The Importance of Hygienic Work Practices

Follow Workplace Hygiene Procedures

The Importance of Hygienic Work Practices

Hygiene refers to the cleanliness of an enterprise, including individuals within the enterprise to prevent disease and protect people’s health. Benefits of Good hygiene include:

• Builds a good reputation
• Positive word of mouth
• Maintenance of quality standards
• Reduced wastage and pest infestation
• Absence of food poisoning incidents
• Increased business, revenue and profits
• Compliance with food hygiene laws and regulations
• Reduce customer complaints

Hygiene Laws and Authorities

Hygiene laws and regulations have been developed by legislative bodies to ensure food that offered for sale has been transported, stored, handled and cooked in a safe manner and is therefore safe for consumption.

Food Standards Australia, New Zealand (FSANZ) is an independent statutory agency established by the Food Standards Australia, New Zealand Act 1991. FSANZ develops and administers the Australia, New Zealand Food Standards Code to address food borne illness and ensure food is safe to eat.

Food Standards Code is a legal doc. Setting out:

• General Food Standards such as labelling and substances that can be added to food
• Food Product Standards, that is, compositional requirements of specific food
• Food safety standards such as food handler requirements, temperature and hygiene
• Primary production standards for the production and processing of all agricultural goods

The NSW Food Authority enforces food laws and regulates food safety and food production in NSW.

Food Legislations

Food Legislation in NSW includes the:

1. Food Act 2003 (NSW)

This Act supports the ANZ Food Standards Code and covers all facets of the food production cycle to ensure that food sold is safe for consumption.

KEY POINTS:

• It is an offence to sell adulterated food, that is food that is deteriorated; spoiled; contaminated; or has had an inferior product added
• Food sold must be safe for human consumption
• The enterprise and food handlers must comply with min. standards of hygiene as prescribed under the Food Act and Regulations
• The Act also states the role and responsibilities of Food Safety Auditors (EHO), who enforce these hygiene laws and Food Safety Supervisors
• Food that is sold must fit the descriptions provided. It should not be, modified, mixed or diluted without the consumer’s knowledge as it may make the product inferior, create a false impression and diminish the nutritive value. May result in allergic reactions

NSW Food Act 2003 (Summary)

• Types of Premises covered
• Powers of entry and Inspection
• Sale of contaminated/adulterated food
• Power to seize, destroy or take
• Obstruction of Inspectors
• Clean-up and close orders
• Auditing
• Penalties
• Cost of Inspection

1. Food Regulations 2010 (NSW)

This legislation complements the Food Act 2003 by offering more detailed information on the standards enterprises and food handlers must follow in relation to all aspect of food.

KEY POINTS:

• Food must be package and labelled correctly
• Crockery used to serve food must not be chipped or cracked or made out of particular materials
• Cross contamination must be avoided
• Food must be stored in the correct manner
• The enterprise and food handlers must have high levels of hygiene

Environmental Health Officers – EHO (Food Safety Auditors) are responsible for ensuring enterprises are complying with food laws. They can conduct routine inspections and complete a checklist on all facets of food production at an enterprise. They have the power to:

• Enter an enterprise and conduct an inspection of the food areas and food handlers
• Check hygiene standards, storage temperatures, temperatures of prepares food to be served, and to ensure enterprise is free of pests
• Can remove any item that they may consider unsafe, take pictures or video recordings
• Take samples of food, to be tested at a laboratory for contamination
• If an enterprise does not comply with the prohibition order, then a penalty notice would be issued and fine will need to be paid

Enterprises that do not comply with enterprise regulations:

• Loss of business
• “Name and Shame” listed
• Litigation – courts
• Fines or penalties
• Customer complaints
• Poor reputation

Identify and Prevent Hygiene Risks

Hygiene Risks

Hygiene risks pose threats to the safety of food and the safety of people. These risks are hazards that are present as a result of NOT following correct hygiene standards.