Creating Food Safety Awareness Through Food Safety Training

When we conduct food safety training, are we equipping people to do their jobs safely, or are we training only to satisfy a clause in a standard?

Training programmes should be designed to change behaviour. Better food safety follows more thorough and more regular training. Knowing the rules does not automatically mean people will follow them. People are more likely to use a safe-food behaviour, and to influence others, when they understand the training and have confidence in it.

Training often lists dos and don'ts and skips the reason. Adults need the why. Employees should be told why the training is happening and what non-compliance would mean for food safety.

Training has to reach every level of the organisation. If senior management is left out, they will not understand the risks or why the system needs resources. Educating food handlers protects the public, the handlers themselves and their families. Adequately trained food handlers reduce the behaviours commonly associated with foodborne illness and outbreaks.