A trained, reasonably available person a food business appoints to oversee and guide safe food handling by staff.
A trained, reasonably available person a food business appoints to oversee and guide safe food handling by staff. A Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) is a nominated person who holds recognised food safety skills and knowledge and who supervises the way a food business handles food. Certain higher-risk food service, catering and retail businesses that handle unpackaged, potentially hazardous, ready-to-eat food must appoint an FSS under Standard 3.2.2A of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. The FSS role is one of the food safety management tools that standard introduced, alongside substantiating skills and knowledge and keeping certain records. The FSS must be able to recognise, prevent and fix food safety problems, and must be reasonably available to staff who handle food. The person can be an owner, manager or employee, and one FSS may cover a business, but they need to be genuinely accessible to the people doing the work. States and territories administer the details, so exactly which businesses must appoint an FSS, and the accepted training and refresher requirements, can vary between jurisdictions. In practice, a business identifies who its FSS will be, ensures that person completes the training accepted in their state or territory, and keeps evidence of that certification available for an authorised officer to check. The FSS then guides day-to-day practices such as temperature control, cleaning and sanitising, correct storage and staff hygiene, and helps other handlers understand what safe handling looks like for the food they work with. Because the FSS must be reasonably available, many venues plan rostering so that a person with FSS knowledge is on hand during trading, or ensure staff know who to contact. Some jurisdictions, such as New South Wales, require the FSS certificate to be renewed periodically, so businesses track expiry dates and re-train before certification lapses. A busy suburban cafe serving made-to-order sandwiches and hot meals appoints its head chef as the Food Safety Supervisor. She completes the FSS training recognised in her state, keeps the certificate on file, and coaches new kitchen hands on the two-hour/four-hour rule and correct fridge temperatures. When a council officer visits, she can produce her certificate and explain how the team monitors and records temperatures.
Frequently asked questions
Which businesses must have a Food Safety Supervisor?
Generally, food service, catering and related retail businesses that handle unpackaged, potentially hazardous, ready-to-eat food must appoint an FSS under Standard 3.2.2A. The precise scope is set by each state or territory, so check your local food regulator.
Can the owner be the Food Safety Supervisor?
Yes. The FSS can be the owner, a manager or an employee, provided they have the required skills and knowledge and are reasonably available to the people who handle food in the business.
Does a Food Safety Supervisor need a certificate?
In most jurisdictions the FSS must complete training delivered by a recognised provider and hold evidence of it. Accepted training and any refresher requirements are set by your state or territory regulator.
How many Food Safety Supervisors does a business need?
There is no fixed number in the Code, but the FSS must be reasonably available to staff. Businesses with multiple sites or long trading hours often nominate more than one so a trained person is always accessible.
How often does FSS certification need renewing?
This depends on the jurisdiction. Some, such as New South Wales, require periodic renewal of the FSS certificate, while others do not set a fixed expiry. Confirm the rule with your state or territory food regulator.
