Pre Audit Checklist Be prepared and confident that you are 100% compliant!

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1 Introduction: Pre Audit Checklist Be prepared and confident that you are 100% compliant! This reference has been prepared by Gavin Buckett, the Founder and Managing Director of AGB Solutions Pty Ltd, to assist food service operators in preparing for their first food safety audit. About the author: Gavin Buckett is a multi award winning qualified chef, with tertiary qualifications in Food Technology and Confectionary Manufacture, who started his own specialised food safety business. Founded in 2005, by Gavin and Angela Buckett, AGB Solutions is a specialist provider of Food Safety Services and Quality Assurance Services to all manner of industries including food and beverage manufacturers, distributors, restaurants, caterers, hospitals and aged care facilities to name just a few. Mr Buckett has vast experience that includes 15 years as a qualified chef, a food safety trainer, implementing HACCP systems to at least a dozen different market sectors and six years as a registered food safety auditor, which in 2008 culminated in him achieving Level 4 - High Risk Auditor in the National Food Safety Auditor Scheme (the highest possible). Utilising his experience as a chef, Mr Buckett has a very practical approach to food safety. While food safety is vitally important to your business, there are many simple things that you can do to ensure not only the health of your business, but also the health of your number one asset: your customers. By combining a unique blend of practical experience, a thorough knowledge of food legislation, using language that food operators understand and a belief that good food can also be prepared safely, Mr Buckett ensures that safety of his clients businesses and their customers is paramount. He adds value to the services that he provides through free work shops, a food safety service, a food safety blog and random surprises that his clients receive, which enable them to ensure that their products are safer than their competitors. Mr Buckett lives by the quote: "Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone." - Pablo Picasso

2 What is a food safety program? If you are unsure what a food safety program is, please refer to our document titled Australian Food Safety What is a Food Safety Program The purpose of this document is to provide you with a pre audit checklist, so that you can go through your own food safety program and ensure that it ALL of the requirements that are legislatively required. Food Safety Audits are often considered expensive exercises (refer to our document on how to select a food safety auditor to ensure you get 10 times the value out of your food safety auditor), and most auditors also charge for review of corrective actions that are undertaken, so if you are prepared: Your business will be more compliant Your total audit costs will be reduced You will have a greater confidence when being audited Pre Audit Checklist: The following checklist relates to the requirements of a Food Safety Program as required by. Some states have additional individual legislative requirements that are not covered in this document. i.e. In Victoria, in addition to a Food Safety Program, each business must have a designated Food Safety Supervisor, and that supervisor must be named in the Food Safety Program. If you need to check the requirement referred to, go to Chapter 3 of the Food Standards Code at: Each individual state requirements will be addressed in a separate document future weeks. To utilise this checklist, look at the requirement, and tick the second last column if it is contained in your Food Safety Program. In the last column indicate where in your Food Safety Program the requirement is (i.e. page # or section #)

3 3.2.1 Section Section 5 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 5 Section 5 General Food Safety Program (FSP) s. These requirements need to contained in the FSP and documented how they are complied with. A food business must: Examine all of its food handling operations and identify the potential hazards that may occur If one or more hazards are identified, develop and implement a food safety program to control the hazard or hazards; Have the food safety program as a written document (this can be electronic) Retain that document at the food premises Comply with the food safety program Conduct an internal audit of the FSP at least every 12 months A FSP must ensure that: All potential hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur in all food handling operations of the food business are identified If a hazard is identified, the FSP must explain how the hazard can be controlled All identified hazards are monitored Corrective Action is detailed when the that hazard, or each of those hazards, is found not to be under control Appropriate records are kept that demonstrate compliance with the FSP. Appropriate records are kept of corrective action undertaken. Have an internal audit process that ensures that the FSP is current and adequate The following list of requirements needs to be contained in your FSP if they are applicable to your business. The procedure must contain how the business complies with this requirement: Training: The business must ensure that all employees that are responsible for supervising food handling operations have the appropriate skills and knowledge in food safety and food hygiene matters. If minimum competencies are required, explain what those competencies are. Explain who is responsible for the training. Notification: Contact details of the food business including: The name of the food business The name and business address of the proprietor of the food business The type of food business you are operating The location of all food premises of the food business (including off site facilities) Purchasing: The name, address, contact details and type of food that each supplier is maintained. Purchasing: How it ensures that it only accepts food that is protected from the likelihood of contamination. Receipt: How it ensures that high risk foods are received: Cold food: Below 5 C Hot food: Above 60 C If intended to be frozen, is frozen solid and showing no signs of defrosting

