In short
- What the rule is
- Every food handler must have completed a food safety course, or have skills and knowledge that match their work, before they first carry out a prescribed activity (clause 10).
- Who it applies to
- Every food handler in a category one or category two business, including new starters.
- What you need to do
- Train or assess each person before their first shift handling food, and cover the four topics.
- What this does not require
- No certificate is needed, and a training register is recommended rather than required for most venues.
What the rule says
Clause 10 of Standard 3.2.2A gives two routes. Before a food handler first carries out a prescribed activity, they must either have completed a food safety training course, or have skills and knowledge in food safety and hygiene that match the activity.
A food safety training course, as the Standard defines it, covers four topics:
- safe handling of food
- food contamination
- cleaning and sanitising of food premises and equipment
- personal hygiene
There is no grace period. The training or the skills have to be in place before the first shift that involves a prescribed activity.
Who it applies to
Every food handler who carries out a prescribed activity, in both category one and category two businesses. That includes casual and junior staff.
By sector: Restaurants and Bars, Catering and Events
What it looks like in practice
The second route allows prior learning or an in house induction assessed by the business. A cook with years of experience may already have the skills and knowledge; a school leaver on a first shift will need an induction first.
A short induction that walks through the four topics, followed by a check that the person understood, is a common way to meet the rule. Note what you covered and when.
What you are not required to do
- A certificate. Unlike the supervisor, a food handler does not need one.
- A particular course or provider.
- A training register, for most venues. Keeping one is recommended, not required. The exception is a business covered by Standard 3.3.1, where training records are required.
Doing it in Hospitality Shield
The Training Centre in Hospitality Shield has short food safety videos for staff, and its register records who watched what and when, which a venue may use as part of showing how each person gained the skills and knowledge clause 10 asks for.
30 day free trial.
Introductory offer: Essential at A$185 a month for your first three months.
Asked about this rule
Does a new starter have a grace period?
No. Training or matching skills and knowledge must be in place before their first prescribed activity.
Do food handlers need a certificate?
No. Clause 10 needs a course or skills and knowledge that match the work. Only the food safety supervisor needs a certificate.
Do I have to keep training records?
For most venues, keeping them is recommended, not required. A business covered by Standard 3.3.1 must keep them.
Can we train people ourselves?
Yes. The second route in clause 10 allows skills and knowledge gained through prior learning or an in house induction, assessed by the business.
Sources
- Standard 3.2.2A Food Safety Management Tools, Federal Register of Legislation
- Food handler training, Food Standards Australia New Zealand
- Skills and knowledge for food handlers, Food Standards Australia New Zealand
- Guide for food businesses on Food Safety Standard 3.2.2A, WA Department of Health
General information about the rules in Western Australia. It is not legal advice. Your local government's environmental health officer decides how the rules apply to your premises.