Whether you're a food worker, business owner or training manager, our food safety courses make it easy for you to meet your legal requirements.
If you work with food - or train people who do - you'll benefit greatly from our complimentary AIFS membership program.
If you're enrolled at AIFS and need some help - or you'd like information about studying with us - this section is a great place to start.
From cafes to catering companies, market stalls to supermarkets, every food business in Australia must meet all federal, state and local requirements for food safety training.
The AIFS Resource Centre offers a wide variety of food safety resources including templates, posters, guides, videos, fact sheets and more. You can also find the latest food safety news and product recalls.
Learn about the AIFS business and our mission to reduce food-borne illness in Australia.Food safety training for health & community
If you work in the health and community sector preparing and/or serving food to vulnerable people, you need the right training to meet food safety laws.
Vulnerable people include the sick, pregnant women, the elderly, children and babies.
Typical health and community organisations include:
- Hospitals and medical facilities
- Childcare facilities
- Aged care facilities
- School canteens and tuckshops
- Other community groups
How to comply with food safety laws
Train your Food Safety Supervisor
Most health and community businesses must have at least one properly trained Food Safety Supervisor.
Apply for your business licence
See your local council to apply for your business licence to start your health and community business.
Train your Food Handlers
Not just kitchen staff, but any employee who serves, moves, delivers or cleans food or food equipment.
Be food audit ready
Keep your proof of nationally recognised food safety training nearby for food safety inspections.
Training requirements for health & community businesses
Food Safety Supervisor requirements
In VIC, QLD and ACT, it's a mandatory requirement that health and community organisations have at least one Food Safety Supervisor on their staff at all times. This means at least one person must have:
- undergone nationally recognised training
- obtained the required units of competency to be recognised as a Food Safety Supervisor
NSW requirements are a little more complex
In NSW, only retail and hospitality units of competency are recognised by the NSW Food Authority.
However, many organisations that identify as being 'health and community' are required to have a Food Safety Supervisor.
To understand the specific requirements for your business, you should always clarify with the NSW Food Authority.
If you are in NSW when you complete your Food Safety Supervisor training with AIFS, you will receive:
- your regular Statement of Attainment (for the retail or hospitality units)
- a certificate issued by the NSW Food Authority, sometimes known as the 'green certificate'.
If you're applying for a new food business licence, you'll be asked for the certificate number from this document.
Food Handler Requirements
Federal legislation (governed by FSANZ) states that all Food Handlers must be trained in food safety.
Many people are surprised to learn that Food Handlers aren't just those employees who work in the kitchen.
A Food Handler can also be someone who:
- Serves food to customers
- Moves food into storage
- Delivers food
- Cleans equipment and utensils
Simply put, anyone that comes into contact with food or food equipment in a food business is a 'Food Handler'.
All Food Handlers require the necessary food safety training to perform this role.
The Food Handler Course offered by AIFS has been designed to meet this requirement.
Units of Competency
When you complete nationally recognised training, you are awarded a Statement of Attainment which lists the units of competency that you have obtained.
When a Health Inspector inspects your premises, they'll check that your Statement of Attainment has the correct units of competency.
Food Safety Supervisor course
After successfully completing the Food Safety Supervisor course for the health and community sector, you will be awarded the following units:
- HLTFSE001 Follow basic food safety practices
- HLTFSE005 Apply and monitor food safety requirements
- HLTFSE007 Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace
Food Handler course
Food Handler training is not industry specific. After successfully completing the Food Handler course you will be awarded the following unit:
- SITXFSA001 Use hygienic practices for food safety
| UNIT CODE | UNIT TITLE |
|---|---|
| HLTFSE001 | Follow basic food safety practices |
| HLTFSE005 | Apply and monitor food safety requirements |
| HLTFSE007 | Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace |
| UNIT CODE | UNIT TITLE |
|---|---|
| HLTFS207C | Follow basic food safety practices |
| HLTFS309C | Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace |
| HLTFS310C | Apply and monitor food safety requirements |
| HLTFS7A | Follow basic food safety practices |
| HLTFS9A | Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace |
| HLTFS10A | Apply and monitor food safety requirements |
Important Information
All current units replace any expired units of competency.
The units of competency awarded by AIFS are always current, however some out-of-date websites may still refer to expired units.