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Auditor requirements

The minimum requirements to become recognised as an auditor by the NSW Food Authority are:

All Applications (General Auditor)

  1. Completion of units of competence:

    FBPAUD 4001 - Assess compliance with food safety programs

    FBPAUD4002 - Communicate and negotiate to conduct food safety audits

    FBPAUD4003 - Conduct food safety audits

    FBPAUD4004 - Identify, evaluate and control food safety hazards
     

  2. Tertiary qualifications:

    FBP40421 - Certificate IV Food Science and Technology or higher or related field, including

    a minimum     of 40 hours of food microbiology
  3. Payment of a non-refundable application fee of $880
     
  4. Participation in 2 days of training and assessment by the Food Authority
     
  5. Completion of a verification audit which will be observed by a Skill Examiner employed by the Food Authority

High Risk Auditors

Auditors who wish to be recognised for auditing in high risk food production must complete all of the pre-requisite requirements for general auditors plus auditor training in the following high risk scopes:

  1. Additional requirements to audit high risk levels:

    FBPAUD5002 - Audit a cook chill process

    FBPAUD5003 - Audit a heat treatment process

    FBPAUD5004 - Audit manufacturing of ready-to-eat meat products

    FBPAUD5001 - Audit bivalve mollusc growing and harvesting processes

Auditors may apply to a registered training organisation (RTO) that offers the units of competence above to receive recognition of prior learning (RPL). As the Food Authority is not a RTO, we are unable to offer RPL.

RTOs that offer the units of competence and tertiary qualifications for both general auditors and the high risk scopes can be found at www.myskills.gov.au.

The minimum requirements for auditors to be approved are detailed in the Regulatory food safety auditor manual (pdf, 335KB).

Auditors who are approved in another state may apply under the Mutual Recognition Act 1992 but will still need to be trained and assessed by the Authority under the requirements of the NSW Food Act 2003.

Training of regulatory food safety auditors

  • Available training dates are listed on the auditor training page

Duties of auditors

Regulatory food safety auditors have the duties of a food safety auditor as described in s94 Food Act 2003, but do not have the powers of an authorised officer under the Act.

The food safety auditor must advise the food business that they intend to audit of any relationship that the auditor or an auditor’s family member or associate may have with a direct competitor.

A food safety auditor has a duty to:

  • carry out audits of food safety programs required by the regulations
  • carry out follow-up action, including further audits, to determine whether action has been taken to remedy any deficiencies identified in an audit,
  • carry out assessments of food businesses to ascertain their compliance with requirements of the Food Safety Standards,
  • report in accordance with s95 Food Act 2003.

Reporting duties

Auditors must report audit results to the Authority within 21 days however, serious breaches must be reported immediately. Examples of serious breaches could be where:

  • audit results are unacceptable
  • an imminent or serious risk to the safety of food intended for sale exists
  • an issue that will cause significant unsuitability of food intended for sale exists
  • there is no food safety program on site
  • monitoring records are not up to date
  • product testing results are missing
  • failed product tests have not been reported to the Authority
  • there are hygiene issues relating to product contact surfaces for ready-to-eat foods
  • maintenance issues are affecting product
  • there is an infestation of pests
  • the audit cannot be performed or completed
  • abuse, intimidation, obstruction or anything else happens that may restrict the ability of the auditor to perform the audit

Auditors must leave a copy of the audit report at the food business, and ensure that the business is aware of the findings that will be sent to the Authority.

Approved auditors

Once auditors are approved they are required to:

  • produce their identification card from the Authority on demand
  • use a standard Authority checklist when conducting an audit
  • only audit facilities approved by the Authority to use the regulatory food safety auditor system

Auditor application

Auditors who meet all of these requirements can apply to become a regulatory food safety auditor using application form TPA001 (pdf, 81KB)