GHP – SECTION 4

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety
GHP – SECTION 4

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Rome, 2023
Required citation:

FAO. 2023. Training and competence – Section 4. FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safe-
ty. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc6270en

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part
of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its
authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these
have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

© FAO, 2023

Some rights reserved. This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO;
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/legalcode).

Under the terms of this licence, this work may be copied, redistributed and adapted for non-commercial purposes, provided that the work is appropriately cited.
In any use of this work, there should be no suggestion that FAO endorses any specific organization, products or services. The use of the FAO logo is not permit-
ted. If the work is adapted, then it must be licensed under the same or equivalent Creative Commons licence. If a translation of this work is created, it must in-
clude the following disclaimer along with the required citation: “This translation was not created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO). FAO is not responsible for the content or accuracy of this translation. The original [Language] edition shall be the authoritative edition.”

Disputes arising under the licence that cannot be settled amicably will be resolved by mediation and arbitration as described in Article 8 of the licence except as
otherwise provided herein. The applicable mediation rules will be the mediation rules of the World Intellectual Property Organization http://www.wipo.int/amc/
en/mediation/rules and any arbitration will be conducted in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
(UNCITRAL).

Third-party materials. Users wishing to reuse material from this work that is attributed to a third party, such as tables, figures or images, are responsible for
determining whether permission is needed for that reuse and for obtaining permission from the copyright holder. The risk of claims resulting from infringement
of any third-party-owned component in the work rests solely with the user.

Sales, rights and licensing. FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through publica-
tions-sales@fao.org. Requests for commercial use should be submitted via: www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request. Queries regarding rights and licensing
should be submitted to: copyright@fao.org.
CONTENTS

SCOPE AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE 1

CONTEXT 2
MINDMAP 5

4.1 AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 6

4.2 TRAINING PROGRAMMES 10
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION 13
4.4 REFRESHER TRAINING 22

FIND OUT MORE 24

KEEP READING 25

iii
Technical note for readers
This PDF file has been designed for use of handheld mobile devices in horizontal view.
This PDF file includes interactive options and links to better browse the document. Clicking on the title icon on the top
right corner of each page will bring you either the Content page or the Mind map within the PDF file.

iv
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
SCOPE AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

This guidance document is part of a toolbox of materials and has been developed to provide users
with a good understanding of Section 4, Training and competence of the Codex General Principle of
Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969).

Effective and well-established Good Hygiene Practices provide the foundation for food safety
management systems. This tool divides the practices into nine sections, as illustrated by the brick
schematic below. The section addressed by the current guidance document is indicated by the arrow.

You are here

CONTROL OF
7. OPERATION 8. PRODUCT INFORMATION
AND CONSUMER AWARENESS 9. TRANSPORTATION

TRAINING AND ESTABLISHMENT MAINTENANCE, PERSONAL

4. COMPETENCE 5. DISINFECTION, AND PEST CONTROL 6. HYGIENE

INTRODUCTION AND PRIMARY ESTABLISHMENT – DESIGN OF

1. CONTROL OF FOOD HAZARDS 2. PRODUCTION 3. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

1
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAININGAND

COMPETENCE
CONTEXT

Appropriate training for everyone involved in food-related activities is fundamental to ensuring safe
food. Training also ensures that personnel is competent.

Successful training programmes are flexible and able to adapt to the needs of personnel and
operational requirements.

2
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
CONTEXT

Rationale
Learning objectives
Training is fundamentally important to any
food hygiene system and the competence This document on training and competence
of personnel. provides guidance on how to:

Adequate hygiene training, and/ • develop effective training materials for all
or instruction and supervision of all personnel involved in food-related activities;
personnel involved in food-related activities and
contribute to ensuring the safety of food
and its suitability for consumption. • understand the factors that can hinder the
learning process and learn how to train and
evaluate personnel to ensure they have the
knowledge and skills necessary to perform
their duties and handle food hygienically and
according to good hygiene practices.

3
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
CONTEXT

Codex definitions

Food business operator (FBO): The entity responsible for

operating a business at any step in the food chain.

Food Handler: Any person who directly handles packaged or

unpackaged food, equipment and utensils used for food, or
surfaces that come into contact with food and that is expected,
therefore, to comply with food hygiene requirements.

Food safety: Assurance that food will not cause adverse health
effects to the consumer when it is prepared and/or eaten
according to its intended use.

