Skills and knowledge (food safety), Food Safety Glossary
The food safety and hygiene understanding food handlers and businesses must have, matched to the work they do.
The food safety and hygiene understanding food handlers and businesses must have, matched to the work they do. Skills and knowledge is a requirement in Standard 3.2.2 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. It requires a food business to ensure that people who handle food, and the business itself, have skills and knowledge in food safety and food hygiene that are commensurate with their work activities. In other words, the level of understanding must match what the person actually does with food. The requirement does not necessarily mean a formal qualification. It can be met through training, instruction, experience or supervision, provided the person genuinely understands how to handle food safely for their role. This flexible, risk-based approach means a person cooking and cooling potentially hazardous food is expected to know more than someone only handling sealed packaged goods. Businesses meet this obligation by identifying what each role needs to know, then providing appropriate training or instruction, such as safe temperatures, handwashing, avoiding cross-contamination, allergen management and the two-hour/four-hour rule. New staff are often shown correct practices and supervised until they are competent, and refreshers are given when procedures change. Because authorised officers can ask how a business ensures its handlers have adequate skills and knowledge, many operators keep simple evidence, such as training records, induction checklists or Food Safety Supervisor certificates. This links closely to the FSS role introduced under Standard 3.2.2A, where certain businesses must also substantiate their skills and knowledge. A new casual employee starts at a deli. On induction, the supervisor shows her how to check and record fridge temperatures, wash her hands correctly, keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate, and handle allergen requests. She works under supervision for her first shifts until she is confident. The business keeps her induction checklist as evidence that her skills and knowledge match her tasks.
Frequently asked questions
What does the skills and knowledge requirement mean?
Under Standard 3.2.2, food handlers and the business must have food safety and hygiene knowledge appropriate to the work they do, so understanding matches the level of risk in their tasks.
Do food handlers need a formal qualification?
Not necessarily. The requirement can be met through training, instruction, experience or supervision, as long as the person genuinely understands how to handle food safely for their role.
How does a business prove skills and knowledge?
Commonly by keeping training records, induction checklists or certificates. Certain businesses must also substantiate skills and knowledge under Standard 3.2.2A.
How is this different from having a Food Safety Supervisor?
Skills and knowledge applies to all food handlers for their tasks. The FSS is a nominated, trained person who supervises food handling in certain higher-risk businesses under Standard 3.2.2A.
What topics should the training cover?
It should suit the role, but common topics include temperature control, handwashing and hygiene, avoiding cross-contamination, allergen management, cleaning and sanitising, and the two-hour/four-hour rule.
