Regulatory food safety auditing for food businesses

In WA certain food businesses involved in:

  • food service to vulnerable persons, and 
  • dairy primary production, collection and transportation, and processing 

are required to implement a documented food safety program and have the program audited by a regulatory food safety auditor. 

If your food business is captured by one of the following standards of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (Food Standards Code) you will need to implement a documented food safety program and have the program audited by a regulatory food safety auditor. 

Food business Standard Enforcement agency
Food service to vulnerable persons, such as:
  • hospitals
  • child care centres
  • aged care facilities
  • delivered meals organisations
Standard 3.3.1 Food safety programs for food service to vulnerable persons (external site) Public hospitals – WA Department of Health

Private hospitals and all other businesses captured by Standard 3.3.1 (food service to vulnerable persons) – Local Government (where the food business is located)

Dairy primary production, collection and transportation, or processing businesses
Standard 4.2.4 Primary production and processing standard for dairy products (external site) WA Department of Health

Food business’ responsibilities

Your responsibilities relating to regulatory food safety audits are detailed in Regulatory Food Safety Auditing – Information for Food Business (PDF 273 KB)

It is important that you read this document and carry out your obligations to:

  • develop a food safety program
  • submit your food safety program for verification by your enforcement agency (either the local government or WA Department of Health)
  • implement your food safety program
  • ensure your food safety program is audited by an approved regulatory food safety auditor at the required time frames

Further information about the WA regulatory food safety auditing system can be found in Guideline for the Management of the Regulatory Food Safety Auditing System (PDF 336 KB)

Arranging your regulatory food safety audits

It is your responsibility to arrange for your audits to be undertaken by an approved regulatory food safety auditor who you can select from the WA Department of Health list of approved regulatory food safety auditors. The regulatory food safety auditor will send a report of your audit to your enforcement agency. 

Please contact your Food Act 2008 enforcement agency if you require further guidance on regulatory food safety auditors, which is either the WA Department of Health (email foodsafety@health.wa.gov.au), or your local government (refer to the online local government directory (external site) for contact details. 

Last reviewed: 18-06-2021
Produced by

Public Health