Food Hygiene Training Requirements

What is happening?
I own a food business - what must I do?
What is HACCP?
Who is a food handler?
I own a business – do I need training?
What responsibilities do I have?
Are Food Hygiene Certificates Required?
When should the training take place?
Where can I obtain advice about food safety qualifications?
What is available from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council?

What is happening?

For information about what is currently happening in food hygiene please see:

Important information that will affect your business [PDF file] (File size 98Kb)
Food Standards Agency

I own a food business - what must I do?

All food business proprietors will have to ensure the following:

Food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities.

Those responsible for developing and maintaining procedures based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) principles or for the operation of relevant guides must have received adequate training in the application of the HACCP principles.

What is HACCP?

HACCP is an abbreviation short for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points.

HACCP is a science based food safety management system for systematically identifying hazards and risks of food production and the implementation of cost-effective controls and monitoring procedures at points critical to food safety.

Who is a food handler?

A food handler may be defined as any person who directly handles packaged or unpackaged food, food equipment and utensils, or food contact surfaces.

What is meant by Supervision, Instruction, Training, and Competence?

Supervision: being in charge of an employee
Instruction: Teaching or an authoritative order on how to use or operate something
Training: Learning, plus knowledge and understanding which is then put into correct demonstrable practice
Competence: The ability to perform actions/procedures effectively in the workplace

I own a business – do I need training?

It is suggested that you and your managers receive an appropriate level of food hygiene training otherwise you will find it difficult to manage food safety within your business.

What responsibilities do I have?

If you run a food business you will be responsible for identifying any training and instruction needs of food handlers. You will have to determine how these are met.

The measures put in to place should ensure that all food handlers have sufficient knowledge and competence to enable them to handle foods safely. What is appropriate in one business may not be appropriate in another.

Either you or the person responsible for the development and maintenance of the HACCP based food safety management procedures should receive adequate training in the application of HACCP principles.

The nature and type of supervision necessary will depend upon the number of food handlers within the business, the nature of their work and current training and competence levels.

If you have a high turnover of staff effective supervision and instruction will be of particular importance.

Are Food Hygiene Certificates Required?

EC Regulations 852/2004 on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs which come into force on 1 January 2006 do not specify the need to hold a qualification in order to comply.

What instruction and/or training are required?

The methods of instruction and/or training are a matter for the business to decide. A course of formal instruction is not stipulated in the regulations.

Appropriate measures must be taken by the food business owners for food handlers who do not speak English as a first language, have learning difficulties, special educational needs, literacy needs, etcetera.

When should the training take place?

The timing and instruction delivery is a matter for each food business to determine.

Where can I obtain advice about food safety qualifications?

Contact:

Qualification and Curriculum Authority www.qca.org.uk

The Sector Skills Council www.people1st.co.uk

Examination bodies such as the following are developing a new range of food safety qualifications which will be available during 2006:

Your industry or trade association

Your local authority environmental health department such as www.rbkc.gov.uk

What is available from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council?

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea will be offers a Foundation Certificate in the principles of HACCP, in addition to other food hygiene and safety certificate qualifications.

The Royal Borough offers a wide range of food safety courses and workshops to help owners of food businesses comply with the legislation. Telephone 020 7361 3002 for information.

For the course lists, please see: Course lists