4 Section 6 Section 6 Section 7 Section 7 Section 7 Section 7 Section 8 Section 8 Section 8 Section 9 Section 10 Storage: How it ensures that high risk foods are stored: Cold food: Below 5 C Hot food: Above 60 C Frozen food: Below -15 C Storage: How it ensures that high risk foods are stored so that they are protected from the likelihood of contamination; and the conditions under which it is stored will not adversely affect the safety and suitability of the food. Processing: What practicable measures are undertaken to process only safe and suitable food and what steps are taken to prevent the likelihood of food being contaminated and Cooking: Document a process step that is reasonably known to achieve the microbiological safety of the food Cooling: Ensure that high risk foods are cooled: within two hours from 60 C to 21 C; and within a further four hours from 21 C to 5 C. Reheating: Ensure that high risk foods are reheated to above 60 C. Display: Explain how the business won t display any ready-to-eat food that is not intended for self-service unless it is enclosed, contained or wrapped so that the food is protected from likely contamination. Display: Ensure that high risk foods are displayed: Cold food: Below 5 C Hot food: Above 60 C If intended to be frozen, is displayed frozen solid and shows no signs of defrosting Self Serve Buffets: Unpackaged ready-to-eat foods must be: Effectively supervised so that any food that is contaminated by a customer or is likely to have been so contaminated is removed from display without delay; Have separate serving utensils for each food or other dispensing method Have a protective barrier that minimises the likelihood of contamination by customers. Food Packaging: A food business must ensure that: Only packaging materials that suitable for use with food Packaging materials are not likely to cause food contamination Food cannot become contaminated during the packaging process. Transportation (this includes internal and external transportation): How it ensures that high risk foods are transported: Cold food: Below 5 C Hot food: Above 60 C If intended to be frozen, remains frozen solid and showing no signs of defrosting

5 Section 11 Section 11 Section 11 Section 12 Section 13 Section 14 Section 15 Food disposal and products that are not to be used: Food for disposal is food that is: Subject to recall Has been returned Is not safe or suitable; or Is reasonably suspected of not being safe or suitable. It must be held and kept separate until it is: Destroyed or disposed of so that it cannot be used for human consumption Returned to its supplier Further processed in a way that ensures its safety and suitability; or Ascertained to be safe and suitable. Food disposal: Food for disposal must be clearly identified. Food disposal: You are not permitted to sell food that has been already served to a person, to another person unless the food was completely wrapped when served and has remained completely wrapped. Food recall: All food business that wholesale, manufacture or import food must: Have a system to ensure the recall of unsafe food; Have a written document and make this document available to an authorised officer upon request; and Comply with this system when recalling unsafe food. A food handler must take all reasonable measures not to handle food or surfaces likely to come into contact with food in a way that is likely to compromise the safety and suitability of the food Personal hygiene A food handler who is suffering from a food-borne disease or knows that they are a carrier of a food-borne disease, must (if at work): Report this to their supervisor Not handle any food where the food may become contaminated If continuing to engage in other work on the food premises ensure that food cannot become contaminated. Report that they are suffering from the condition to his or her supervisor; and Must notify their supervisor if they know or suspect that he or she may have contaminated food whilst handling food. A food handler, when engaging in any food handling operation must: Ensure anything from their body or clothes does not contaminate food or food contact surfaces Prevent unnecessary contact with ready-to-eat food; Ensure outer clothing is clean Only use bandages and dressings that are completely covered with a waterproofed covering; Not eat in food preparation areas Not sneeze, blow or cough over unprotected food or

