Course pathways, compliance checklists and guides, written by the people who audit and train.

Certificate of Acceptability (Regulation 3)

• A valid Certificate of Acceptability has been issued for these premises by the local authority, on an application made on a form substantially similar to Annexure A (Reg 3(1) and 3(2)).
• The certificate is displayed in a conspicuous place, or a copy can be produced immediately on request (Reg 3(7)).
• The nature of food handling on site matches section E of the application and certificate (Reg 3(9)(b)).
• If the person in charge has changed, the local authority was informed within 30 days and a new certificate issued (Reg 3(8)).
• Vehicles used to transport, display or serve prepacked food carry a certified copy of the certificate (Reg 14(6)(a)).
• Any change to the premises that affects Regulations 5 or 6 was reported to the local authority in advance and in writing (Reg 3(6)).

Premises (Regulation 5)

• Walls, ceilings and floors in food-handling areas are smooth, rust-free, non-toxic, cleanable, non-absorbent, dust-proof and water-resistant (Reg 5(3)(a)).
• Ventilation: natural openings to outside air of at least 5% of floor area, or compliant artificial ventilation that removes gas, vapour, steam and warm air (Reg 5(3)(b)(i)).
• Lighting: natural light through transparent surfaces of at least 10% of floor area, or artificial lighting of at least 200 lux, with glass contamination of food prevented (Reg 5(3)(b)(ii)).
• A wash-up facility with hot and cold water for cleaning equipment (Reg 5(3)(c)(i)), and hand-washing facilities with hot water where possible, soap and clean disposable hand-drying material (Reg 5(3)(d)(ii)).
• Toilets, urinals and wash basins in the numbers set out in Annexure D (Reg 5(3)(d)(i)).
• A separate changing area with storage for workers’ clothes (Reg 5(3)(d)(vi)) and an adequate water supply (Reg 5(3)(d)(vii)).
• Refuse containers that are liquid-proof, easy to clean and have close-fitting lids (Reg 5(3)(d)(iii)), with a separate area for storing and cleaning them (Reg 5(3)(d)(v)).
• Waste water disposed of through a system approved by the local authority (Reg 5(3)(c)(iv)).
• Premises are pest-proofed by the best available method, with effective control of flies, cockroaches and other insects (Reg 5(3)(c)(ii) and (iii)).
• No direct connection between food-handling rooms and areas with gas, fumes, dust, soot or offensive odours; toilets and change rooms connect only through a ventilated lobby with self-closing doors, or with negative-pressure extraction (Reg 5(3)(e) and (f)).

Facilities, surfaces and equipment (Regulations 6 and 7)

• Food-contact surfaces are smooth, rust-proof, non-toxic, non-absorbent and free of open joints or seams; nothing chipped, split or cracked is in use (Reg 6(1) and 6(2)).
• Surfaces and equipment are cleaned before first food contact and as often as necessary during or after processing; after cleaning, no more than 100 viable micro-organisms per square centimetre (SANS 5763 swab method) and no cleaning-agent residue (Reg 6(4)).
• Every chilling, freezing and heating apparatus has a thermometer that gives an accurate, unhampered reading, or an equivalent monitoring method (Reg 6(5)).
• Single-use items are stored hygienically and never reused (Reg 6(3)).
• No bulging, blown, rusted, dented, leaking or resealed cans or hermetically sealed containers are offered for sale (Reg 7(1) and 7(2)).
• Prepacked food is in dust-proof, liquid-proof, sealed containers that cannot be opened without breaking the seal (Reg 7(4)).

Storage, display and temperature (Regulation 8 and Annexure E)

• No food in direct contact with the floor, ceiling, wall or ground (Reg 8(1)); shelves and display cases clean and free of dust (Reg 8(2)).
• Non-prepacked ready-to-eat food is protected against droplets, insects, dust and bare hands (Reg 8(3)).
• Chilled perishable food is held at a core temperature of 5 °C or colder, and raw unpreserved fish, molluscs, crustaceans, edible offal, poultry meat and milk at 4 °C or colder (Reg 8(4)(a), Annexure E).
• Frozen food is held at minus 12 °C or colder, and ice cream, sorbet (excluding soft serve) and frozen fish at minus 18 °C or colder (Annexure E).
• Heated perishable food is held at a core temperature of 60 °C or hotter (Annexure E).
• Nothing is sold with a core temperature outside the required value or a surface temperature more than 2 °C off the required core temperature (Reg 8(4)(a)(ii)).
• Where the four-hour exemption is used (food sold or consumed within four hours of processing), the time is tracked (Reg 8(4)(b)(i)).
• Temperatures are measured according to the code of practice in Annexure G (Reg 8(7)).

