U. S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Retail Food Safety Branch
DRAFT: February 6, 1998
DRAFT: April 24, 2001
DRAFT: June 28, 2001

This document has been superceded by a more recent version. Below is an earlier version.

STANDARD NO. 2

This standard applies to the essential elements of a training program for regulatory staff.

Requirement Summary

The regulatory staff shall have the knowledge, skills, and ability to adequately perform their required duties.

Description of Requirement

One hundred percent (100 Percent) of the inspection staff shall comply with each of the following items.

1. Curriculum

Within 18 months of employment or assignment to the retail food program, the regulatory staff conducting inspections of retail food establishments must satisfactorily complete of training that includes the following components:

1. prevailing statutes, regulations, ordinances;
2. public health principles;
3. communication skills;
4. microbiology;
5. epidemiology;
6. HACCP.

Credit for each component may be gained by providing documentation of previous training (college courses, military training, etc.). Satisfactory completion of each training component is documented in the individual's training plan. (See www.fda.gov for a Example Training Plan.)

2. Field Training and Experience

Within 12 months of employment or assignment to the retail food program, the regulatory staff conducting inspections of retail food establishments must satisfactorily complete initial field training as described below. Initial field training includes:

1. Twenty five joint training inspections; and
2. Twenty five independent inspections

Field training consists of at least twenty-five joint training inspections with a trainer who has successfully completed all training elements required by this standard. After completing the joint training inspections, the candidate completes at least twenty-five independent inspections of the various types of retail food establishments regulated by the jurisdiction.

3. Field Standardization

Within 18 months of employment or assignment to the retail food program, staff conducting inspections of retail food establishments must satisfactorily complete eight joint inspections with a "training standard" using a process similar to the FDA Procedures for Standardization and Certification of Retail Food Inspection/Training Officer. The standardization procedures shall determine the inspector's ability to apply the knowledge and skills obtained from the training curriculum, and address the five following performance areas: 1) Good Retail Practices, 2) Risk-based inspections, 3) Application of HACCP, 4) Inspection equipment, and 5) Communication.

Continuing standardization shall be maintained by performing six joint inspections with the "training standard" every three years.

4. Continuing Education and Training

Each employee conducting inspections accumulates 20 contact hours of continuing education every 36 months after the initial training (18 months) is completed. The candidate qualifies for 1 contact hour for each hour's participation in any of the following activities:

1. Attendance at regional seminars / technical conferences;
2. Professional symposiums / college courses;
3. Workshops;
4. Food-related training provided by government agencies.

See Appendix B, Trained Regulatory Staff, as an example of a self-assessment tool containing all the essential information for documenting compliance with this Standard.

Outcome

The desired outcome of this standard is a trained regulatory staff with the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct quality inspections.

Documentation

The quality records needed for this standard include:

1. Certificates earned from the successful completion of course elements of the uniform curriculum;
2. Contact hour certificates for continuing education;
3. Procedures for standardization;
4. Standardization certificates or other records showing proof of satisfactory standardization;
5. Field inspection reports for twenty-five each joint and independent inspections;
6. Date of hire records or assignment to the retail food program; and
7. Summary record of employees' compliance with the Standard (For an example see Appendix B).

Last updated by dav/ear/cjm 2006-NOV-14