5 replies to this topic

[FoodSafetySyd]

I have started working for a company that is revamping their entire SQF program and I'm just curious as to what topics are REQUIRED for all employees to have retraining on and how often? Any information would be helpful. Thank you!

[Scampi]

2.9.1 Training Requirements 2.9.1.1 The responsibility for establishing and implementing the training needs of the organization’s personnel to ensure they have the required competencies to carry out those functions affecting products, legality, and safety shall be defined and documented (refer to 2.1.1.6). 2.9.1.2 Appropriate training shall be provided for personnel carrying out the tasks essential to the effective implementation of the SQF System and the maintenance of food safety and regulatory requirements. 2.9.2 Training Program (Mandatory) 2.9.2.1 A training program shall be documented and implemented that at a minimum outlines the necessary competencies for specific duties and the training methods to be applied to personnel carrying out tasks associated with:
i. Implementing HACCP for staff involved in developing and maintaining food safety plans;
ii. Monitoring and corrective action procedures for all staff engaged in monitoring critical control points (CCPs);
iii. Personal hygiene for all staff involved in the handling of food products and food contact surfaces;
iv. Good Manufacturing Practices and work instructions for all staff engaged in food handling, food processing, and equipment;
v. Sampling and test methods for all staff involved in sampling and testing of raw materials, packaging, work-in-progress, and finished products;
vi. Environmental monitoring for relevant staff;
vii. Allergen management, food defense, and food fraud for all relevant staff; and
viii. Tasks identified as critical to meeting the effective implementation and maintenance of the SQF code.
The training program shall include provisions for identifying and implementing the refresher training needs of the organization. 2.9.2.2 Training materials, the delivery of training, and procedures on all tasks critical to meeting regulatory compliance and the maintenance of food safety shall be provided in language(s) understood by staff. 2.9.2.3 Training records shall be maintained and include:
i. Participant name;
ii. Skills description;
iii. Description of the training provided;
iv. Date training completed;
v. Trainer or training provider; and
vi. Verification that the trainee is competent to complete the required tasks.

[PQAManager]

The above is the required training for SQF, but I added all my trainings I do in a year if it helps:

 

Minimum Topics that Must be Covered

• HACCP and CCP’s     

Date____________

• GMP’s and Employee Hygiene

Date____________

• Foreign Material Prevention

Date____________

• Visitor Policy

Date____________

• Corrective and Preventive Actions and Record keeping

Date____________

• Metal Detector and Filter Procedures

Date____________

• Allergens

Date____________

• Hold and Release Procedures

Date____________

• Food Defense

Date____________

• Sanitation and Chemical Handling

Date____________

• Pest Control

Date____________

 

 

General Training

• Maintenance Requests

Date____________

• Metal Detector Log

Date____________

• Preventing Food Contamination

Date____________

• Destroy Tags

Date____________

• Halal/Kosher

Date_____________

• Completing Documents

Date_____________

• BIB Syrup CCP

Date_____________

• GMP Hand Washing

Date_____________

• Intentional Adulteration

Date_____________

• Breaks

Date_____________

• Organizational Chart

Date_____________

• CAPA/Write-ups

Date_____________

 

OSHA Required Training

• Blood borne Pathogens

Date____________

• Ladder Safety

Date____________

• Proper lifting training/back safety

Date____________

• First Aid Training

Date____________

 

Additional Training

• Fire Safety/Fire Drill/Emergency Action Plan

Date____________

• SQF

Date____________

 

 

 

Specific Training

• DOT Hazmat General Awareness

Date____________

• DOT Hazmat Safety

Date____________

• DOT Hazmat Security Awareness

Date____________

• Function Specific

Date____________

• GHS Hazardous Communication

Date____________

• Hazmat Training Part 5

Date____________

• Forklift Training

Date____________

 

[PQAManager]

And I do Environmental monitor training with my Quality department every year.

[FoodSafetySyd]

This is all helpful. Thank you, I appreciate it! 

[jfrey123]

This is one of those "clear as mud" requirements for me.  Every SQF auditor I've come across expects annual refresher training, even though code posted above states it's up to the company to "include provisions for identifying and implementing the refresher training needs of the organization."  So as long as you've defined when refresher training should occur in your organization's documents, and programs are running as intended, it should be acceptable.

 

For extra research, SQF Tip Sheet 13 states on page 3:

 

3. Plan and conduct refresher training

a. The site must provide refresher training as appropriate. This may be on an annual basis, start of a new season, or as changes occur to the product, process or SQF System, or if the site through their monitoring identifies if the process has gotten off track.

b. Consider using on-going coaching in addition to single-event training to ensure employees are on track at all times.

Tip-Sheet-13-Employee-Training-Program.pdf (sqfi.com)

 

Official Guidance Documents state:

 

When programs are updated, the impact to personnel and training or re-training needs identified.

 

Training, refresher training, and coaching is critical to ensure the success of the food safety and/or quality System(s). Consider relying on ongoing training rather than event-related training to keep skills at their peak.

Training-Guidance-Document.pdf (sqfi.com)

 

 

So again, I can't find specific requirements for annual refreshers, but auditors seem to expect it to be annual.  I set up my docs to state that refresher training should happen each calendar year, which has gotten me out of a couple findings where an employee's last training was over 365 days (but the auditor that time wasn't thrilled and gave me one of those "Well, what I'm used to seeing..." type statements).