Safety. It’s a priority for most of us in general, but it’s been especially top of mind with all of the events that have been going on the past few years. Safety isn’t limited to viruses or unsafe situations, however. Food safety can cause all sorts of health and legal problems if it isn’t handled properly.
As a food manager, you have even more responsibility than the average food handler.
From setting the example with personal hygiene to enforcing company clothing standards, there are several ways food safety managers can create a food-safe environment. Let's take a look at four of them.
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Train Your Employees
Employees new to food handling don’t have as much experience with food safety as you likely do and it’s up to you to make sure they know what to do (and not to do). Make sure teammates are aware of all company guidelines when it comes to clothing, accessories and personal hygiene, as well as food safety best practices like avoiding cross contamination and bringing food up to proper temperature.
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Enroll in a Food Safety Course
Whether you’re in a new management role or you want to brush up on the basics of food safety again, an online training course might be in order (no pun intended). A Food Handler Course, for example, only takes an hour or two to complete and can be taken from most phones, tablets and computers. It’s never been more convenient to improve your food safety knowledge.
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Enroll Your Team in a Food Safety Course
You’re busy, we get it. If you don’t have time to go through all of the intricacies of food safety and the vast amount of knowledge food handlers should really know, a food safety course might be in order for your team. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) mandates such a course for any foodservice employee handling food, so having each team member enroll in a Food Handler Course is not only wise, but often required.
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Walk the Walk
At the end of the day, the employees on your team look to you as the leader and the one who sets the standard for food safety. If you’re telling them all of these things to do and not doing them yourself, you lose trust and effectiveness with your training. As with other aspects of leadership, set the example for what you say by having your walk match your talk.
These are just a few ways food safety managers can create a food-safe environment. To gain even more food safety knowledge and training, consider enrolling yourself or your team in a two-hour food handlers course today.
