Food Safety Management Tools

Food handler training tool

The food handler training tool requires food handlers who handle unpackaged high-risk foods to complete a food safety training course in, or be able to show they understand, safe handling of food, food contamination, cleaning and sanitising equipment, and personal hygiene before they start working with high-risk foods.

Food handlers can show food safety regulators and businesses that they have food safety skills and knowledge by answering questions and physically demonstrating their skills and knowledge and/or by showing a certificate of completion of a food safety training course.

Note: under Standard 3.2.2 all food handlers, regardless of their food handling activities, need to have food safety skills and knowledge in line with the work that they do.

The free, online DoFoodSafely food safety training platform covers the required course content, is available in multiple languages and provides a certificate upon completion.

Food safety training courses can be delivered online and/or in person from in-house staff or externally from Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), local government food safety regulators or other training providers. Training from a food business where an employee worked previously may also be acceptable.

Frequently asked questions — Food handler training

The Standard states that food safety training courses must teach the following topics:

  • Safe food handling including temperature control measures for potentially hazardous food and the temperature danger zone.
  • Food contamination including ways to keep food from becoming contaminated and food allergen management.
  • Cleaning and sanitising food contact surfaces and equipment including correct procedures, using food-grade chemicals, and sanitising using heat.
  • Personal hygiene including obligations for sick employees, handwashing, uniforms and grooming of hair, nails, and skin.

A food handler is a person who directly engages in the handling of food, or who handles surfaces likely to come into contact with food, for a food business. Therefore, anyone who is working or volunteering in a food business, even at ad hoc times, is a food handler. Businesses need to make sure all food handlers have adequate skills and knowledge in food safety and hygiene in line with the work that they do.

All food handlers, including volunteers, who  handle unpackaged potentially hazardous foods must complete a food safety training course, or be able to show appropriate food safety skills and knowledge. If food handlers can show the business and authorised officers that they understand and apply safe food handling practices, a training course may not be required.

If a person is new to the food industry, or to the types of food handling taking place at the business, they should complete a food safety training course to make sure they have appropriate skills and knowledge before handling high-risk foods.

Staff in the business who don’t handle unpackaged potentially hazardous foods, such as people working at the checkout or loading dock at a supermarket, or bar staff who only serve drinks, are not required to complete a food safety training course. However, under the existing requirements of Standard 3.2.2, staff must still have food safety skills and knowledge in line with the work they do, so completion of a food safety training course is recommended.

There is no set timeframe for food safety training course refreshers, but businesses need to make sure their food handlers have up to date food safety skills and knowledge.

Businesses are encouraged to schedule regular (e.g. annual) food safety training refreshers and/or provide training updates when processes, foods, equipment or chemicals change. 

Most businesses are not required to keep a record of staff training, however it is recommended that businesses keep staff training records to easily demonstrate to authorised officers they have met the requirements for food handler training.

If a business already has a food safety program under Standard 3.3.1, then nothing will change and you will need to continue to keep staff training records as required by your food safety program.

Food safety supervisor tool

The supervision of food handlers tool requires businesses to appoint a qualified food safety supervisor (FSS) who is available to oversee day to day food handling operations, help food handlers to handle food safely, and make sure food safety risks are managed.

An appointed FSS must have completed certification, within the last five years, through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in one of the following courses:

  • SITSS00069 - Food Safety Supervision Skill Set (applicable to all food service businesses, caterers, and retailers) units:
    • SITXFSA005 – Use hygienic practices for food safety
    • SITXFSA006 – Participate in safe food handling practices
    • HLTFSE001 – Follow basic food safety practices
    • HLTFSE005 – Apply and monitor food safety requirements
    • HLTFSE007 – Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace

Note: Superseded equivalent units are acceptable if they were completed within the last 5 years.

View the list of organisations who can offer food safety supervisor certification  in SA. A complete list of RTOs that offer FSS courses Australia-wide is available on the training.gov.au website.

Frequently asked questions — Food safety supervision

Some VET courses contain the FSS units meaning if a food handler has completed a VET course in the food, hospitality, retail or community and health care sector they may have already completed the relevant FSS units.

Students can check their study transcript or with their training provider to confirm which units they’ve completed.

Current courses containing the two Food Safety Supervision Skill Set units include:

Current courses containing the Handle food safely in a retail environment unit include:

A current course containing the three units for the Food safety supervision skill set - for community services and health industries is:

Yes.

Yes. The Standard requires food handlers to have gained FSS certification from a Registered Training Organisation within the last five years.

Yes. FSS certification must be completed within the last five years. If your FSS certification has expired recertification is required.

A Statement of Attainment (certificate) or academic transcript from an RTO showing the FSS’ name, RTO name and code (number), units/course completed and date of attainment will suffice as evidence to authorised officers.

Under clause 11 of Standard 3.2.2A the business must appoint a FSS before engaging in a prescribed activity and ensure that the FSS is reasonably available to advise and supervise each food handler undertaking prescribed activities.

While a sole operator would not need to supervise any other food handlers, if they are undertaking prescribed activities, they still need to appoint a FSS to meet this clause and to ensure the business has appropriate knowledge for high risk food handling.

If an FSS is absent for 30 days or less, then you don’t need to appoint a replacement FSS but you should ensure that appropriate processes and procedures are in place (e.g. having written guidance for staff and ensuring staff are appropriately trained).

Where an FSS is absent for more than 30 days a replacement FSS needs to be appointed.

The FSS only needs to be reasonably available to advise and supervise when the handling of unpackaged potentially hazardous foods (prescribed activities) is taking place. This means being onsite to physically oversee (supervise) food handlers undertaking most of the prescribed activities. When not onsite a FSS should be contactable by phone or email and procedures should be in place.

Showing you’re managing key food safety controls tool

The substantiation of key food safety controls tool means businesses must show they are meeting certain ‘prescribed provisions’ which are existing food safety standards for temperature control and processing of potentially hazardous foods, and cleaning and sanitising food preparation surfaces and utensils. This tool applies to category one businesses only.

Food businesses must show they’re meeting the prescribed provisions by keeping a record and/or by demonstrating compliance to their food safety regulator.

Businesses can show they’re managing key food safety controls by keeping records, making notes on invoices, taking photos, having written standard operating procedures, and/or walking and talking through the process with the food safety regulator.

Record keeping templates are available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand template examples (DOCX 93KB) and in the records section of the SA Health Food Safety Program Template: Food Service to Vulnerable Persons (DOCX 767KB). Templates may also be available from your local council Environmental Health Department. Businesses can develop their own or adapt existing templates to suit their needs.

If made records must be kept for at least 3 months.

See our Managing prescribed provisions frequently asked questions for more information.

Frequently asked questions — Showing you’re managing key food safety controls

The prescribed provisions are key food safety requirements that businesses must control to make sure the food they sell is safe. Category one businesses must show that they:

No. Businesses who must implement a food safety program under Standard 3.3.1 must continue to keep records as they usually do.