Elements and Performance Criteria
- Establish the role of food safety support programs in the food safety plan
- Draw up a full description of the product
- Identify the intended use and client group for the product
- Identify all steps in the operation, from primary production, processing, manufacture and distribution to the consumer
- Identify hazards that can reasonably be expected to occur at each step
- Identify hazard areas that are common to multiple steps in the operation
- Define the need for support programs to control identified hazard areas
- Develop support programs and procedures
- Define the scope of the health and hygiene program
- Identify microbiological, physical and chemical hazards associated with supplied unprocessed foods and packaging materials, and develop risk controls and safe work procedures
- Identify microbiological, physical and chemical hazards associated with staff handling unpackaged food, and develop risk controls and safe work procedures
- Identify microbiological and physical hazards arising from pest infestations, and develop risk controls and safe work procedures
- Identify microbiological, physical and chemical hazards associated with using the premises and the equipment in them, and develop risk controls and safe work procedures
- Identify chemical hazards associated with the use of cleaning chemicals, and develop risk controls and safe work procedures
- Document and communicate the requirements of support programs as part of the food safety plan
- Define work performance and establish critical limits for support programs where appropriate
- Explain food safety support program requirements to the team, including regulatory requirements
- Develop team commitment to, and responsibility for, food safety support programs
- Provide induction, training and mentoring to the team to assist implementation of food safety support programs
- Communicate support program requirements and procedures to management and staff through documented procedures, directions and signage
- Monitor the implementation of support programs within the food safety plan
- Monitor and correct personal behaviour, including hygiene, housekeeping and use of clothing and equipment where necessary
- Monitor critical control points to confirm performance
- Check records for completion and accuracy
- Analyse problem areas using appropriate quality improvement tools and techniques
- Identify processes or conditions that could result in breaches of food safety procedures, and take preventive or corrective action
- Verify compliance with support programs in a food safety plan and address non-compliances
- Verify compliance of the food processing operation for support programs by workplace observation and analysis of records, supported by product testing, if required
- Identify and analyse causes of non-conformance
- Report non-conformance to supervisor
- Update corrective action and control procedures to improve food safety
- Document required amendments to the HACCP plan