Food Business Requirements

Food Safety Supervisors

Most food businesses are required to have a food safety supervisor for the food business. This food safety supervisor must:

• know how to recognize, prevent and alleviate food safety hazards of the food business
• have skills and knowledge in matters relating to food safety relevant to the food business
• have the authority to supervise and give directions about matters relating to food safety to persons who handle food in the food business
• be reasonably available to be contacted by food handling staff and by the licensing local government while the business is being carried on

Hinchinbrook Shire Council adopts the Queensland Health recommendation requiring food safety supervisors to have attained relevant qualifications from a Registered Training Organisation. Queensland Health have published guidelines for Food Safety Supervisors which includes a list of competency units required.

It is the food safety supervisor’s responsibility to ensure all food handling and storage processes are appropriate.

The Food Act 2006 requires all eligible food businesses to at all times continue to have a food safety supervisor for the business. Similarly, you are required to advise Council within 14 days of a person ceasing to be a food safety supervisor for the business or if the contact details of your food safety supervisor change.

You may have more than one food safety supervisor for the business.

Non-profit food businesses that are not licensable are not required to have a food safety supervisor.

Food Safety Programs

Certain businesses require a higher level of compliance and are therefore required to implement a Food Safety Program as well hold a food business licence. These include:

• A business that involves off-site catering
• A business whose primary activity is on-site catering at the premises stated in the licence
• A business whose primary activity is on-site catering at part of the premises stated in the licence and catering for 200 or more people on 12 or more occasions in any 12 month period
• A business that is carried on as part of the operations of a private hospital
• A business that processes or serves potentially hazardous food for six or more vulnerable people including:
  • a child care facility
  • an aged care facility
• A business whose principal activity is processing potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food for delivery by a delivered meals organisation to at least six persons at a time