Everyone who works in a food business is responsible for ensuring that the food they sell or prepare for sale is safe for people to eat.
Business proprietors of a food premises must ensure that food safety processes are put in place and that they work. The business owner may nominate a food safety supervisor to work under the owner’s direction. The food safety supervisor’s role is to supervise food handing in the business and to make sure it’s done safely.
All staff handling food need to have the skills and knowledge relevant to their tasks. The means that different people in the business will need to know different things. For example, the cook will need different skills and knowledge than those required by a dishwasher or front-of-house staff.
A food safety supervisor is a person who:
- knows how to recognise, prevent and alleviate the hazards associated with food handling at your premises
- has met an appropriate food safety competency standard for your type of food premises through a registered training organisation
- has the ability and authority to supervise other people handling food at your premises and ensure that food handling is done safely
A food safety supervisor must have completed recognised training, and you must submit their Statement of Attainment to council when registering your food business. The training must meet the Minimum Competency Standards. To find a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) visit MySkills.
Class 1
Must ensure there is a food safety supervisor for the premises.
Class 2
Must ensure there is a food safety supervisor for the premises.
Class 3
Do not need to have a food safety supervisor. However, must ensure that all staff working at the premises have skills and knowledge to safely handle food in their premises.
Class 4
Do not need to have a food safety supervisor. However, must ensure that all staff working at the premises have skills and knowledge to safely handle food in their premises.
Class 3 and 4 businesses are encouraged to complete food safety learning programs such as Do Food Safely.
Find more information about Food safety supervisors at the Department of Health website.