6 Section 16 Section 17 Section 18 Section 18 Section 18 Section 19 Section 19 Section 20 surfaces likely to come into contact with food; Not spit, smoke or use tobacco or similar in food preparation and storage areas Not urinate or defecate except in a toilet. A food business must ensure that employees known to be suffering from a food-borne disease, or who is a carrier of a food-borne disease are not permitted to work with food. A food premises must have easily accessible hand washing facilities that have: Warm running water; and Liquid soap; or An other items that may be used to thoroughly clean hands; The business must ensure the hand washing facilities are only used for the washing of hands, arms and face; and be stocked with single use towels or other means of effectively drying hands and a container for used towels (if needed) A food business must inform (train, induct etc.) all food handlers working for the food business of their health and hygiene obligations A food business must ensure that any information provided by a food handler is not disclosed to any person without the consent of the food handler, except the proprietor or an authorised officer, and that the information is not used for any purpose other than addressing the risk of food contamination. A food business must ensure that all PEOPLE on their premises (not just staff): Do not contaminate food; Do not have unnecessary contact with food Do not spit, smoke, or use tobacco or similar in preparations areas. Waste disposal: A food business must maintain food premises to a standard of cleanliness so that there is no accumulation of: Garbage, except in garbage containers; Recycled matter, except in containers; Food waste; Dirt; Grease; or other visible matter Cleaning: A food business must maintain all fixtures, fittings and equipment and parts of vehicles that are used to transport food, so there is no accumulation of Food waste; Dirt; Grease; or other visible matter Cleaning and sanitising: A food business must ensure that the following equipment is in a clean and sanitary condition: Eating and drinking utensils - immediately before each use; and The food contact surfaces of equipment - whenever food

7 Section 21 Division 6 Section 22 Division 6 Section 23 Division 6 Section 23 Division 6 Section 24 Section 3 Section 4 that will come into contact with the surface is likely to be contaminated. Clean and sanitary condition means, the condition of the surface or utensil is: Clean; and Applied to it heat or chemicals to sanitise the surface of the product. The cleaning and sanitising process must: Not compromise the safety of the food with which it may come into contact; and Does not permit the transmission of infectious disease. Maintenance: A food business must maintain all fixtures, fittings and equipment and parts of vehicles that are used to transport food, so they are: Utensils and crockery: A food business must maintain all utensils and crockery in a good state of repair and working order. Thermometers: If a food business is handling high risk food, they must have a temperature measuring device that is: Is readily accessible; and Can accurately measure the temperature of potentially hazardous food to +/- 1ºC (your program will need to show how the thermometer is accurate. This is called calibration) Single use items (SUI): A food business must ensure that SUI do not come in contact with food if they are contaminated Single use items (SUI): Must be protected prior to use Not reused Animals and pests: A food business must ensure that: live animals are not in areas in which food is handled (other than seafood or other fish or shellfish); Assistance animals remain in dining and drinking areas and other areas used by customers; Pests are prevented from entering the food premises; and Eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests on the food premises vehicles that are used to transport food. The following requirements relate to the facility that is being audited Design and construction: The design and construction must: Be appropriate for the activities for which the premises are used; Provide adequate space for the activities to be conducted Allow the fixtures, fittings and equipment used for those activities to be effectively cleaned and, if necessary, sanitised; Exclude dirt, dust, fumes, smoke and other contaminants; Not permit the entry of pests; and Not provide harbourage for pests. Water supply: The premises must: Have an adequate supply of water (if water is to be used at the food premises)