4
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
MINDMAP

This section of the guidance is divided into sub-sections. You can jump to a particular
sub-section by clicking on it, or return to this page at anytime by clicking on TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE

What knowledge,
skills and training do
food handlers require What aspects (knowledge,
to prevent food content, curriculum,
contamination? frequency) should be
considered while training?

Awareness and
4.1 responsibilities Training
4.2 programmes

GHP – SECTION 4

TRAINING AND
COMPETENCE

Instruction and
Refresher 4.3 supervision
4.4 training

What aspects need to be

When should considered when establishing
What is refresher a Maintenance and Sanitation
expected from a training be Plan for Transporters?
food business provided?
operator?

5
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAININGAND

COMPETENCE
4.1 AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All personnel should have a general awareness of GHP regardless of their roles in the food business
operation. It is also important that personnel know their specific roles within the organization and
how these relate to other departments. For example, sanitation personnel responsibility could
include procuring detergents and sanitizers, ensuring these products are used at the appropriate
concentration and that procedures are carried out in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures.
They would also need to know how to monitor and document their monitoring and who to contact in
the event of deviations.

6
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
4.1 AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Personal behaviour

All employees involved in food handling should be aware of their roles and responsibilities. Improper
food handling and failure to adapt to the food hygiene practices can result in contamination from a
potential food hazard.

Training should be implemented to ensure the following:

Food employees should behave responsibly and avoid any behaviour that could cause
contamination, such as eating, smoking, chewing tobacco or chewing gum, in food production
areas.

Unhygienic practices, such as spitting, should be strictly prohibited in food handling areas.

All persons entering food handling areas should remove jewellery and other objects that could fall
into or otherwise contaminate food. Jewellery that cannot be removed should be covered.

Personal effects and street clothing should not be worn or kept in food handling areas. They should
be stored outside of the food production area.

Personnel should be trained to pay attention to anything that seems unusual (deviations) and to
report it immediately to the responsible authority or person in charge.

7
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
4.1 AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

FBO RESPONSIBILITIES

Topic Examples of what you should do

Responsibilities Document all positions/job titles within the organization and specify
responsibilities.

Contact list Ensure that all personnel are aware of who to contact within the
organization with training, health and safety, etc. related issues or in the
event of a deviation in the process. Posting a contact list in high traffic
areas may be helpful.

Equipment and utensils Personnel should be properly trained on the use of equipment and
utensils, and this training should be documented.

Food allergies Personnel should be trained properly on handling and storing allergens.
They should ensure that one allergen is not mixed into a food with a
different allergen profile or no allergen.

8
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAININGAND

COMPETENCE
4.1 AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

FBO RESPONSIBILITIES

Topic Examples of what you should do

Personal behaviour Document training materials and maintain training records. Provide
easy to understand visuals in high traffic areas to remind personnel of
appropriate behaviours in food production areas (e.g. hand washing
techniques, proper use of protective equipment).
Consider when re-training is required.

Illness and injuries Document procedures that personnel should follow when they are ill or
injured or suspected of being in contact with infectious materials.
Train personnel on the importance of reporting illness and injuries and
how to recognize symptoms of illness.

9
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
4.2 TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Training programmes should consider the knowledge and skill levels of the personnel being trained.
The training should focus on respective tasks and provide information appropriate to their designated
duties and responsibilities.

Elements to consider in determining the extent of training required include:

• nature of hazards associated with the food, e.g. its ability to sustain growth of pathogenic or spoilage
microorganisms, the existence of potential physical contaminants or known allergens;

• manner in which the food is produced, processed, handled and packed, including the probability of
contamination;

• extent and nature of processing or further preparation before final consumption;

• food storage conditions;

• expected length of time before final consumption; and

• use and maintenance of instruments and equipment associated with food production.

10
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
4.2 TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Topics to be considered for training programmes could include:

• principles of food hygiene practices applicable to the food business;

• measures relevant to the food business that are used to prevent food contamination;

• importance of good personal hygiene, including proper handwashing and, when necessary, gloves
and appropriate clothing for food safety;

• appropriate actions to take when food hygiene problems are observed; and

• effective recordkeeping.

11
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
4.2 TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Things to consider

• Training should be appropriate to the complexity of the manufacturing process and the tasks
assigned.

• Personnel should be trained to understand the importance of the control measures for which they
are responsible, the critical limits, the procedures for monitoring, the action to be taken if the limits
are not met and the records to be kept.

• Personnel responsible for maintenance of equipment having an impact on food safety should be
appropriately trained to identify deficiencies that could affect product safety and to take appropriate
corrective action, e.g. in-house repairs, contract repairs. Individuals performing maintenance on
specific equipment, e.g. closing machines, recorders, etc., should be appropriately trained.

• Personnel and supervisors responsible for the sanitation programme should be appropriately
trained to understand the principles and methods of effective cleaning and sanitizing.

• Additional training, e.g. specific technical training, apprenticeship programmes, etc., should be
provided as necessary to ensure current knowledge of equipment and process technology.

12
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

It is crucial that instructors and supervisors lead by example and be well versed in GHP along with
the other elements of the training. This instils confidence in the trainee that the knowledge imparted
is correct and is followed by others. Supervisors should also take the leading role in evaluating the
effectiveness of training through the behaviour of the worker. They can report back to the instructor
and let them know if there is need to revise training materials.

• Managers, supervisors and/or operators/workers should have sufficient knowledge of food hygiene
principles and practices to be able to identify deviations and take necessary actions.

• Periodic assessments of the effectiveness of training and instruction programmes should be made,
as well as routine supervision and verification to ensure that procedures are being carried out
effectively.

• Personnel that perform any activities used in food control should be given the appropriate training
to ensure that they are competent to perform their tasks and are aware of the impact of their tasks
on the safety and suitability of the food.

13
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

FBO RESPONSIBILITIES

Topic Examples of what you should do

Nature of food involved Training personnel depends on the type of food they are handling.
Ensure that personnel have or develop a clear understanding of the
nature of the food and that they are trained in GHP.

Hygiene practices Regardless of the nature of the food, training on food hygiene practices,
such as personal cleanliness and hand washing, should alway be
available for food handlers.

Training of personnel Understand the nature of their work, their skill levels and knowledge.
Provide training according to the task being handled. Provide refresher
training if there are any deviations noted in the process.

Interpersonal factors No individual’s learning process or behaviour will be same. Trainers

should have a basic understanding of all the possibilities that can hinder
the learning process and they should try to create a better training
programme to support learning.

14
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

Developing a training programme

Training is critical in any food business operation to ensure that personnel understand their
responsibilities and have the required skills to undertake designated tasks. A major challenge in
training is translating knowledge into practice along with ensuring that training materials are up to
date and relevant.

When developing a food hygiene training programme or curriculum, consider the following sequence.

Step 1. Identify learning objectives

Step 2. Identify elements that should be covered in training

Step 3. Find resources

Step 4. Decide on the delivery method

Step 5. Evaluate and assess the effectiveness of the training

15
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAININGAND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

Step 1: Identify learning objectives

Before establishing a training curriculum or programme, it is important to identify your target

audience (personnel to be trained). A training curriculum should be structured with the proper
learning objectives so the trainee can see how their role fits into the food safety management of the
facility but also how it is relevant to their specific tasks. For example:

• The role of personnel in quality control is to monitor and check the raw materials, the processing and
the finished product.

• Food handlers in production should be aware of Good Hygiene Practices (GHP).

• Managers should be aware of the overall processing line and should monitor all the food handlers to
ensure that the production unit runs safely and effectively.

• Sanitation personnel should be aware of the correct use and handling of chemicals.

16
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

Step 2: Identify elements that should be covered in training

The nature of the work, knowledge and skill level, will determine the extent (and frequency) and area
of training. But basic good hygiene practices, like handwashing and personal behaviour, are common
for all food handlers. A few elements to consider, including the skills and knowledge required of
personnel, are as follows:

• Quality control personnel need technical training to perform monitoring activities and to know how
to operate test equipment, including calibrations and protocols.

• Food handlers should understand and practice Good Manufacturing Practices.

• Supervisors should be skilled and knowledgeable in food safety and hazard analysis to verify and
analyse the monitoring records linked to significant hazards, to implement the necessary corrective
actions and they should be skilled in training and motivating food handlers and operators.

• Managers should be knowledgeable about significant hazards, they should be skilled in how to
carry out the processes necessary to control these hazards and they should also understand how to
monitor and train food handlers.

• Sanitation personnel should be knowledgeable enough to identify the correct cleaning and sanitation
chemicals and utensils and be able to understand and carry out the sanitation protocols correctly
and safely.
17
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAININGAND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

Step 3: Find resources

Resources for achieving the learning objectives can be visual, written, audio or video or combinations
of each. It is important to ensure that personnel can relate the material delivered in training to the
learning objectives and understand its relevance to the operations within the food business operation.
Training may need to be tailored to the specific audience. Resources can be found on government
websites, streaming services, in textbooks, papers and guidance documents. Usually, it is more
effective to use a combination of sources for training rather than relying on a single text.

