Appendix 1: Scheme criteria
Legal compliance
Food Hygiene and Safety (handling practices, procedures, temp. control)
Good compliance with Regulation (EC) No 852 on the hygiene of foodstuffs and The Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006, Schedule 4 – Temperature Control Requirements.
Structural
Good compliance with Regulation (EC) No 852 on hygiene of foodstuffs. Any non-compliance minor in nature only and not critical to food safety.
HACCP based food safety management system
1. In addition, whether or not flexibilities might otherwise apply with regard to the application of Article 5 of EC Regulation 852/2004. A documented HACCP based Food Safety Management System appropriate to the nature of the business is in place such as CookSafe, RetailSafe, ButcherSafe, businesses own system or local authority own system.
2. Audit by Local Authority confirms general compliance with documented Food Safety Management System.
Training
- All food handlers to receive the essentials of food hygiene instruction before starting work and further food hygiene awareness instruction within 4 weeks (8 weeks for part time staff) of commencing employment. (1)
- All food handlers involved in preparation and handling of high-risk open (unwrapped) foods will have been successful in an examination taken following an elementary (2) level food hygiene training course, or equivalent in-house training (3) within 3 months of commencement of employment.
- All food handlers that have not achieved the elementary level food hygiene competence set out in the preceding bullet point must be supervised by a person who has that level of competence or intermediate (4) food hygiene level where the next bullet applies.
- Where a business handles either: a. open ready to eat foods and unwrapped raw meat/poultry or unwashed root vegetables at the same time, or b. unwrapped high risk (perishable) ready to eat foods, All food handlers must be supervised by a person who has been successful in an examination taken following an intermediate level food hygiene or equivalent in-house course (5) .
- A food handler holding the elementary food hygiene or, where required under bullet point 4, the intermediate food hygiene certificate may work without supervision by a person trained to that standard.
- Staff responsible for the development and maintenance of Food Safety Management System have received appropriate training in the application of HACCP principles (6).
- Certificates and/or the training records available to prove these competencies.
References:
Officers should use discretion in applying training criteria e.g. businesses should not be refused an Award merely because one or two food handlers were not trained within specified time periods or if certificates have not yet been received from the Awarding body.
Equivalent to Level 2 Food Hygiene Award in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
The onus for demonstrating the equivalence of in-house training and subsequent assessment of competence rests with the business
Equivalent to Level 3 Food Hygiene Award in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
At least one person with intermediate training would be present in the premises in normal circumstances at times when these operations are being carried out. Practical allowances for holidays or short absences due to other business needs may be necessary, however, arrangements should be in place in the premises to ensure the food hygiene management and HACCP arrangements are working effectively during any such absences.
As set out in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs / The Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006