Australian Capital Territory
Food (Training Approval) Guidelines 2017 (No 1)
Notifiable instrument NI2017–156
made under the  
Food Act 2001, s119 (Food safety training approval guidelines)

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Food (Training Approval) Guidelines 2017 (No 1).
2	Commencement 
This instrument commences on the day after notification. 
3	Purpose
To approve food safety training courses that can be completed for appointment as a food safety supervisor in a registered food business.
4	Approval
The guidelines as set out in Schedule 1 are approved.
5	Revocation
This instrument revokes Food (Training Approval) Guidelines 2015 (No 1) NI2015‑166.

Conrad Barr
Executive Director, Health Protection Service
13 February 2017

Schedule 1

Food Safety Supervisor Training Guidelines

Contents
 
Overview
Competency Based Training Requirements
I’M ALERT Food Safety Training
Notification of Food Safety Supervisors
Recognition of prior learning
Validity period for food safety training
Mutual recognition
Definitions

Overview
These guidelines cover food safety training requirements for food safety supervisors in registered food businesses in the ACT.

All registered food businesses must appoint a food safety supervisor. To be appointed as a food safety supervisor, a person must have completed appropriate food safety training delivered by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

Registered food businesses that sell potentially hazardous food must appoint a food safety supervisor who has completed competency based training in each of the prescribed units relevant to their industry sector, as detailed in Table 1.  

Registered food businesses that do not sell potentially hazardous food must appoint a food safety supervisor who has completed either online I’M ALERT Food Handler Training or any of the competency units listed in Table 1.

Registered food businesses that sell food at a declared event must appoint a food safety supervisor who has completed either online I’M ALERT Food Handler Training or any of the competency units listed in Table 1.

Competency Based Training Requirements
The competency units in Table 1 (below) are the required training courses for food safety supervisors in businesses that sell potentially hazardous food. Different competency units apply depending on the industry sector in which the food business operates. 
For the purposes of these guidelines, the following definitions apply:
•	Hospitality food businesses are those that handle, prepare or cook food prior to sale. These businesses generally include: cafes, restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels, fast food outlets, supermarkets, delicatessens, butchers and caterers etc.
•	Retail food businesses are those that sell pre-packaged food only; they do not prepare or handle unpackaged foods. These businesses generally include: convenience stores, grocers and petrol stations etc. 
•	Health and Community Services food businesses are those that deliver a food service as part of a health care, child care or aged care service, such as in a hospital, hospice, nursing home or childcare centre.

A list of RTOs that offer competency based training is available from the National Register of Vocational Education and Training at www.training.gov.au/search.  

Industry sector	Prescribed Competency Units	
Hospitality
e.g. restaurants, cafes, fast food/take away outlets, hotels, supermarkets 	Both units:
SITXFSA001 Use hygienic practices for food safety; and
SITXFSA002 Participate in safe food handling practices.	
Retail
e.g. convenience stores, grocers, petrol stations   
	SIRRFSA001 Apply retail food safety practices	
Health and Community Services
e.g. hospitals, child care centres, nursing homes 	All three units:
HLTFSE001 Follow basic food safety practices; and
HLTFSE007 Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace; and
HLTFSE005 OR both units from the Hospitality sector above.
	
Table 1 – Approved training courses for businesses that sell potentially hazardous food

Training in equivalent units that have been superseded by the units listed above will be recognised provided they were completed within the last five years. A food safety supervisor will not need to update their training just because the unit is updated.
I’M ALERT Food Safety Training 
I’M ALERT Food Safety Training is an on-line training course focused on safe food handling. This training is available free of charge on the ACT Health website http://health.act.gov.au/public-information/businesses/food-safety-regulation/im-alert-food-safety-training. 
Although all registered food businesses must appoint a food safety supervisor, certain businesses can appoint a food safety supervisor who has completed the I’M ALERT Food Safety Training rather than competency based training. These include:
•	registered food businesses that do not sell any potentially hazardous foods; 
•	businesses or organisations only that only sell food at a declared event. 
Alternatively, these food businesses may choose to appoint a food safety supervisor who has completed any of the competency based training listed in Table 1.

Food Business category	Minimum training required	
Food businesses that do not sell potentially hazardous foods	All modules of the I’M ALERT Food Safety Training
OR
Any of the competency units listed under the Hospitality or
Health and Community Services in Table 1	
Food businesses at a declared event	All modules of the I’M ALERT Food Safety Training
OR
Any of the competency units listed under the Hospitality or
Health and Community Services in Table 1	
Table 2 – Approved training courses for businesses exempt from competency based training
Evidence of completion of the I’M ALERT training is required. The certificate of completion and training acknowledgement form (issued by the website) should be retained as proof of food safety training.  
Notification of Food Safety Supervisors
Following registration, new food businesses have 30 days to appoint a food safety supervisor and notify the Health Protection Service. You can do so by completing the Food Safety Supervisor Nomination Form on the ACT Health website. 
You do not need to submit copies of your food safety supervisor’s statement of attainment to the Health Protection Service. However, you must be able to produce it to a Public Health Officer upon request.
If you are operating at a declared event, you must provide your food safety supervisor’s I’M ALERT completion certificate with your declared event registration application. Please see the Starting a Food Business in the ACT webpage on the ACT Health website for more information.
Recognition of prior learning 
If you have previously completed training units not listed in Table 1, and you believe they should be counted towards the food safety supervisor requirements, please discuss this with your preferred RTO.
There are several processes available for establishing credit, including recognition of prior learning (RPL), and credit transfer for parts of other qualifications already completed. Applications for RPL or a credit transfer should be made to your preferred RTO.
A statement of attainment issued by an RTO based on RPL or credit transfer is acceptable for the purposes of appointing a food safety supervisor.
Validity period for food safety training 
A statement of attainment that satisfies the training requirements is valid for five years from the date of issue.
For example, a chef who completed their qualification less than 5 years ago can be appointed as a food safety supervisor. However, if their qualification was completed more than 5 years ago they must renew their skills by completing the required competency units. 
Mutual recognition 
If you have completed training that allows you to operate as a Food Safety Supervisor in another State or Territory, it will be viewed as appropriate if completed within the last five years. 
Definitions
Potentially hazardous food means food that must be kept within a certain temperature range to: 
(a)	minimise the growth of any pathogenic micro-organisms that may be in the food; or
(b)	prevent the formation of toxins in the food. 

Declared event means an event declared by the Minister to be a regulated event under the Food Act 2001. Events are declared if they are deemed to be large events that pose a higher public health risk (for example, the National Multicultural Festival and the National Folk Festival are declared events). All declared events are listed on the ACT Legislation Register via disallowable instrument; they are also detailed on ACT Health’s Food Sold at Declared Events webpage.