People and protective clothing (Regulations 9, 10 and 11)

• Everyone handling food wears clean protective clothing, including head covering and footwear, designed so food cannot touch the body except the hands; visitors too (Reg 9).
• The person in charge holds training that is accredited or conducted by an inspector, where applicable (Reg 10(1)(a)).
• Every other person on the premises is trained by an inspector or another suitable person (Reg 10(1)(b)), the impact of training is routinely assessed (Reg 10(1)(c)), and programmes and records are kept and updated for the inspector (Reg 10(1)(d)).
• Hand washing happens at every occasion listed in Reg 11(1)(c), including before each shift, after the toilet, after handling raw food and before ready-to-eat food, after handling money or refuse, after smoking, and after handling common allergens.
• Nails are short, trimmed, clean and unadorned; jewellery is removed or suitably covered (Reg 11(1)(b), Reg 10(9)).
• Staff with jaundice, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sore throat with fever, or discharges from ear, eye or nose do not handle food until a medical practitioner certifies them fit; cuts and sores are covered with a secured moisture-proof dressing (Reg 11(2)).
• Disease and condition reports are recorded and kept for the inspector (Reg 10(15)).
• No spitting, smoking, licking of fingers, coughing over food, or using the hand basin for cleaning equipment (Reg 11(3)).
• Ready-to-eat non-prepacked food is not touched with bare hands unless unavoidable, and then according to good manufacturing practice (Reg 10(14)).

Management systems (Regulation 10)

• Effective pest measures against flies, insects, rodents, birds and vermin (Reg 10(3)); no animals in food areas except guide or service dogs in sales areas and live fish, molluscs or crustaceans awaiting preparation (Reg 10(10)).
• Refuse removed as often as necessary, stored without nuisance, bins cleaned regularly and disinfected when needed (Reg 10(4) to 10(6)).
• Food areas are not used for sleeping, laundry or any purpose that may contaminate food (Reg 10(13)).
• Processing, production and distribution records are kept for at least six months after the shelf life of the product (Reg 10(16)).
• All foodstuffs comply with the Act and regulations, including labelling (Reg 10(17)).
• A traceability system and a recall procedure are in place, and any recall is reported to the local inspector and the National Directorate: Food Control (Reg 10(18)).
• Food transport vehicles are clean, dust-proof and not used for persons or contaminants at the same time (Reg 13).

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Before you apply

• The person in charge has completed accredited training that covers Regulation R638 (Reg 10(1)(a)); the Persons in Charge course is designed to satisfy this, and the inspector judges adequacy.
• Every food handler has completed training by a suitable person (Reg 10(1)(b)); the Food Handlers course is designed to satisfy this.
• A training programme and records exist and can be shown to the inspector (Reg 10(1)(d)); a completion report from the manager dashboard is the simplest form.
• The premises pass the R638 readiness checklist above, especially Regulations 5 and 6, because those are what the inspector assesses before recommending the certificate (Reg 3(5)(a)(i)).
• The nature of handling to be declared in section E of the form (for example manufacturing, catering, retail, transport) matches what you actually do (Reg 3(9)(b)).

The application

• Apply to the local authority in whose area the premises are, on a form substantially similar to Annexure A (Reg 3(2)).
• The local authority refers the application to an inspector without delay (Reg 3(3)); expect an inspection.
• If the premises do not yet comply with Regulations 5 and 6, the local authority may grant an extension of at most six months to rectify (Reg 3(5)(a)(ii)); ask for the findings in writing and fix them in order.
• Nothing about the certificate replaces the other approvals the local authority requires, for example zoning or a business licence (Reg 3(5)(c)).

