Minimum Training Requirements for SQF

We are a manufacture of paper based food trays for the ready serve and baking markets. We recently had our Level 3 SQF desk audit and came out of it with several minors. One of them being, we had not shown verification of the training we had done. A lot of this training was completed by a consultant we hired to help us implement the system and most of it was pretty general and basic. We had previously completed some of the more specific job training as we always do when we hire someone for a specific job. Our consultant told us verification can simply be done by watching employees complete certain task and also by asking them some questions over a certain topic. I understand this method, but in reviewing the code and the items our consultant trained all employees on, I'm finding a little disconnect. There were several items our consultant said "ALL" Employees must be trained in (SQF, HACCP, Pest Control) When I started to look at ways I could verify some of the training I dug into the code a little more and I'm having a hard time finding any specifics on "ALL" employee training requirements. For HACCP it states "HACCP training shall be provided for staff involved in developing & maintaining Food Safety & Food Quality Plans." I do not consider the typical employee working on our line to be involved with developing & maintaining these plans, unless "maintaining" is interpreted as "Following". I also do not see a specific requirement for "SQF" Training for all employees. I would consider what our consultant did as more of an Overview of "SQF" and of "HACCP" as well as some other areas, which makes sense for all, but would not require it to be on our training register or be verified.
The code General guidance document states the following (The Food Packaging Guidance Draft does not include the items in purple):
The following programs are considered the minimum required elements for employee training. Type and
depth of training will depend upon the employee’s Work Designation. Minimum Requirements:
• Job/Task Performance
• Company Safety and Quality Policies and Procedures
• Good Manufacturing Practices
• Cleaning and Sanitation procedures
• HACCP
• Bio security and Food Defense
• Product Quality and Grading
• Chemical Control
• Hazard Communication
• Blood borne Pathogen
• Emergency Preparedness
• Employee Safety
• Safety Regulatory Requirements/Quality Regulatory Requirements

The guidance doc. states that these are minimum requirements, but it does not specify minimum for all employees. Does anyone have more information regarding what some true minimum training requirements are for all employees (if any)? If you are a few packaging producer, as we are can you following the "Food Packaging Guidance Doc." even though it is considered to be a draft?

Any help or additional info on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Any of our members experienced in training requirements for SQF?

Dear jik,

I am a little confused.

Are we discussing SQF 2000 Guidance
Guidance for Food Sector Category 27 – Food Packing Materials and Distribution
1st Edition JUNE 2010
SQF 2000-Guidance-FoodPackaging.pdf   870.49KB   223 downloads

This does not appear to be a draft. Based on the details within section 4.4, it also seems to require haccp procedures.

Just trying to avoid confusion .

Rgds / Charles.C

Charles-


First off, thank you for the updated guidance document, the last time I checked the SQF site I only found the draft of this document.

Yes, you are correct HACCP is required and at the least the SKF Practitioner must be trained and certified in HACCP. My question was in regards to section 6.3 and what the minimum areas of training are for "ALL" employees.

Thanks-

Jason

Dear jik,

Dear jik,

I am a little confused.

Are we discussing SQF 2000 Guidance
Guidance for Food Sector Category 27 – Food Packing Materials and Distribution
1st Edition JUNE 2010
SQF 2000-Guidance-FoodPackaging.pdf   870.49KB   223 downloads

This does not appear to be a draft. Based on the details within section 4.4, it also seems to require haccp procedures.

Just trying to avoid confusion .

Rgds / Charles.C

When we complete our annual training we have everyone take a short quiz with each topic of training. I've considered this validation that the employee knows the material that they've been trained on.

Thanks for this information!! We are preparing for our first SQF audit... and this will be a big help!!

Hi JIK,

You can conduct a normal Basic Food Safety Training and also a GMP training course for all yopur staff and give them a quiz to test them of the knowledge.



This is what I have been following for over 10 years of SQF 2000...that is from my own experiences

I have a question regarding this also. In the sqf guide or requirements it doesnt mention anything about using temporary help and the level of safety and haccp training is required for them. I also have a question on the liability of training temporary personnel. If they are trained by their agency using my specifications and materials would it be suitable to fullfill the training requirements. Any help in this matter would be wonderful and thank you in advance.

Thanks retep, great question!

I'm pretty much in the same boat; lately we've been using a temp agency to fill some positions. Some of them will likely be brought on as permanent, in which case they's obviously be give full induction training, but what's the expected level of training for a temp in the eyes of SQF?

I know it reads all employees but doesnt explain the full scope of "all" employees. If this was the case then even office operations would have to be trained in aspects that do not apply to their job since they make little to no contact with product at any time. I did however figure out a solution that may be feasible to you also esquef. I have contacted the agency folks and informed them of our intent to get our certification and because of that we need to have the people they send over trained with our materials. They then sign a waiver by both the employee and the trainer certifying that the employee has been trained using our materials. I feel this takes a small degree of liability away from us because even if they werent trained it's not our responsibility while we are still fullfilling the minimum requirements for employees trained. I am currently making a power point presentation and trying to keep it to a 30 minute course to fit in all the requirements. I would love to see if this actually does meet the requirements or if I am just spinning my wheels. Any help would be appreciated.

There are various topics that employees should have, most are for all, others are for job specific tasks/topics.

Good Manufacturing Practices (Personal Practices)
Allergen Management
Chemical Control (including bait awareness under pest control)
Regulatory requirements
Weight and customer requirements
Food Defense/Security
SQF Awareness (not required but useful to inform the employees of what's going on, to guide them in answering the questions the auditor may ask, also is an ideal time to share the policy statement and organizational chart, reporting structure)
Trailer inspections (for those who may load/unload trailers)
Sanitation (for those who sanitize equipment)
HACCP (for those on the HACCP Team and those who monitor CCPs)
Calibration Methods
Internal Auditing

Those topics in the Guidance are a great starting point, but the SQF is not proscriptive here. See 4.1.2.3 that you determine the training needs of your company. As long as it makes sense and you can justify it, you have a lot of flexibility to decide who gets what training.

4.1.2.5 Job discriptions.  Very helpful for justifiying the training you are providing for each posistion.  From that I assume that "all" employees refers to all employees doing that specific job require the same training.  For example: Warehouse employees-  They unload trailers, store product, pick product and load trailers.  Their training includes cGMP', allergen, chemical control, forklift safety, IA awareness, and a basic course in HACCP.  However production employees who pack product, recive a slightly different training.  they do not go through forklift training but will have a more robust HACCP course. 

Hello !

 

We sometime use temp agencies to help, since there is a huge shortage of employees in our area. We train them only in a basic version of GMP (Hand washing, etc.) and sanitation if they work in the sanitation team. 

 

As for our regular employees, we give them GMP, Food defense, and an evacuation plan in case of fire. Then, depending on their job, they get additional training (Metal detector, Reception, Sanitation, etc.)

 

To test them, we give them a quiz that they have to fill after the training. It can be really easy questions as not everyone has the same education level. 

 

Have a good day !