If you own or run a food business in Australia, the area of food safety should be of prime concern to you for many reasons. Most importantly, the food safety culture you develop early on will establish a sound business strategy that not only promotes the safety of your customers and employees, but ensures the long term viability of your company. The food safety culture should be based on a high standard of cleanliness that is accomplished as a direct result of consistent, thorough and meaningful training programs for all employees on each level of the food handling process.
There is a great amount of information and knowledge that must be shared with employees in order to consistently serve safe food. Properly developed and executed food safety training programs should send a strong message to all food handlers that policies ensuring food safety are critical in your operation.
The area of food safety covers many different topics. Not only are there requirements to meet with regards to food storage, food preparation, and safe food handling but if you are a manufacturer or producer, there are also requirements to meet in the labeling of your food products…important information for people who may have food allergies or sensitivities to certain ingredients.
Deadly outbreaks of E.coli and salmonella have created a demand for enhanced food safety processes, and the government has responded with regulations that must be implemented and executed on a daily basis. These regulations were created to help food businesses prevent food borne illnesses that could arise when food is improperly handled, cooked/reheated, and stored. Making sense out of the regulations and trying to figure out the best way to incorporate them into your business can be challenging…yet, you can’t ignore them. Nothing will shut a business down faster than breaches of cleaning standards, and if it is discovered that your restaurant has breached food law, your business can be fined or closed either temporarily or permanently and added to the Name and Shame register.
Incorporating an effective process to implement the necessary health regulations early on in your operation, will reflect a sound business policy that will help to mitigate your future liability by reducing food safety risks as you continue to grow and expand. As a food operator with so many responsibilities, it’s difficult to do it all yourself, so investing in outside experts to evaluate your current operation may be just the help you need. Remember that a little money spent on this now can prevent large legal fees down the line.
Think ST Solutions is both a training and publications consultancy that offers practical solutions to both management and staff in hospitals, aged care facilities, restaurants, hotels and the food industry. We specialise in food safety, strategic planning, business management, risk and compliance training and business consultancy solutions. We offer ready-made training and information packages which you can download directly and use in your business or we can customise our products to suit any other specific needs you may have.
Because all of our products can be easily downloaded, you can begin to use them right away! Our Quick Guides are simple, easy to read books that cover the basic information that you and your staff need to know. These resources will assist you and your food business to comply with food laws and specifically meet the skills and knowledge requirements contained within the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code. Our step by step guide in food safety (for restaurants, cafés and aged care facilities) along with our food safety monitoring forms will provide an easy way to document necessary information for your operation.
Do you need guidance in setting up a cleaning program? Our fully illustrated guide to cleaning will assist cleaning staff on how to clean and maintain kitchens, food preparation and storage areas in your commercial operation.
We also offer a Cleaning Resource Kit if you need to develop a kitchen cleaning program for your food business that complies with food law.
All of our training manuals and forms require minimal effort and some basic computer skills. Our step-by-step kit will get your business organized and on the right track to compliance.
Think ST Solutions Cleaning Resource Kit contains:
- a separate Cleaning Guide for Managers and Cleaners (fully illustrated);
- examples of comprehensive cleaning procedures
- checklists;
- training information;
- and an audio download to help get you started plus so much more.
Our thorough training guides and checklists will be an asset to any operation because:
- Your company will benefit from the seasoned expertise of industry professional whenever you need it without having an added expense to your payroll
- Our information will help you evaluate your business, identify your needs and then help you develop plan on how to resolve any issues quickly and effectively.
- Our training manuals can provide ongoing support whenever you need them to overcome potential food risks, and
- Our industry knowledge and expertise will ensure that your management system remains compliant and always prepared for any follow up audits.
The best part of using our products is that you reap the benefits of working with experienced, industry professionals. Our products have been purchased and are being used by state & local Health Departments in addition to industry professionals.
Prior to release, we take the extra step to have all of our products screened by experienced environmental health officers and a leading food safety auditor. This is how we ensure that all of our products provide the latest information and knowledge on regulatory food law along with the necessary tools you will need to begin the process straight away.
Here is a recent testimonial from an industry professional about our products:
“The 66th annual Environmental Health Australia (WA) Inc state conference was an outstanding success due in part to the large attendance from local Environmental Health Officers but also to the calibre of speakers (in which Andrew was one) and the variety of sponsors presenting in the breakout rooms of the South Perth Esplanade Hotel.
From the feedback that was received in the post conference survey, it was identified that Andrew and the products and services that his company provides were not only of great interest to EHOs in WA but also considered to a potentially valuable tool in the food safety delivery system for businesses to adopt where they are facing difficulty understanding and adopting the Regulations and Code (FSANZ FSS).
I have no doubt that anyone who adopts the procedures that have been developed by Andrew and Think ST Solutions will be able to comply with the requirements of the Code and the LGA.”
Justin Sabastian Strange MEHA
RABQSA Food Safety Principal Auditor: certification number 112109
Former Vice President – Environmental Health Australia (W.A.) Inc.
Don’t take unnecessary risks with the health of your customers, your employees or the future of your business. Use Think ST Solution’s food safety tools and begin your journey informed, well connected and prepared.