Health and Safety

Explain the role of each of the following in maintaining health and safety standards

* Food act 2003 (NSW)
This is that act of the NSW parliament that controls food prepared for sale in NSW. The role of this act is to continuously improve the food safety systems. All employees in the hospitality industry are responsible for making sure that they follow the rules and guidelines for maintaining high standards of food safety. The advantages of this food act is that it continuously aims to improve the food safety systems which shows that there is an ongoing cycle to make sure that the food act is maintain it’s high standards of food safety requirements. If the food act isn’t followed as amended then all employees in the hospitality industry aren’t maintaining a high standard for the hospitality industry. Therefore this Food Act plays an important role within the hospitality industry simply because it is constantly regulating within the food safety system which maintains a high and expected standard for the food safety in NSW.

* National food safety standards
The food safety standards were developed to provide more effective and nationally uniform food safety legislation for Australia. The federal Australian Government has ‘Food Standards Australia New Zealand’ (FSANZ). The FSANZ agency develops and administers the Australia New Zealand Food Standards code which lists requirements for food such as food additives, food safety programs, food safety practices, food safety premises and equipment, food labelling and genetically modified food. The food safety standards were developed to provide more effective and nationally uniform food safety legislation for Australia. The following standards are mandatory for all food businesses in Australia and provide the minimum requirements necessary to maintain a safe food supply. Therefore, the National Food Safety Standards is effective in achieving its aim due to the fact that it is providing more effective nationally constant food safety legislations for Australia to make sure that all food businesses in Australia maintain a safe food supply.

* Personal hygiene practices
Personal hygiene refers to practices that lead to cleanliness and health preservation. Examples of personal hygiene practices include: hair cutting, shaving, brushing teeth, bathing daily, nail clipping etc. Personal hygiene is also referred to good personal appearance.
In addition to hygienic hand care and clean and hygienic clothing, you must follow organisational guidelines for other aspects of personal grooming and hygiene. You need to have neat and clean nails and teeth and no body odour. In food preparation areas, you may need to wear a hair net or hat. You may not be able to have facial hair depending on the business and employee requirements. Advantages of personal hygiene practices are to make the employers and employees working environment hygienic and clean. Examples include: * FIFO practice should be followed and more in regions where the humidity is high * Storage of food should be in airtight containers to protect from dust, insects and moisture * Was hands thoroughly with soap after using the bathroom, smoking or even before handling food * Do not leave food in hot humid areas for a long period of time due to food spoilage.
A disadvantage of not having personal hygiene would include not working in a clean and hygienic environment, which may lead to food spoilage, which could result in bad business reputation or even fines within the business or simply loss of customers.