Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to plan and conduct a food safety audit and to report and follow up audit outcomes.
This unit applies to any worker involved in internal auditing against the current food safety standards. At this level, workers would be required to exercise judgement within clearly defined guidelines.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Plan a food safety audit | 1.1 Identify and locate information and resources required to conduct the audit 1.2 Develop and negotiate an audit plan with the food business to meet audit scope |
2. Conduct a food safety audit | 2.1 Collect information that is adequate, representative and meets audit requirements 2.2 Analyse information to assess adequacy of the food safety program 2.3 Review records to assess compliance with the food safety program 2.4 Assess compliance with the food safety program in the food business 2.5 Inspect premises and transport vehicles, as required, to confirm that they meet the design and construction requirements set out by food safety legislation 2.6 Identify areas requiring corrective action |
3. Report and follow up audit outcomes | 3.1 Report situations presenting an imminent and serious risk to the safety of food in accordance with legislative requirements 3.2 Prepare audit reports to address audit scope requirements 3.3 Communicate the results of the audit to the food business and to enforcement agencies as required by legislation 3.4 Confirm areas requiring corrective action with the food business 3.5 Develop a corrective action plan 3.6 Confirm implementation of corrective action as set out in the corrective action plan 3.7 Review corrective action and implement follow-up requirements |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:
planned, conducted and documented at least 2 food safety audits to meet audit scope, legal and organisational requirements of food business.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
relevant sections of the food standards codes, legislation, industry guidelines and food processes relevant to health and community services sectors and necessary to verify food safety compliance
purpose, scope and stages of the internal food safety audit
legal and organisational requirements and processes for:
internal and external second or third-party audits
internal and external audit roles, responsibilities and legal liabilities
prescribed fees, levies and charges
appropriate ethical conduct of auditors
certification and/or registration of auditors and authorised officers
food safety and the purpose and intent of current legislation
reporting findings of the audit, conflict of interest, confidentiality, rights of appeal and giving evidence in court
reporting non-conformities that present an imminent and serious risk to the safety of food
business classification and scope and frequency of audit
training and assessment requirements for food safety workers and supervisors
minimum standards of design and construction required of food premises, fixtures, fittings, equipment and transport vehicles as required by food safety legislation and relevant Australian Standards
audit procedures and techniques:
recording and reporting requirements
business systems and related reference documents and appropriate application of these in an audit
data analysis methods
techniques for collecting information, including choice of appropriate methods to ensure data is adequate and representative
food safety program procedures and requirements
food safety hazards and associated risks
where food business control methods or limits vary from industry standards or where there are no industry standards, technical knowledge required to assess data used by the business to validate acceptable limits
hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) procedures, including:
techniques for identifying hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur
determining appropriate control methods
monitoring and record keeping
validating and corrective action requirements.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in a workplace or a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
use of suitable facilities equipment and resources, including a real food business within the health or community services sectors where food safety hazards are identified and controlled by a food safety program
modelling of industry operating conditions.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In addition, the person assessing this unit of competency must be a competent and approved food safety auditor, as defined by food safety legislation.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.