HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7046 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7046
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council August 20, 1985
19 7 1 Subject: FOOD SANITATION TRAINING
Background
Since 1981 the Fort Worth Health Department has provided a 45-minute class on
basic food sanitation for all food service workers in Fort Worth. The
training is required annually by Section 19-47 of the City Code. In January,
1985, the Health Department began enforcing the Code requirement that food
service managers have completed a course in food sanitation for managers.
Basically, this is an FDA-approved sixteen-hour course such as presented by
the Texas Restaurant Association and Tarrant County Junior College. There is
a high turnover of employees in the food industry. Health Department staff
believe that better food results are obtained with less burden to the food
industry when supervisory personnel are trained and certified every three
years rather than requiring annual training of every food service worker.
Knowledgeable supervisory personnel will require good food hygiene practices
from their employees.
PROPOSED PROGRAM MODIFICATION
Staff believes that the food handler's• sanitation training course should be
lengthened to about two hours and be mandatory for only selected groups of
employees. Attendance at this longer food sanitation course would be
required for (1 ) all employees of a food establishment where the permit had
been suspended for sanitary violations. Such training would be required
before the permit was reinstated and the establishment allowed to reopen, (2)
all child care workers , (3) all employees in commercial temporary food stands
if a manager was not on duty who had completed a food manager's sanitation
course and obtained a food manager's certificate from the director of public
health within the past thirty-six months, and (4) all employees of food
establishments employing three or less total employees unless there was a
manager on duty who held a current food manager's certificate. Other persons
who wished to avail themselves of this training could do so on a voluntary or
company selected basis.
Food sanitation training for managers or other staff would be required only
where open food or beverage is prepared, stored or served or where, in the
opinion of the director of public health, such training would be required to
protect public health. flanager training would not be required where only
alcoholic beverages are served.
At the present rate of food manager certification, it is anticipated that
eighty percent of those eligible will be trained and certified by October 1 ,
I q85.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS-
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7046 - _p. 2
a 0
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council August 20, 1985
Subject: FOOD SANITATION TRAINING
It is anticipated that revenue from the food handler training program will be
reduced from $140,000 annually to $30,000 annually. Revenue from food
manager certification is expected to be $ 25,0OU annually.
The Board of Directors of the Fort Worth Restaurant Association support these
changes to the food sanitation training program.
If the City Council concurs, staff will prepare the necessary ordinance
modifications. Further information will be furnished upon request.
DOUgl as Harman
City Manager
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ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS