Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present:

Food safety program:
· the food safety program systematically identifies the food safety hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur in all food-handling operations of the food business
· the food safety program must comply with relevant national, State and industry legislation and regulations.
· for the purpose of applying this competency standard in circumstances where formal foods
· safety programs are not a legal requirement; the term can be understood to cover the same detail as would be covered by a food safety program.

Food handling:
· procedures outlining food safety responsibilities may be provided in formats to suit the workplace such as written, verbal, diagrams and electronic advice
· products/materials handled and stored can include raw materials, ingredients, consumables, part-processed product, finished product and cleaning materials
· a food safety hazard is a biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food that has the potential to cause an adverse health effect. (See Standard 3.2.1.)

Monitored:
· applying and monitoring the food safety program includes monitoring food safety, carrying out corrective action and reporting matters outside level of responsibility
· responsibility for monitoring food safety, identifying breaches in food safety procedures and taking corrective action relates to own tasks and responsibilities and occurs in the context of the food safety program in the workplace
· examples of a breach of food safety procedures could include failure to check delivery temperatures of food in refrigerators promptly, failure to wash hands when required and use of cloths for unsuitable purposes
· monitoring describes the methods used to confirm that a food safety hazard is in control. Examples of monitoring procedures include taking temperatures, collecting samples, conducting visual inspections and conducting other tests as required.

Corrective action:
· corrective action includes extending cooking time, reprocessing, reworking, and/or withdrawing food from production
· corrective action may include retraining of staff
· corrective action is taken within level of responsibility and in the context of the food safety program
· corrective action includes the attendant record keeping associated with the food safety plan, or other quality management processes operation in the food business including retraining
· corrective action procedure should also include confirmation that the appropriate action was taken and the procedure was rectified.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. This guide describes the evidence of skills and knowledge to be collected by the assessment process.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· sources of information on procedures and responsibilities for food safety relating to own work including HACCP and food safety plan, and product specification requirements and quality parameters
· safe food handling requirements and procedures related to work responsibilities
· understanding of the properties, handling and storage requirements of equipment, materials and products handled and used
· microbiological, physical and chemical hazards related to the foods handled and stored in the workplace. This includes the types of hazards likely to occur, the conditions under which they occur and possible consequences
· methods and procedures used in the workplace to control food safety hazards and minimise risk
· an understanding of the methods used in the workplace to monitor that food safety is under control. This may include and understanding of the purpose of sampling and taking measurements such as temperature and pH and conducting inspections and tests. Where inspections and tests are part of the work responsibility, it includes an understanding of the procedures to follow
· purpose of corrective action and the appropriate corrective action to take if monitoring indicates that food safety control requirements are not met. Corrective action is typically described in the food safety program
· purpose of keeping records and the recording requirements of the food safety program
· methods used in the workplace identify and separate food which may be unsafe
· recall procedures as they relate to own work responsibilities..

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· using food safety program information to find advice on food safety responsibilities relating to own work
· monitoring food safety hazards as required by the food safety program. This may include methods such as visual inspection, sampling and testing
· recording results of monitoring and maintain records as required by the food safety program
· identifying situations where food safety requirements or parameters are not met within level of responsibility
· taking corrective action as required by food safety program within level of responsibility
· reporting practices or processes in own work that could result in unsafe food
· following procedures to identify, separate and report product which is or may be non-conforming and/or implement other necessary corrective action within level of responsibility
· participating in investigation and reporting on unsafe food as identified by internal monitoring and/or customer complaints.

Oral and written workplace communication skills used for:
· recording results and the maintenance of records
· communicating results of food safety monitoring
· reporting food safety as identified in internal monitoring and/or customer complaints.

Numeracy skills used for:
· interpreting and applying information from the food safety program
· recording results of visual inspection, sampling and testing.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· No recommendations.

Context of assessment
Assessment of this unit may occur in either a real or simulated workplace. Such an environment must provide a typical range of seafood handling and related food safety requirements that would normally be found in a food handling business.

The assessment process must provide an opportunity for the assessee to demonstrate and apply an understanding of the principles of the food safety program as they relate to work responsibilities.

Method of assessment
Observation of practical exercises in the workplace or a simulated environment.

Resources required for assessment
· relevant documentation including enterprise food safety plan
· relevant legal/regulatory requirements
· codes of practice
· enterprise OHS policy and procedures
· enterprise recording and reporting requirements.