What is management of food safety?
This component looks at how effectively food safety is managed within your business.
It isn't simply about having paperwork. A food safety officer will consider whether suitable systems and checks are in place for your business, whether they are being followed in practice, whether staff understand their food safety responsibilities and whether there is confidence that appropriate standards will continue to be maintained.
Food safety
management system
Suitable procedures and controls for the nature and size of your food business.
Checks & records
Evidence that important food safety controls are being monitored and managed.
Staff knowledge
& practices
Staff understand their responsibilities and can demonstrate safe practices.
Confidence
in management
Evidence that food safety is being managed consistently and standards are likely to be maintained.
Explore your score
Choose your score below to understand what it means and find practical guidance on strengthening your food safety management.
Very good
Understand what this means and how to maintain strong management controls.
Explore this score →Good
Find out where your management arrangements could potentially be strengthened.
Explore this score →Generally
satisfactory
Understand the areas to review to help move towards Good or Very good.
Explore this score →Major improvement
necessary
Identify where significant improvements to food safety management may be required.
Explore this score →Urgent improvement
necessary
Understand the importance of addressing the issues identified by your food safety officer.
Explore this score →What does the food safety officer assess?
Food safety officers consider whether you have suitable systems and checks in place, and whether they are being followed effectively in practice.
Food safety
procedures
Are suitable procedures and controls in place for the nature and size of the business?
Monitoring & checks
Are important controls being checked and, where appropriate, recorded?
Staff knowledge
Do staff understand the food safety controls relevant to their work?
Corrective action
Are problems recognised and dealt with appropriately when something goes wrong?
Implementation
Are those procedures actually being followed as part of everyday operations?
Ongoing management
Is there evidence that food safety is managed consistently and standards will continue to be maintained?
Good management isn’t just paperwork
Effective food safety management is about having suitable procedures, putting them into practice and being able to demonstrate that controls are working.
Procedures
Your food safety procedures should be appropriate for your business and cover the hazards and controls relevant to the food you handle.
Practice
The procedures need to be reflected in what actually happens in the business. Staff should understand them and apply them consistently.
Evidence
Records and checks can help demonstrate that controls are being managed, but records alone do not demonstrate good food safety management if the procedures are not being followed.
How to improve management of food safety
Use this checklist to review how food safety is managed in your business and identify areas that may need strengthening.