The proof of the studying....

Who was it that first said, ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating’?  An old wife, a thoughtful sage or maybe even John Prescott?  Taken literally, it’s a phrase that rings true for anyone in the food and hospitality industry.  A sticky toffee pudding may look delicious; its golden, caramel sauce glistening with calorific scrumptiousness but, steamed for too long into a lumpen, leaden mass, it all too often weighs heavy on the stomach, a disappointment to both chef and customer.

 

Scratch beneath the surface and this well-worn phrase actually means ‘it’s results that count’.  It’s a waste of time something just looking good – it’s got to be shown to be good.  Thinking about the theme of this month’s newsletter for a moment (i.e. the importance of staff training) and, taking a rather contrived convolution of this colourful cliché, we could just as easily (albeit sheepishly)  say, ‘The proof of the studying is the teaching’.  (Hang on to that word ‘proof’ as we’ll come back to it later…..)

 

Effective training or ‘teaching’ is crucial to any successful business.  It goes without saying that there are many positive aspects to a well trained workforce – but, just for the record, we’ll say them anyway! :

 

•      A well motivated workforce

•      The production of safe food by competent staff

•      A reduction in food wastage caused by spoilage or contamination

•      Reduced chance of complaints from customers

•      Less chance of an accident occurring

•      Legal compliance

 

The importance of effective training is also backed up by ‘The Law’ :

 

Food Safety Law – Catering Industry Guidelines

 

“The proprietor of a food business shall ensure that food handlers engaged in the food business are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities.”

 

Health & Safety Law – Management Regulations

 

“Every employer shall ensure that his employees are provided with adequate health and safety training.”

 

As a consultancy specialising in the hospitality sector, The European Safety Bureau have been in a number of situations where that universally feared and indiscriminate principle, ‘Murphy’s Law’, also applies ! 

 

Called in to investigate an alleged food poisoning incident or following an accident at work, one of our first ports of call is to examine the training records of those staff involved.  Perhaps more importantly, it’s also the first port of call for an enforcement officer who may be investigating the incident or a solicitor acting on behalf of a claimant.   Basically, it’s a case of ‘No Training Record…..No Defence’ !

 

And this is usually where Murphy’s Law strikes…..There may be 12 sets of training records set up for each member of staff, but it is ALWAYS the person most directly involved in the incident who has the inaccurate or missing record … You can bet on it.

 

Crucially, these training records provide a key part of any ‘due diligence’ defence. Such a defence is usually constructed by proving you have: 

 

• Clear Operational Standards which have been developed through hazard analysis or risk assessment

• Premises compliant with current legislation

• Written proof that your staff have been adequately trained (we said that word ‘proof’ would be important!)

• Effective monitoring systems to ensure standards are being maintained with corrective action taken when this is not the case.

 

SO ………  A plea from The Bureau!

 

Please ensure that you staff have been trained correctly AND that really accurate training records are being kept. If anything does go wrong, you will be so relieved that you have taken the time to ensure that the records are spot on!  

 

And by the way, don’t oversteam your pudding either!