Food Business Operators must ensure that food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities. The extent of training will depend on the duties and responsibilities of the food handler.

Staff handling open, high risk foods should complete formal training equivalent to the Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering within 3 months of starting work.

At the very least, before food handlers are allowed to start work for the first time, they should receive verbal or written instruction on the essentials of Food Hygiene, such as on:

• Maintaining a high degree of personal cleanliness and wearing clean clothes;
• Regular and thorough handwashing before handling food, after using the toilet, after handling waste, before starting work, after every break and after blowing their nose;
• Notifying their Supervisor, before commencing work, of any skin, nose, throat or stomach infection, or infected wound;
• Keeping cuts and sores covered with a waterproof, high visibility dressing;
• Keeping all equipment and surfaces clean;
• Good food hygiene and safety practices.

It is good practice that food handlers who handle open high risk foods and who have a supervisory role, such as a head chef, or managers, undertake a higher level of training such as the intermediate Food Hygiene Course (Level 3), or the Advanced Food Hygiene Course (Level 4).

It is good practice to keep records of training completed by every member of staff in order to help demonstrate compliance with the training requirements.

Food Business Operators should review the training needs of their staff on a regular basis and provide refresher or update training where necessary. It is recommended that refresher training is undertaken at least every 3 years.

The Food Standards Agency have developed 10 short videos which provide best practice guidance on a number of potential food safety issues, such as:

• Handwashing
• Keep equipment separate
• Pest control
• Keeping foods covered
• Staff sickness
• Cleaning effectively
• Chilled storage and display
• Chilling foods
• Cooking safely
• Reheating

For any further advice, please contact the Food Safety Team.