Food business Food Safety Culture is a challenge but worth taking!
Major UK & Global Food Safety Standards now and, have for some time, included sections on Safety Culture design and implementation. The new Version 6 of the SALSA Food Standard is the latest!
All BRCGS Standards i.e. Food, Storage & Distribution, Agents & Brokers etc includes a clause on the topic.
A Safety Culture is described as the prevailing or practised attitudes and values related to a food safety which are taught to employees. This can happen directly or indirectly.
Regular audits are a vital part of this process.
Food Safety Culture as a Management Process
This includes:
• Leadership, strategy and a plan to ensure the production of safe food consistently
• Awareness, engagement and commitment of all employees in the importance of safe production and distribution of food
• Clear communication and understanding of roles and responsibilities and their interactions for all employees in the food business
• Maintaining the integrity of the food safety management system, through verifying controls in a timely and efficient manner and documentation is up to date
• Continual improvement of the food safety management system, taking into account changes and developments in science, technology and best practices.
• Availability of sufficient resources and facilities to ensure the consistent, safe and hygienic handling of food.
All of the above can improve internal processes if adopted as part of a continuous safety culture.
How does this affect my Food Safety Accreditation?
Whether this topic is classed as a theme or a requirement with it’s own clause, passing and maintaining a food safety accreditation audit, is impacted. This is a challenge to many food businesses because food safety culture is not an exact management process. It is also a continuous process, demanding regular review and improvements.
It often requires expert interpretation based on the needs of each business yet still fulfilling the needs of the Standard.
Food Safety Design & Implementation
In the latest SALSA Food V6 Standard, there is not a direct clause covering the subject, however, the theme of food safety culture runs through the whole standard.
This means, the auditor will ask for evidence, for example, documents e.g. staff training records and paperwork e.g. staff consultations which show implementation of a safety culture throughout the whole food safety system.
In all BRCGS Standards, there is a required clause. A business needs to show they have designed and implemented a way of measuring safety culture internally. It could start as a strategic five year plan.
The plan can include how things are to be developed further and improved, for example, annual confidential staff surveys.
The surveys can identify gaps in the current system which can lead to appropriate staff training.
There are many examples of these questionnaires.
