Training and support tools - 10.1 Training

Workers can inadvertently cause a food safety hazard if they are not properly trained. This good agricultural practice applies to all farms.

Worker includes owner; family members; supervisors; full-time, part-time and seasonal workers; and volunteers.

What needs to be done

Provide appropriate training that impacts food safety and make refresher training and training materials readily available.

How to do it


Based on the What Applies to My Farm? worksheet, identify training that is important to your operation for food safety.

For each subject area, provide training that consists of:

• An explanation of the food safety hazard
• Instructions on dealing with the food safety hazard
• Roles and responsibilities
• What to do when something goes wrong

Establish a training schedule


1. Make sure all new workers receive full training if they don’t already have the qualifications.
2. Make sure experienced workers have refresher training at regular intervals.

Train workers


1. Make sure all workers have a good understanding of expectations for basic practices and agree to follow the practices.
2. Make these practices part of the training program for all new workers at the start of employment. Make refresher training available to all workers as required to ensure food, water and packaging materials are not contaminated.

Evaluate training

Evaluate workers’ learning through questioning and discussion to determine comprehension.

Review training needs and communicate to workers when:

• Incorrect practices are observed
• A practice is changed or altered

Tips for effective training:

• Keep training sessions to one or two subjects, and train more frequently
• Have someone with experience in the subject deliver the training
• Encourage active participation by workers
• Where possible, choose training materials that use simple language and graphics

In general


Take advantage of existing training opportunities and training aids (for example, videos, fact sheets, booklets, posters). Refer to the left sidebar on these pages.

Good supervision ensures that practices are followed.

Records to keep


Worker training record or your own record that includes:

• Date of training
• Initial or refresher Training
• Name of trainer
• Name of worker
• Material covered
• Initials of worker

If have an audit


Be prepared for the auditor to review worker training records.

Laws and regulations 

The Integrated Pest Management Act and Regulation require certain pesticide applicators to be certified. This legislation is administered by the provincial Ministry of Environment, which issues pesticide applicator certificates, dispenser certificates and licenses for pest control companies and pesticide sales outlets. Learn about pesticide certification and training in British Columbia.

Persons applying or purchasing restricted pesticides must be certified. WorkSafe BC also requires persons applying pesticides that are moderately or very toxic to have a pesticide applicator certificate.

Records

Form 1: Worker training record