Department of Health

A recipe for food safety - Step 2 - Food Safety Management

    Step two, food safety management. This step looks at how you can demonstrate to the EHO the procedures you have in place, and the actions you take to ensure that you and your staff are effectively managing food safety. There are three areas that are assessed by the EHO.

    Number one, food process controls. You need to demonstrate that food is kept at the right temperatures, protected from contamination, and correct food handling practises are implemented. The EHO assesses the controls you have in place to ensure food is safe and suitable for consumption.

    Number two, hygiene controls. You need to demonstrate that you and your staff understand and follow correct cleaning and sanitising practises, and show knowledge of your health and hygiene responsibilities. The EHO assesses the environment in which you prepare and handle food, and how you ensure it is free from sources of contamination.

    Number three, management procedures. You need to demonstrate how you train your staff, what actions you take to fix food safety issues, and how you manage customer complaints.

    The EHO assesses the suitability of your food safety management procedures. There are a wide range of ideas and tools you can use to demonstrate how you manage food safety. Here are some suggestions: showing the EHO how you keep high risk food under temperature control; displaying food safety posters in your business; monitoring food safety practises through photographs, log books or diary notes; ensuring staff complete food handler training, such as DoFoodSafely; and having documented cleaning and sanitising procedures.

    For further information about what we have discussed in this video, please visit Food Safety to access your copy of A Recipe for Food Safety, a food safety management tool for food businesses. Step three, response, is the final video in this series.

    Reviewed 19 September 2023