Online Training for Preventive Controls Qualified Individual
FSMA Preventive Controls (Human) ONLINE training is now being offered by SGS. A date in April and one in August. Cost is $850 for the 2 1/2 day course. To manage a food safety program under FSMA, you will need to show that you are qualified, and this training is using the FDA approved curriculum.
https://learning.sgs...e_logged_out=en
https://learning.sgs...e_logged_out=en
Martha
AIB just announced several seminars as well (not online):
http://www.aibonline...ogNbr=06-802000
Marshall
FSMA Preventive Controls (Human) ONLINE training is now being offered by SGS. A date in April and one in August. Cost is $850 for the 2 1/2 day course. To manage a food safety program under FSMA, you will need to show that you are qualified, and this training is using the FDA approved curriculum.
https://learning.sgs...e_logged_out=en
https://learning.sgs...e_logged_out=en
Martha
Thank you Martha :thumbup:
Does anyone know how competency is assessed on these courses?
And does anyone know if there are guidelines on what constitutes 'qualified through job experience'?:
PC.5 What is a preventive controls qualified individual?
This is a new term in the final rule. A preventive controls qualified individual is someone who has successfully completed certain training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls or is otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system. The written food safety plan required of food facilities must be prepared, or its preparation overseen, by one or more preventive controls qualified individuals.
Kind regards,
Tony
The information about the course I am attending in March says this:
"This course developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA; FSPCA was established in 2011 as part of a grant from U.S.FDA to the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Food safety and Health) is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; Successful completion of the course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual”."
From what I gather from other course info says that attendees will have to create a food safety plan, this is basically a "written exam". That would be the competency assessment, I guess.
Marshall
The information about the course I am attending in March says this:
"This course developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA; FSPCA was established in 2011 as part of a grant from U.S.FDA to the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Food safety and Health) is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; Successful completion of the course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual”."
From what I gather from other course info says that attendees will have to create a food safety plan, this is basically a "written exam". That would be the competency assessment, I guess.
Marshall
Thank you for the info Marshall.
To me observing it is unclear and I would expect there to be a formal way to assess competency given this is a course required by legislation.
Maybe it will become more apparent in the future.
Kind regards,
Tony
Thank you for the info Marshall.
To me observing it is unclear and I would expect there to be a formal way to assess competency given this is a course required by legislation.
Maybe it will become more apparent in the future.
Kind regards,
Tony
Ah, but the course is NOT required...
In typical FDA fashion, they noted that a "qualified individual" is someone with the "training, education, experience, or combination of the three" (not a direct quote, but pretty close to it). When they were told during the question period that this was extremely vague, they said essentially "It's like the definition of pornography, I'll know it when I see it."
Then, they FINALLY came out with a training and testing plan that has been "approved".
In other words, "we won't tell you what levels of training, experience, and education makes for a 'qualified individual', but if you take and pass this 2.5-3 day course with a street price of $800-1200 (so I have seen thus far), then you can PROVE you are a "qualified individual" because you have passed our approved test".
While it is not a mandate, it's pretty damn close to one. I don't know of any companies that aren't sending at least one if not 2 people to a seminar (and these are small to mid sized companies) so they can get officially "qualified".
It's a license to print money for the consultants, trainers, and university outreach programs.
Excerpt of Tony-C's original post:
And does anyone know if there are guidelines on what constitutes 'qualified through job experience'?
I've had my HACCP cert questioned in the past by FDA Investigators (their title used to be Inspector). My HACCP course was specialized in one type of food that differs from the types of food produced under HACCP plans I now oversee. The inspectors were satisfied that I was "competent" upon review of my HACCP plans.
I am not sure if this is an agency-wide approach or if it will be the same for assessing preventive controls individual. My *guess* is the practice will be the same as my anecdote above.