More than 4.7 million cases of food poisoning are reported each year in Australia, with around 48,000 of these resulting in hospitalisation. Although these figures are certainly concerning, without the vital contribution of Food Safety Supervisors, they would be much higher.
Food Safety Supervisors are responsible for implementing essential food safety procedures that protect consumers from food-borne illnesses and allergic reactions. To ensure that these practices are implemented consistently and effectively across the industry, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has made it a legal requirement for all Food Safety Supervisors to obtain certification through a government-approved training program.
As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), the Australian Institute of Food Safety (AIFS) is authorised to deliver a nationally recognised Food Safety Supervisor course that educates participants and assesses their ability to identify and manage various food safety hazards.
In this blog we will discuss the course in more detail, focusing on the assessment process that participants must complete in order to achieve certification in accordance with FSANZ Standard 3.3.2A. Let’s begin by exploring the topics covered.
Industry-specific Food Safety Supervisor courses
AIFS provides industry-specific Food Safety Supervisor courses for the food processing, transport and distribution, retail, hospitality, and health and community industries.
Each course is designed to cover the relevant units of competency, ensuring that participants acquire the knowledge and skills required for their specific industry.
Food Processing
Food processing businesses manufacture food and have very little direct contact with consumers. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Food Processing covers two units of competency, and is accepted in Queensland and Victoria:
- FBPFSY1002 - Follow work procedures to maintain food safety
- FBPFSY2002 - Apply food safety procedures
Health & Community
Organisations in the health and community sector typically serve food to vulnerable people, such as children and/or the elderly. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Health & Community covers three units of competency, accepted in all states and territories except New South Wales and Northern Territory.
- 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
Hospitality
Hospitality businesses prepare and serve food for customers to consume in-house. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Hospitality covers two units of competency, accepted in all states and territories:
- SITXFSA005 - Use hygienic practices for food safety
- SITXFSA006 - Participate in safe food handling practices
Retail
Food retail businesses sell ready to eat foods to customers for consumption elsewhere. Preparation for these foods is typically minimal, with most foods sold remaining in its original packaging from the time of manufacture.
The Food Safety Supervisor course for Retail covers one unit of competency, accepted in all states and territories:
- SIRRFSA001 - Handle food safely in a retail environment
Transport & Distribution
Transport and distribution businesses are involved in delivering and storing food products. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Transport & Distribution covers two units of competency, accepted in all states and territories*.
*Transport and distribution businesses in NSW are not legally required to have a Food Safety Supervisor.
- SITXFSA005 - Use hygienic practices for food safety
- SITXFSA006 - Participate in safe food handling practices
What topics are covered by the Food Safety Supervisor course?
The AIFS Food Safety Supervisor course covers the following topics across a series of online, self-paced lessons.
- Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Biological Contamination
- Other Types of Contamination
- Food Allergies*
- Cleaning & Sanitising
- Maintaining Food Premises
- Hand Washing
- Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Time & Temperature Control
- Receiving & Storing Food
- Working with Food Safely
- Serving Food Safely
- Food Safety Programs
- Identifying Food Safety Hazards
- Monitoring, Controlling & Correcting Food Safety Hazards
- Reporting, Investigating & Recording Food Safety Breaches
- Food Safety Management
*The NSW version of the Food Safety Supervisor course includes an additional lesson that covers allergen management in greater detail, as required by the NSW Food Authority.
What does the Food Safety Supervisor assessment involve?
The assessment process for the Food Safety Supervisor course consists of four sections – lesson quizzes, case studies, a reading activity and an Observer Report.
1. Lesson Quizzes
At the end of each lesson, participants must complete a multiple-choice quiz designed to assess their understanding of the topic. Once a score of 100% has been achieved, they can progress to the next section of the course.
2. Case Studies
The course includes two case studies that must be read carefully before answering questions based on the information provided. The questions assess the participant’s ability to apply what they have learned to real-life scenarios.
*In NSW, state regulations require additional case studies.
3. Reading Activity
The included reading activity is based on the topic of potentially hazardous foods. To complete this section of the course, participants are required to download a PDF document from the course page and read it thoroughly before successfully completing a multiple-choice quiz based on its content.
4. Observer Report
The Observer Report is designed to assess practical skills such as hand washing. It involves completing a number of workplace tasks under the supervision of a nominated observer (usually a co-worker), who then submits a report verifying the individual's competency.
The observed tasks may be historic but need to have been performed on multiple occasions within the last 12 months and under various conditions. If necessary, real-life situations can be simulated through the use of role play.
Different tasks will be assessed depending on the industry-specific Food Safety Supervisor course selected.
Food Processing
The Food Safety Supervisor course for Food Processing includes 15 Observer Report tasks:
- Safe Food Handling
- Food Preparation
- Food Monitoring
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Safe Food Disposal Practices
- Pest Reporting
- Personal Hygiene
- Hand Washing Practices
- Reporting Unsafe Work Practices
- Reporting Food or Hygiene Hazards
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Food Allergen Incidents
- Moving and Transferring Between Tasks
- Reading Skills for Food Safely Program Documents
- Food Safety Procedures
Health & Community
The Food Safety Supervisor course for Health & Community includes 14 Observer Report tasks:
- Personal Hygiene
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Hand Washing Practices
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Pest Reporting
- Food Preparation
- Single-Use Items
- Safe Food Storage
- Food Monitoring
- Safe Food Disposal Practices
- Reporting Unsafe Work Practices
- Reporting Food or Hygiene Standards
- Handling Complaints
- Food Safety Procedures
Hospitality
The Food Safety Supervisor course for Hospitality includes 19 Observer Report tasks:
- Safe Food Handling
- Personal Hygiene
- Hand Washing Practices
- Receiving Goods
- Safe Food Storage
- Food Preparation
- Food Monitoring
- Food Display Practices
- Single-Use Items
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Safe Food Disposal Practices
- Thermometer Use
- Packaging and Transporting Goods
- Reporting Unsafe Work Practices
- Reporting Food or Hygiene Hazards
- Pest Control
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Reading Skills for Food Safety Program Documents
- Food Safety Programs
Retail
The Food Safety Supervisor course for Retail includes 16 Observer Report tasks:
- Hand Washing
- Personal Hygiene
- Receiving Goods
- Safe Food Storage
- Food Preparation
- Food Monitoring
- Food Display Practices
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Safe Food Disposal Practices
- Thermometer Use
- Packaging and Transporting Goods
- Pest Control
- Reporting Food or Hygiene Hazards
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Reading Skills for Food Safety Program Documents
- Food Safety Procedures
Transport & Distribution
The Food Safety Supervisor course for Hospitality includes 19 Observer Report tasks:
- Safe Food Handling
- Personal Hygiene
- Hand Washing Practices
- Receiving Goods
- Safe Food Storage
- Food Preparation
- Food Monitoring
- Food Display Practices
- Single-Use Items
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Safe Food Disposal Practices
- Thermometer Use
- Packaging and Transporting Goods
- Reporting Unsafe Work Practices
- Reporting Food or Hygiene Hazards
- Pest Control
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Reading Skills for Food Safety Program Documents
- Food Safety Programs
Food Safety Supervisor certification
Food Safety Supervisor certification is an essential step towards compliance with FSANZ Standard 3.2.2A. As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), AIFS has the authorisation to award a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment that can be used as proof of certification during an Environmental Health Officer inspection.
Take steps to ensure compliance by enrolling with AIFS today, or get in touch for help finding the right course for you.
