Edition 56, May 2008

QLD outlines minimum competencies for food safety auditors

Queensland Health has established a list of units of competency which are required by persons who are considering applying to become approved food safety auditors under the Food Act 2006.

These units have been agreed by food regulators across Australia as the basis for training and assessing the competence of food safety auditors. The agreement will allow for the implementation of minimum food safety auditor competency standards by all states and territories by 25 October 2011 to give effect to the National Food Safety Audit Policy.

The competencies will ensure persons seeking to become auditors have the ability to undertake auditing of licensed food businesses that have accredited food safety programs under the Act.

Registered training organisations who currently deliver auditor qualifications need to be aware of the minimum units of competency required by Queensland Health and should amend any current courses or skills recognition processes accordingly.

The units of competency, which all come from the Food Processing Industry Training Package (FDF03), are:

  • FDFFSACA Assess compliance with food safety programs
  • FDFFSCFSAA Conduct food safety audits
  • FDFFSCHZA Identify, evaluate and control food safety hazards
  • FDFFSCOMA Communicate and negotiate to conduct food safety audits.

Additional units could also be used to demonstrate skills and knowledge for certain complex or high-risk processes within the relevant scope of practice.

These are:

  • FDFFSCC4A Audit a cook chill process
  • FDFFSHT4A Audit a heat treatment process
  • FDFFSBM4A Audit bivalve mollusc growing and harvesting processes
  • FDFFSME4A Audit manufacturing of ready-to-eat meat products.

To be considered as an approved food safety auditor, applicants will be assessed against the following criteria, in order to determine whether they have the necessary expertise or experience to perform the functions of an auditor, and is a suitable person to be an auditor:

  • qualifications/education in food safety
  • skills/knowledge in food safety auditing and regulatory system requirements
  • food sector work/audit experience and expertise
  • additional provisions including understanding of professional conduct.

For more information contact the Food Safety Policy and Regulation section - Environmental Health Unit, Queensland Health, on 07 3234 0938, foodsafety@health.qld.gov.au or visit www.health.qld.gov.au/foodsafety

This page was generated on 08 January, 2010

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