SECTION X

HACCP-TQM EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAM AND RECORD

A.  Training.  Training and continuing education for all employees are the most important parts of HACCP-based Total Quality Management.  Employees are the individuals who carry out the policies, procedures, and standards of the food production facility.  They must be given information concerning foodborne illness hazards and control so that they understand the need for performing their jobs in a designated manner.  All employees must be given instruction for expectations of good personal hygiene and proper methods of hand washing while working in food preparation and food service. A good training program has two components:  (1) initial or orientation training with a pre-test to measure knowledge before training, and (2) ongoing or continuing education and training with testing to measure increases in knowledge.  All employees must be trained in the procedures and standards that relate directly to their specific jobs as well as to those policies that affect food safety in general (e.g., personal hygiene).

B.  New employee training.  All new employees must be given orientation training as soon as they are hired.  No one should be asked to do a task until he/she has been trained and can accept the responsibility for doing the task with zero defects.  All new employees must know the policies, procedures, and standards of the foodservice establishment. All foodservice employees should be trained in the following list of topics.  These topics should be reviewed during in-service training.  Procedures that are critically important to HACCP production standards must be emphasized in detail.    

Training Checklist

__ The company policies, procedures, and standards __ Foodborne illness  __ Hazards:  microorganisms; chemicals; particulate hazards  __ Microbiological hazard control principles: vegetative cells vs. spores; growth temperatures and rates; pasteurization; holding; cooling; leftovers __ Mandatory fingertip and hand washing procedures __ Personal hygiene (illness, hair restraint policies, dress, gloves) __ Measuring temperature:  using thermometers, thermistors, or thermocouples __ Making a sanitizing solution and using sanitizing solutions properly __ Cleaning and sanitizing:  food contact surfaces; equipment; floors; walls; ceilings __ Food sinks vs. hand sinks vs. utility sinks __ Proper pots and pan machine washing temperature __ Safety awareness while working with equipment __ Chemicals:  use and storage; measuring __ Particulate hazards:  methods of control __ Preventing cross-contamination __ Care of burns, abrasions, and wounds 

__ Supply receiving procedures __ Proper storage:  dry food; refrigerated food; frozen food __ Cooling temperatures and equipment __ Labeling and dating food; food turnover __ Pre-preparation:  thawing food; washing food; cutting up food; avoiding cross-contamination __ Preparation:  cooking (pasteurization); combining and preparing raw and cooked ingredients to prepare products (e.g., salads) __ How long food may be held safely __ Transporting food __ Cooling; storage __ Food allergies:  labeling (need to disclose ingredients) __ Handling a possibly contaminated product __ Using the chain of command __ Reporting hazardous conditions __ Signs of pest infestation

        Training meetings can use a variety of educational approaches, to include:  handouts, demonstrations of proper procedures, lectures using slides or overheads, showing filmstrips, and having guest speakers.  Employees should be tested on the material and coached  in the use of proper procedures for  handling food in order to assure the production of safe food products.

C.  Training for performance mastery. The five basic steps in training for performance mastery can be outlined as follows:         1. Teacher mastery of the task(s) to be taught         2. Preparation of employee(s) for instruction               a. Put worker(s) at ease               b. Create desire in student(s) to learn the specific task(s) by explaining the job               c. Stress:                   1) The importance of good sanitation relative to the job                   2) Safety                   3) Operational efficiency         3. Presenting the job               a. Set a clear pattern for the learner to follow by using the procedure               b. Explain and demonstrate one step at a time               c. Stress the key points               d. Discuss and show the minor details that are necessary to accomplish the job               e. Omit all material that is not important for the job         4. Practice period               a. Have the student do the job               b. Have the student tell and show what is going to be done and why 

              c. Correct errors and omissions as the student makes them               d. Continue to practice until the student is able to give back to the teacher everything that the teacher gave the learner in step 3       5. Follow through or test               a. Put the worker on his/her own               b. Encourage questions               c. Come back to the work place frequently to check progress or problems; coach               d. Tell the worker how he/she is doing; provide positive feedback.

