What is in it
A one-page A4 checklist you can print and walk around the premises with. It has 26 tick items in six groups:
- Premises and facilities: walls and floors, ventilation and lighting, wash-up and hand-wash facilities, food contact surfaces.
- Temperature: thermometers on every unit and the Annexure E limits for chilled, frozen and hot food.
- Pest control: signs of pests and pest proofing.
- Cleaning: surfaces, refuse, and hand basins used only for hands.
- People and protective clothing: clothing, jewellery, hand washing, cuts and illness, bare-hand contact.
- Records and training: the displayed COA, person in charge training, staff records and training checks.
Every item carries its R638 regulation number, so when something fails you know which rule it falls under. There is space for the action, who will do it and by when, and a score at the bottom.
Who it is for
Persons in charge and supervisors who want to find problems before the environmental health practitioner does. It also works as a starting point for a new manager learning what R638 expects on the floor.
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Questions about the checklist
How often should I use it? R638 does not set a frequency for self-inspection. We suggest once a week, and again before any inspection or after a change to the premises or the team.
If I tick every item, will I pass the inspection? Not necessarily. The checklist covers the points inspectors most often look at, but it does not reproduce all of R638, and the inspector may raise other matters. Treat it as a guide.
Can I add my own items? Yes. Print it, then add site items such as allergen storage or delivery checks on the back. Keep the completed sheets as part of your records.
A person in charge who knows R638 can run this check properly and answer the inspector’s questions. See our Food Safety Practices for Persons in Charge course.
