Food safety management tools for environmental health practitioners
Standard 3.2.2A - Food Safety Management Tools (external site) was gazetted on the 8 December 2022 and will come into effect after a 12-month transition period on 8 December 2023. The Standard is an extension of the existing Standard 3.2.2 (external site) requirements and introduces three food safety management tools for:
- food service
- caterers
- some retail businesses.
Local government enforcement agencies are responsible for ensuring that applicable WA food businesses registered with the local government are informed of Standard 3.2.2A and are prepared to implement the standard from the 8 December 2023.
Application of the standard
The standard captures food businesses that handle unpackaged potentially hazardous food that:
- is used in the preparation of ready-to-eat food to be served to a consumer or
- is ready-to-eat food intended for retail sale by that business.
Food businesses captured by the standard are divided into two categories:
- Category one business: Food business that is a caterer or food service that processes unpackaged potentially hazardous food into a food that is potentially hazardous food and ready-to-eat.
- Category two business: Food business that offers for retail sale potentially hazardous food that is ready-to-eat where that food:
- was received unpackaged or was unpackaged after receipt and
- was not made or processed (other than slicing, weighing, repacking, reheating or hot-holding) by the food business.
Food safety management tools
The standard provide enforcement agencies the following tools to ensure food businesses are adequately managing food safety risks when handling unpackaged potentially hazardous food:
- Requirement to have certified food safety supervisors
- Training of food handlers
- Requirement to substantiate key food safety controls by keeping records or by demonstrating compliance to an authorised officer.
The tools that are applicable to the two food business categories are detailed in the following table:
| Food business category |
Food safety supervisor |
Food handler training |
Substantiating key food safety controls |
| Category one |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Category two |
Yes |
Yes |
Not applicable |
Information about the standard
An overview of the requirements for Standard 3.2.2A are outlined on the Food Safety Management Tools for food businesses webpage. This includes details of suitable food handler training and food supervisor training.
Resources for authorised officers
The following resources will support Food Act authorised officers to understand the requirements of Standard 3.2.2A and promote awareness of the standard to food businesses.
Stakeholder toolkit
WA resources for food businesses
Refer to the Food Safety Management Tools for food business for a range of resources to support food businesses to understand the new requirements including a factsheet, inforgraphic, guideline and training course information. Certain resources are also available in Thai, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese and Italian.
Refer to the new frequently asked questions on FSMT for answers to common queries received by the Department of Health and local government.
Guidelines for authorised officers
Seminars and webinar
Food businesses should refer to Food safety management tools for food businesses.
Last reviewed: 21-09-2023
Produced by
Environmental Health Directorate