Food Safety Supervisor QLD | The Key Roles of an FSS

What is the Food Safety Supervisor QLD?

It is a role for which all food businesses in Queensland are required to hire or assign personnel. The Food Safety Supervisor role may be appointed, in which the designated employee will be obliged to undertake the necessary training course for certification. The FSS role can also be hired, in which the hired employee will already have their certification in Food Safety Supervisor training.

To attain the certification, a food industry employee can enroll in any of the Registered Training Organisations (or RTOs) that offer the Food Safety Supervisor training course. The course is Nationally Recognised Training which means that it is a recognised education across all states and territories.

The Food Safety Supervisor training course can be delivered through face-to-face and online classes. These classes have a proscribed completion period, in which the student must complete the course within the allocated time to qualify for certification assessment. Once the student has successfully passed the training course, they will be provided with a copy of their certification via email. The certificate is also visible via the student portal.

The Food Safety Supervisor role has several responsibilities, including understanding food safety legislation, food safety and hygiene. Below are a few more of the duties of a Food Safety Supervisor, of which a comprehensive training course should be able to cover adequately.

Implement correct methods of cleaning and sanitising.

When it comes to food safety, there are specific steps that should be taken to ensure that the food to be served is safe to consume. A Food Safety Supervisor’s role within a food business is to create and implement the appropriate methods of cleaning and sanitising, both for food preparation stations and the food items themselves. The Food Safety Supervisor should also be able to educate food business staff on the proper methods as fits their business.

The Food Safety Supervisor is also responsible for ensuring that any established processes regarding cleaning ad sanitising are enforced to the best of the staff’s ability, and is tasked with inspecting food preparation stations to ensure staff compliance.

Maintain appropriate standards of personal hygiene for food handlers.

Food handlers are the first line of contact when it comes to food preparation. It is especially important for food handlers to have good hygiene, and a responsible Food Safety Supervisor bears the responsibility of establishing guidelines for personal hygiene. The Food Safety Supervisor is also tasked with ensuring that these guidelines are followed and met.

Reduce the risks of food-borne illnesses, such as food poisoning.

Food poisoning costs the Australian government millions annually in terms of lost productivity days. The Food Safety Supervisor’s role in the food industry is to help manage the impact of food-borne illnesses on the community by ensuring that risks associated with food preparation and service are minimised as much as possible. This means that the Food Safety Supervisor should be able to identify these risks and create effective processes to mitigate or resolve them.

The food industry can be a rewarding experience. Learn more about working in the food industry – enroll in a Food Safety Supervisor training course today.