What is the Difference Between a Food Handler and a Food Safety Supervisor?

Food Handler and Food Safety Supervisor are two important roles in the service industry, but there is often a bit of confusion as to what the difference is between the two roles.

What is a food handler?

A food handler is anyone who works with food as part of their job. This includes people involved in the preparation, cooking, storage, or serving of food and drinks, whether in a commercial kitchen, restaurant, catering business, or food manufacturing facility.

Key Responsibilities

A food handler may do many different things for a food business. Examples include making, cooking, preparing, serving, packing, displaying and storing food. Food handlers can also be involved in manufacturing, producing, collecting, extracting, processing, transporting, delivering, thawing or preserving food.

Training Requirements

Most regions require food handlers to complete basic food safety training. This training covers essential topics like proper hygiene practices, safe food storage, and understanding cross-contamination risks.

What is a food safety supervisor?

The FSS makes sure the business is handling food safely, so if something goes wrong, food that could be unsafe to eat is not processed further or served to consumers. The role of the FSS is to:

• make sure food safety risks are managed and issues are prevented or corrected
• instruct staff, review and update business procedures, and inspect premises and food handling operations
• share their food safety knowledge with other food handlers
• foster a positive food safety culture, so food safety is a top priority in 'the way we do things here'.

Training Requirements

Food Safety Supervisors are required to maintain a food safety supervisor certificate which they can get through training with an RTO. This certificate expires every 5 years and FSS will be required to renew their qualification.

What are the key differences Between a Food Handler and a Food Safety Supervisor?

You may already be aware of the differences based on the previous two sections. The first key difference is in responsibilities:

• Food handlers are responsible for the preparation of food, day-to-day tasks, and their own hygiene.
• Food safety supervisors oversee the businesses food safety policies and they supervise and give direction to other staff about food safety.

The next difference is in training:

• Food handlers must have completed a food safety training course or have skills and knowledge of food safety and hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities.
• Food safety supervisors on the other hand need to have a Food Safety Supervisor certificate attained from an accredited RTO and this will need to be renewed every five years.

Finally, Food Safety Supervisors have a high level of decision-making power in the business. They enforce food safety rules, make critical decisions in emergencies, and take corrective actions when compliance issues arise. On the other hand, food handlers will follow guidelines set by supervisors.