Step 4: Decide on the delivery method

There are various delivery methods that can be used in training ranging from one-to-one on the job
training, through to online and classroom learning. The delivery method chosen depends on the
nature of the material and how best to translate that knowledge into behaviour. There is seldom one
delivery method that suits all and, therefore, a combination of techniques is usually applied.

18
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

Step 5: Evaluate and assess the effectiveness of the training

The most challenging part of training is evaluating its effectiveness. This can be done through testing
knowledge, but the proof is in how the personnel fulfil their duties after training. The latter evaluation
can be made by observing personnel in typical working conditions. If there is a disconnect between
knowledge and behaviour, then the training objectives and delivery should be revised.

TIPS

Trainers should be aware of the following factors, which could hinder the learning process:

• The learning plateau: at intervals the rate of learning flattens out as the brain needs to rest.

• Saturation: if the content is overloaded, the learner rejects the excess and stops learning.

• Concentration: the longer the message, the more concentration decreases with time.

19
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

FBO RESPONSIBILITIES

Topic Examples of what you should do

Training curriculum Document the curriculum for training for specific tasks, roles and
responsibilities within the food business operation.

Content Start with basic information and go deeper case by case. Consider
breaking down a complex concept into smaller parts and lead the
discussion in a logical order.

Training materials Have a clear objective and scope for the training. Consider the target
audience and make sure the concepts are relevant to them and
presented logically. Do not overwhelm participants with too much
information in one session and provide breaks. Ensure that the
participants are present for the entire session.

Training aids Make sure the training aids used are appropriate for every employee.
Make sure to make accommodations such as printouts or audiovisuals.

20
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAININGAND

COMPETENCE
4.3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

FBO RESPONSIBILITIES

Topic Examples of what you should do

Evaluatation Document the method for evaluating training material and record an
assessment for each individual.

Revisions and Record deviations where training has not led to the appropriate
reassessment behaviour and any actions taken to reassess curriculum content.

21
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAININGAND

COMPETENCE
4.4 REFRESHER TRAINING

Training programmes should be reviewed regularly and updated where necessary. Systems should be
in place to ensure that food handlers remain aware of all procedures necessary to maintain the safety
and suitability of the food. Records should be kept for training activities.

Refresher training should be considered when:

implementing corrective actions due to deviations in personal hygiene, process controls, sanitation,
etc.;

operating procedures are revised or re-written;

new product or process is being introduced;

new specifications are being introduced; and

routine training to verify that original training has been retained.

22
FAO Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Toolbox for Food Safety

TRAINING
AND

COMPETENCE
4.4 REFRESHER TRAINING

Things to consider

• The manufacturer should have a documented training programme for employees.

• Appropriate training in personal hygiene and in the hygienic handling of food should be provided to
all food handlers at the beginning of their employment.

• Food hygiene training should be reinforced and updated at appropriate intervals.

23
TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

TRAINING AND

COMPETENCE
FIND OUT MORE

i For additional information on the following topics related to this section, please consult
the Further reading section accessible from the SECTION LANDING PAGE.

What factors can hinder

How should a training the training and food safety How should a training
programme appropriate practices? What potential programme be planned
to the personnel be hazards can occur due to and carried out, and how
designed or selected? insufficient training? can it be evaluated?

How can trainers who train

the employees be tested When should a training
to prove that they are programme or a refresher
sufficiently competent? training be implemented?

24
KEEP READING

The next section of the GHP toolbox is Establishment maintenance, disinfection and pest control.
To continue reading, click on the highlighted brick below.

Click here for the

next section

CONTROL OF
7. OPERATION 8. PRODUCT INFORMATION
AND CONSUMER AWARENESS 9. TRANSPORTATION

TRAINING AND ESTABLISHMENT MAINTENANCE, PERSONAL

4. COMPETENCE 5. DISINFECTION, AND PEST CONTROL 6. HYGIENE

INTRODUCTION AND PRIMARY ESTABLISHMENT – DESIGN

1. CONTROL OF FOOD HAZARDS 2. PRODUCTION 3. OF FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

FEEDBACK ON THIS GUIDANCE MATERIAL IS ALWAYS WELCOMED!

Please contact us at: food-quality@fao.org

25
 KEEP READING

GHP and HACCP Toolbox for Food Safety

www.fao.org/good-hygiene-practices-haccp-toolbox

FOOD SYSTEMS AND FOOD SAFETY –

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
www.fao.org/food-safety

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

ROME, ITALY

CC6270EN/1/06.23
26