D.  Initial training for all mew employees and managers.  All training will be recorded using the New Employee Training Record.

E.  Continuing Education and Correct Procedure Reinforcement         1. Managers and supervisors will be re-trained every two years.  During the interim, they will keep themselves updated by reading professional magazines and books, and by attending seminars and courses.         2. The management staff will review the safety self-control foodborne illness information, which will be used to improve the operations manual and to coach employees to increased food safety assurance levels.         3. An employee foodborne illness prevention system meeting will be held monthly.  Employees will be informed of system improvements and will be taught to achieve any new requirements.  The policies, procedures, and standards manual will be kept up-to-date and used as the base for all training and evaluation as well as improvements in quality assurance.  All continuing education and reinforcement will be recorded using a Continuing Education Training Record.

F.  Record of training.  Records must be kept of employee participation in training activities and used to monitor employee development.  Employee training is an investment in an operation's future.  The more knowledgeable employees become, the more of an asset they are to a business.  If litigation occurs, the court can be shown that employees were trained to use proper procedures.

7.  One minute of praise.  The way a training point becomes a consistent employee behavior is through positive reinforcement and praise.  Supervisors and owners / managers must compliment good performance by employees.  An employee who is complimented for performing a new task will take pride in performing the task correctly and consistently.

NEW EMPLOYEE TRAINING RECORD

I hereby acknowledge that I have been taught the following information ionn how to perform my food safety assurance responsibilities.  I understand the policies, procedures, and standards for performing my responsibilities.

Topics   1. Company policies, procedures, and standards.   2. Foodborne illnesses.   3. What it takes to make people ill; immune complete and immune compromised people. 

  4. Hazards:  microorganisms; chemicals; hazardous foreign objects.   5. Microbiological hazard control principles; vegetative cells vs. spores; growth temperatures and rates; pasteurization; holding; cooling; leftovers.   6. Personal hygiene:  illness; dress; gloves.   7. Fingertip and hand washing; washing after handling  ______________________________.   8. Cleaning and sanitizing:  food contact surfaces; equipment; floors; walls; ceilings.   9. Checking and storing incoming raw food; hazardous foreign objects. 10. Labeling and dating food; food turnover. 11. Not combining old and new food. 12. Proper storage:  dry food; refrigerated food; frozen food. 13. Pre-preparation:  measuring temperature; thawing food; washing food; cutting up-food; avoiding cross-contamination. 14. Preparation:  cooking for pasteurization; salads; food cooling. 15. Holding and display:  hot food; cold food. 16. Serving:  hot food slicing; touching with hands; customer contamination; take-out food. 17. Catering:  transporting food; serving in a remote location. 18. Leftovers:  cooling, storage, discarding. 19. Chemicals:  use and storage measuring. 20. Food additives, toxins, and allergic reactions.  

I believe that I can do each task to the desired standard.  I will manage myself to attain zero errors in performance.  I will keep my supervisor fully informed of any suggestions I have to make food safety more certain.  I will ask for help if I have any doubt about the prevention-assured way to perform a task.

Signature of employee _________________________________      Date ________________

Signature of trainer ____________________________________     Date ________________

CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING RECORD

____________________________ (Date)

I acknowledge that on the date shown, I attended a training program in which the subjects listed on the other side of this page were taught and discussed.  All of my questions about how to apply the knowledge have been answered.  I believe that I can use the knowledge to meet the expectations of management.  I will keep my supervisor fully informed of any coaching that I need or any suggestions I have to make operations more quality assured.  I will always ask for help immediately if I have any doubt about how to perform a task correctly.

                      Employee name (print)                                                     Signature                                       Test Score   1.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   2.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   3.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   4.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   5.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   6.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   7.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   8.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________   9.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 10.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 11.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 12.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 13.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 14.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 15.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 16.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 17.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 18.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 19.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 20.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 21.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 22.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 23.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ 24.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________ -25.  ___________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________