Town Hall, Coton Road,
Nuneaton, Warwickshire,
CV11 5AA.
Food Matters
Training and Consultancy Support for SFBB
| Cross-contamination | Cleaning | Chilling | Cooking | Management |
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What is the Legal Requirement?
The new food hygiene regulations require that your business has a documented food safety management system (that is, you must be able to show what you do to make food safely and have this written down). The regulations allow businesses flexibility to put in place systems or procedures that are appropriate to the size and type of their business. So, for example, a large busy restaurant would need more detailed procedures than a mainly retail business that prepares a small number of sandwiches each day.
The regulations also require that the person responsible for putting the food safety management system into place must have knowledge and an understanding of the system or have received adequate training.
Finally, the regulations require that your staff are aware of the food safety management system that has been put in place.
To help you comply with these requirements, you may require help and/or training.
What Training is Available?
There are a number of training courses available relating to food hygiene and food safety management systems. To help you decide on the course that is right for you, please refer to the table below.
(Please note that people who are new to catering may require some basic training in food hygiene before attending training courses/receiving a consultant's help on Safer Food, Better Business or documenting a food safety management system).
| Type of Training | Who is it Suitable for? |
| Level 1 Award in Food Safety in Catering | Those who handle low risk or wrapped food only. It is designed to be taken before starting work or as part of an induction programme. |
| Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Manufacturing Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Retail |
Those who handle open, 'high risk' foods. It covers the fundamental hygiene knowledge needed by all food handlers. |
| Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety for Manufacturing Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety for Retail Level 3 Award in Implementing Food Safety Management Procedures |
Those who have a supervisory role. It is designed for managers and owners working in food businesses. Those who need to implement a food safety management system e.g. proprietors and site managers of small and medium catering and hospitality businesses. |
| Level 4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering, Level 4 Award in Food Safety Management for Manufacturing |
Those who have a management role. It will also provide the knowledge to develop and implement food safety management systems. It also allows the person to deliver the Level 2 Award (with appropriate training) to other members of staff. |
N.B. The above courses are accredited by the C.I.E.H. (the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health). Similar courses are available that are accredited by other independent bodies such as the Royal Institute of Public Health (R.I.P.H.), the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (R.S.P.H.) or the Society of Food Hygiene Technology (S.O.F.H.T.). When choosing a food hygiene course you should ensure that it is accredited by one of these bodies.
We also intend to provide a small number of Safer Food Better, Business Workshops for food businesses in the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth. The workshop will explain how to use the pack in your business and answer any questions you may have. Businesses will be invited to attend a workshop by a letter or by an Officer when they visit your premises. However, if you would like to be considered for the next workshops, please contact a member of the food safety team.
If you have attended one of our recent Safer Food Better, Business workshops, this will satisfy your requirement to be trained on implementing a food safety management system.
What if I Cannot Attend a Training Course or a Workshop?
If you are unable to attend a formal training course or a workshop, there are consultants or training providers that will be able to coach you through the Safer Food, Better Business pack or help you put in place another type of food safety management system. You may like to refer to our links to other websites that maintain details of food hygiene training providers and materials.
Alternatively, you may wish to to train yourself on Safer Food, Better Business. (However, this option is only suitable for those people who have a good level of food hygiene knowledge and/or prior experience in the catering industry). You can do this by reading through the Safer Food, Better Business pack section by section and following the instructions given for completing the safe methods. You must then ensure that once the pack is fully completed, all of the safe methods are put into practice within your business. This will include carrying out the daily opening and closing checks, any extra checks and completing the daily diary sheet and 4 weekly reviews. Advice on completing the pack is available from the Food Safety Team, if required.
How Can I Train My Staff?
The best way to do this is by working through the pack with each member of staff and explaining the safe methods to them. Don't forget to complete the staff training record in the pack to show that you have done this. It is good practice for your staff to initial or sign next to each safe method to show that they have received and understood the training.
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