A survey of environmental health officers' views of food hygiene training

Abstract

In both their enforcement and training role environmental health officers (EHOs) may influence businesses' attitudes to hygiene training. A survey was conducted to examine EHOs' experience and perceptions of the provision and effectiveness of food hygiene training in small food businesses. The results indicate that officers had concerns about the content and the delivery of hygiene courses and about the quality of other hygiene trainers. Officers use the industry guides to advise on training but receive limited guidance on the assessment of hygiene training in the workplace. The checking of training records was considered to be less important than the use of observation and questioning for assessing hygiene training effectiveness. Environmental factors, such as supervisor support and situational aids were judged by officers to be important factors in the implementation of workplace hygiene training. They reported low levels of formal refresher training and active support of training by management.

Development and assessment of pilot food safety educational materials and training strategies for Hispanic workers in the mushroom industry using the Health Action Model

“…However, virtual teams that were self-directed have been compared to teams where management enforced behavioral controls and no difference in performance was evident between the two groups (Piccoli, Powell, & Ives, 2004). In contrast, Worsfold et al (2004) reported that 86% of environmental health officers surveyed agreed that it is not necessary for enforcement officers to assess the effectiveness of training by questioning staff at places where there is a food safety management system in place. This suggests that the need for commitment of upper management may vary with the workplace.…”

“…For example, despite behavioral intent, workers will not wash their hands if handwashing facilities are not available. Worsfold, Griffith, and Worsfold (2004) demonstrated in an Environmental Health Officers survey that environmental factors such as supervisory support were considered to be key when implementing a food safety program in the industry. Hennum et al (1983) demonstrated that management has a key role during the implementation and follow-up of a food safety program.…”

Food hygiene training in small to medium-sized care settings

“…Worsfold et al, (2004) Handlers and their managers reported course content to be relevant and in some cases that training had influenced a short-term behaviour change. Findings, however, suggest that training did not influence intentions to perform safe food handling practices on all occasions.…”

“…Findings, however, suggest that training did not influence intentions to perform safe food handling practices on all occasions. However, various authors (MacAuslan, 2001;and Sprenger, 1999), and some Environmental Health Officers (Worsfold et al, 2004), have expressed doubts over the content, suitability and assessment of food hygiene courses. Their main concerns focus on the level of the questions, their wording, the topic range, and the lack of emphasis on key topics (Worsfold et al, 2004).…”

Evaluating food safety perceptions and practices for agricultural food handler

“…A previous study suggested that this disparity between knowledge and practices occurs because much training, particularly with formal certification, is designed using the KAP model (Rennie, 1995). While assuming that individual behaviors or practices (P) depend on their knowledge (K), this approach suggests that merely providing information leads to attitudinal changes (A) and, ultimately, behavioral changes (Worsfold, Griffith, & Worsfold, 2004). Another study suggested that this model erroneously assumes that knowledge is essential to behavioral change (Ehiri, Morris, & McEwen, 1997).…”