8 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Must use potable water Water supply: Non potable water can only be used if the food business demonstrates that the use of non-potable water for a purpose will not affect the safety of the food handled by the food business, Sewage and waste water disposal Food premises must have a sewage and waste water disposal system that Will effectively dispose of all sewage and waste water; and Is constructed and located so that there is no likelihood of the sewage and waste water polluting the water supply or contaminating food. Storage of garbage and recyclable matter Food premises must have facilities for the storage of garbage and recyclable matter that: Adequately the volume and type of garbage and recyclable materials Enclose the garbage or recyclable matter, if this is necessary to keep pests and animals away from it; and Are designed and constructed so that they may be easily and effectively cleaned. Ventilation There must be sufficient natural or mechanical ventilation to effectively remove fumes, smoke, steam and vapours from the food premises. Lighting There must be sufficient natural or artificial light for the activities conducted on the food premises. Section 10 Section 11 Section 12 Section 12 Floors (these requirements apply to food processing and storage areas but do not apply to dining areas, drinking areas or areas where the public has access) The floors must be designed and constructed so that they: Can be effectively cleaned; Are unable to absorb grease, food particles or water; Do not allow ponding of water; and Do not allow the harbourage of pests. Walls and ceilings (these requirements apply to food processing and storage areas but do not apply to dining areas, drinking areas or areas where the public has access) The walls must be designed and constructed so that they protect food from contamination. They must be: Sealed to prevent the entry of dirt, dust and pests; Unable to absorb grease, food particles or water; and Able to be easily and effectively cleaned. Do not allow the harbourage of pests Fixtures, fittings and equipment Must be designed, constructed, located and installed so that They won t cause food contamination; They can be easily and effectively cleaned; Adjacent floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces are able to be easily and effectively cleaned; and Do not allow the harbourage of pests. Food contact surfaces must be: Able to be easily and effectively cleaned and sanitised; Unable to absorb grease, food particles and water

9 Section 12 Section 13 Section 14 Section 14 Section 15 Section 16 Section 17 Section 17 Section Section 4 Made of material that will not contaminate food. Eating and drinking utensils must be able to be easily and effectively cleaned and sanitised. Connections for fixtures, fittings and equipment: If they use water they must be designed and connected to a potable water supply If they are designed to be connected to a sewage and waste water disposal system and discharge sewage or waste water must be connected to a sewage and waste water disposal system. Automatic equipment that uses water to sanitise utensils or other equipment must only operate for the purpose of sanitation when the water is at a temperature that will sanitise the utensils or equipment (> 82 C) Hand washing facilities Must be located where they can be easily accessed by food handlers. This includes: Within areas where food handlers work Immediately adjacent to the toilets Hand washing facilities must be: Permanent fixtures; Connected to warm running potable water; Big enough to easily and effective wash hands Clearly designated for the sole purpose of washing hands, arms and face. Storage facilities Food premises must have adequate storage facilities for the storage chemicals, clothing and personal belongings and must be located where there is no likelihood of contaminating food and food contact surfaces. Toilet facilities A food business must ensure that adequate toilets are available for the use of food handlers working for the food business Food transport vehicles Vehicles used to transport food must be designed and constructed to protect food if there is a likelihood of food being contaminated during transport. Food transport vehicles Parts of vehicles used to transport food must be designed and constructed so that they are able to be effectively cleaned. Food transport vehicles Food contact surfaces must be designed and constructed to be effectively cleaned and sanitised Food Safety Audit s. The Business must: ensure that the food safety program is audited by a food safety auditor at the auditing frequency applicable to the food business Have a written document that sets out the food safety program, and the appropriate records must be available to any food safety auditor who has been requested to conduct an audit Maintain copies of food safety audit reports for a minimum of four years

10 If you need any further information, you can: Visit AGB Solutions website at (subscribe to the FREE food safety news bulletin while you are there and you will automatically receive our Seven deadly Sins s) While you are on the site, consider subscribing to our 12 month Food Safety Compliance System ($19 per month for 12 months) Visiting our food safety blog ( Contacting Gavin at or on