person would typically participate in the development of the food safety program as part of a group. The scope of contribution would typically be limited to their immediate work area. When this unit is applied at AQF 4 the person may take a lead role in facilitating the development of the food safety program and would apply an understanding of food safety across more diverse operations or work areas

- A food safety program is a written document that specifies how a business will control all food safety hazards that are reasonably expected to occur in the food business. The food safety program must provide for the systematic monitoring of the controls as well as appropriate corrective action if a hazard is found not to be under control. Records must be kept to demonstrate action in relation to, or in compliance with the food safety program

- Methods used to control hazards include both support programs and specific hazard control limits or requirements. Typical examples of support programs include product recall, cleaning schedules, pest control programs, personal hygiene practices, calibration procedures and related operating procedures

- A food safety program may be developed as a stand-alone program or may be integrated with the quality program in a workplace

- Food safety hazards include micro-biological, chemical and physical hazards

- Validation refers to the use of objective evidence in order to prove that materials, processes, procedures or equipment used are capable of delivering the intended result

- Verification refers to reviewing all aspects of the food safety program and related records to determine compliance with and adequacy of the food safety program. At a minimum, food safety programs must be verified annually

- The scope of the HACCP-based plan depends on workplace requirements and may extend outside the direct area of responsibility of the team participants