Persons Preparing Food for Public Consumption Must Have a Food Handler’s Permit

Persons, who are in the business of preparing and/or serving food and drink to be consumed by the public are being reminded that they are required to have a valid food handler’s permit (FHP).

This is the case even for those who are not directly handling food but are employed at a food-handling establishment and may enter food preparation/processing areas at the facility, Director of Environmental Health in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Michael Williams, tells JIS News.

He says that the requirement extends to “the secretary, the boss, the ancillary and general non-food staff”.

“The law covers all employees associated with the establishment because we know that in a time of great demand everyone may be called upon to assist with the handling of the food,” he points out.

A total of 180,000 FHPs were issued last year.

Outlining the process of acquiring a FHP, Mr. Campbell informs that persons must first complete a food handler’s application form, which is available at parish health department offices or health centres.

“You should have the fee, which is $500; two passport-size photographs, one signed by a justice of the peace (JP); your taxpayer registration number (TRN); and a government identification (ID) such as driver’s licence, passport or voter’s ID,” he says.

After submitting the form and paying the required fee, the food handler will receive an appointment date to complete the examination.

The next step is a training session in food-handling procedures followed by a written test, which can be completed orally for those who are challenged with reading.

“If one succeeds in securing at least 70 per cent, then the client proceeds to do a health interview and a medical examination,” says Mr. Williams.

“With a positive result (satisfactory result), the processing of the FHP is well under way. The health department can also provide the client with a letter in the interim, to conduct business,” he points out.

The average turnaround time for the FHP is 21 days up to a month.

“However, if one needs to do an intensive medical, it could take longer,” Mr. Williams tells JIS News.

“Also, we may have to decline some persons for a while if they have just returned from a country experiencing an outbreak of a highly transmissible disease,” he informs.

Such precautions are necessary, as a robust FHP regime helps to prevent the spread of diseases.

“Improper handling of food can result in the spread of foodborne illnesses like salmonellosis, listeriosis, campylobacteriosis and the more common gastrointestinal ailment, and the potentially deadly cholera and typhoid fever,” Mr. Williams points out.

“This is why Section 26 (1) of the Public Health Act (Food Handling) Regulations of 1998 prescribes that all persons in food-handling business must have an FHP, and failure to do so shall result in a fine of $250,000 for the first offence, up to $500,000 for the second offence and at least $1 million for the third offence and/or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months,” he emphasises.

Under the Act, there is a differentiation between companies and individuals with respect to the naming of the certification.

“For companies, it is referred to as a licence, which should be prominently displayed in the establishment. Also, it is the responsibility of the company to ensure that each member of staff has a valid FHP and for individuals, it is the familiar food handler’s permit, which should be kept on their person,” Mr. Williams tells JIS News.

“When engaging itinerant vendors, you have the right to ask to see their permit,” he underscores.

Additionally, the life of the FHP is for one year based on the Public Health (Food Handling) Regulations set out in the Act.

“This is deliberate to allow for refresher courses, as FHP holders sometimes drift away from the standards,” says Mr. Williams.

“In this vein, we will be launching a public education and enforcement campaign soon to bolster our routine sensitisation from shop to shop, business to business and parish to parish over time,” he informs.