After the certificate is issued

• Display it in a conspicuous place, or keep a copy that can be produced immediately (Reg 3(7)).
• It is not transferable to another person or another premises (Reg 3(9)(a)); a new owner applies afresh.
• A new person in charge must inform the local authority in writing within 30 days so a new certificate can be issued (Reg 3(8)); the certificate expires permanently if this is missed or the handling goes outside section E (Reg 3(9)(f)).
• A prohibition order under Regulation 4 suspends the certificate; if the order is not removed within the period it stipulates (at most six months) the certificate expires permanently (Reg 3(9)(d) and (e)).
• Keep the training records current; the inspector may ask for them at any visit (Reg 10(1)(d)).

Start of shift

• Staff in clean protective clothing, head covering and footwear; no jewellery uncovered (Reg 9, Reg 10(9)).
• Hand-wash stations have running water (hot where possible), soap and disposable drying material (Reg 5(3)(d)(ii)).
• No one with jaundice, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sore throat with fever or discharges is handling food; cuts covered with secured moisture-proof dressings (Reg 11(2)).
• Fridges at 5 °C or colder (4 °C or colder for raw fish, molluscs, crustaceans, edible offal, poultry meat and milk); freezers at minus 12 °C or colder (minus 18 °C for ice cream, sorbet and frozen fish); hot holding at 60 °C or hotter (Annexure E). Readings written down.
• Thermometers present and reading accurately on every chilling, freezing and heating unit (Reg 6(5)).
• Food-contact surfaces and equipment cleaned before use, nothing chipped, split or cracked (Reg 6(2) and 6(4)).

During production

• Hands washed at every listed occasion, including after raw food and before ready-to-eat food, and after handling allergens (Reg 11(1)(c)).
• Ready-to-eat food protected from droplets, insects, dust and bare hands (Reg 8(3), Reg 10(14)).
• Nothing stored on the floor or against walls and ceilings (Reg 8(1)).
• Raw and ready-to-eat food separated; allergen cross-contact controlled (good manufacturing practice; Reg 11(1)(c)(viii)).
• Stock rotated first-expired, first-out and date-marked (good manufacturing practice).
• No smoking, spitting, eating or unrelated activity in food areas (Reg 11(3), Reg 10(13)).

End of shift

• Surfaces and equipment cleaned and, where required, sanitised; cleaning-agent residue removed (Reg 6(4)).
• Refuse removed, bins cleaned and lids closed; refuse area clean (Reg 10(4) to 10(6)).
• Pest check: no sign of rodents, insects or birds; bait stations and screens intact (Reg 10(3), Reg 5(3)(c)).
• Closing temperatures recorded; any product outside Annexure E limits quarantined and the decision recorded (Reg 8(4)).
• Traceability records for the day complete (Reg 10(18)); records retained at least six months beyond shelf life (Reg 10(16)).

People

• One named person in charge per premises (the name on the certificate) holds accredited R638 training (Reg 10(1)(a)); train each shift supervisor to the same level.
• Every person who handles food has completed food handler training (Reg 10(1)(b)), including casual, seasonal and agency staff.
• New staff are trained before they handle food (Reg 10(1)(b)); Basic Food Hygiene Awareness is the four-hour way to do it, with the full food handler course within probation.
• Supervisors, HACCP team members, QA and QC staff follow the role pathway on this page.

Evidence

• A training matrix lists every role, the course required, the date completed, the certificate number and the next refresher date (template below).
• Certificates are verifiable; ASC certificates carry a QR code that opens the verification record.
• Routine assessments of training impact are done and recorded, for example knowledge tests, observed hand washing, temperature-log checks (Reg 10(1)(c)).
• The training programme and records are kept up to date and can be produced on request (Reg 10(1)(d)); a completion report from the manager dashboard covers this.
• A refresher interval is written into the food safety policy and applied.
• Disease and condition reports from staff are recorded and kept (Reg 10(15)).

Training matrix template

“Required” and “Recommended” reflect Regulation 10(1)(a) and (b) and common practice; adjust to your operation. Add a row per person under each role.

Annual training schedule template

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