Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop, implement and evaluate a food safety program for all stages in the food production process, including receipt, storage, preparation, service and disposal of food. It requires the ability to determine program requirements and prepare policies and procedures for other personnel to follow.
The unit applies to all organisations with permanent or temporary kitchen premises or smaller food preparation areas.
This includes restaurants, cafes, clubs, and hotels; tour operators; attractions; function, event, exhibition and conference catering; educational institutions; aged care facilities; correctional centres; hospitals; defence forces; cafeterias, kiosks, canteens, and fast food outlets; residential catering; in-flight and other transport catering.
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 food related 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.
In some States and Territories businesses are required to designate a food safety supervisor who is required to be certified as competent in SITXFSA001 Use hygienic practices for food safety and/or SITXFSA002 Participate in safe food handling practices through a registered training organisation.
Food safety legislative and knowledge requirements may differ across borders. Those developing training to support this unit must consult the relevant state or territory food safety authority to determine any accreditation arrangements for courses, trainers and assessors.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Evaluate organisational requirements for food safety program. | 1.1.Evaluate organisational characteristics that impact on food safety. 1.2.Examine food handling operations and processes and identify potential or existing food hazards. 1.3.Identify critical control points in food preparation system where food hazards must be controlled. 1.4.Identify product suppliers and determine quality assurance specifications for foodstuffs supplied. 1.5.Evaluate existing product specifications for food items prepared and sold. 1.6.Evaluate existing policies and procedures and monitoring practices, including record keeping, and assess need for change. |
2. Develop food safety program to control hazards. | 2.1.Consult with stakeholders in program development. 2.2.Integrate regulatory requirements and standards into policies and procedures. 2.3.Establish and document critical control points and control methods for each point. 2.4.Develop procedures for systematic monitoring of controls and associated record keeping. 2.5.Develop corrective action procedures for uncontrolled hazards. 2.6.Develop or modify and record product specifications covering food items prepared and sold. 2.7.Identify training needs and develop training program. 2.8.Develop schedule for regular review of food safety program. 2.9.Document food safety program and provide to regulatory authorities as required. |
3. Implement food safety program. | 3.1.Communicate food safety programs, policies, procedures and product specifications to colleagues and ensure display of appropriate signage and access to information. 3.2.Organise appropriate training and mentoring. 3.3.Monitor operational activities to ensure that policies and procedures are followed. 3.4.Manage response to incidents of uncontrolled food hazards and oversee implementation of corrective action procedures. 3.5.Make changes to practices that led to the food safety breach, and document, communicate and implement changes. 3.6.Maintain food safety management documents. |
4. Participate in food safety audit. | 4.1.Ensure food safety program is audited as required by legislation. 4.2.Participate in food safety program audits and provide assistance to inspectors. 4.3.Retain records of food audits according to legislative requirements. |
5. Evaluate and revise food safety program. | 5.1.Conduct scheduled review of food safety program in consultation with colleagues. 5.2.Validate required food safety controls. 5.3.Review policies, procedures, product specifications, monitoring systems and record keeping methods, and revise as required. 5.4.Prepare and document amended food safety program and provide to regulatory authorities as required. 5.5.Communicate changes and monitor inclusion in production processes. 5.6.Identify and respond to additional training needs based on changes to food safety practices. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
develop and implement a complete food safety program for a service industry food preparation organisation in line with regulatory requirements outlined in:
the organisation’s policies and procedures
product specifications
monitoring documentation
ensure that the above food safety program:
reflects the following organisational characteristics:
average clientele and at risk client groups with a higher than average risk of harm from food contamination
equipment
existing prerequisite programs
facilities
food items prepared and sold
re-thermalisation and service requirements
size and nature of organisation
provides suitable food safety systems and options for the organisation for which it has been prepared
monitor, evaluate and identify improvements to the above food safety program.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
options for the structure and implementation of a food safety program, using the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) method as the basis
consultative and communication mechanisms used by organisations to develop and implement procedural systems
key features of commonwealth, state or territory and local food safety compliance requirements as they impact food safety program development:
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 Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
contents of organisational food safety program, especially policies and procedures:
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
food safety monitoring techniques:
bacterial swabs and counts
checking and recording that food is stored in appropriate timeframes
chemical tests
monitoring and recording food temperatures using a temperature measuring device accurate to plus or minus one degree Celsius
monitoring and recording temperature of cold and hot storage equipment
visually examining food for quality review
food safety management documents:
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:
any record required by local legislation
illness register
list of suppliers
temperature control data
training logs
verification records
HACCP or other food safety system principles, procedures and processes as they apply to particular operations and different food types:
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 and, temperature controls, for storage
temperature danger zone and the two-hour and four-hour rule
choice and application of cleaning, sanitising and pest control equipment and materials
high risk customer groups who are more susceptible to harm from food contamination:
children or babies
pregnant women
aged persons
people with immune deficiencies or allergies
unwell persons.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in an operational hospitality business for which a food safety plan is developed and implemented. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
current plain English regulatory documents distributed by the commonwealth, state, territory or local government food safety authority
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | interpret sometimes complex materials describing regulatory requirements relating to food safety. |
Oral communication skills to: | provide information on food safety program to colleagues. |
Numeracy skills to: | work with the concepts of measurement. |
Problem-solving skills to: | evaluate and respond to strategic and operational factors that influence the food safety program identify and respond to systemic operational issues. |
Planning and organising skills to: | coordinate and respond to multiple and interrelated operational challenges. |
Sectors
Cross-Sector
Competency Field
Food Safety