Certificate in Applied HACCP Principles

There are eight assessment objectives for the Advanced Certificate, testing the candidate's knowledge and understanding of:

The current status and characteristics of HACCP
How HACCP systems support national and international standards trade and legislative requirements
Prerequisite programmes and their relationship with HACCP
Planning an effective HACCP plan
How to lead a HACCP team
The practical application of HACCP principles
The design, implementation and management of appropriate programmes for the verification and management of maintenance of HACCP systems
The methods to be used for the effective implementation of HACCP

The teaching of outcomes for the RIPH Advanced Certificate in Applied HACCP Principles provide opportunities for developing and assessing certain Key Skills. The examination does not directly assess Key Skills, but the knowledge required, if put into practice during a course, would require the application of Key Skills which might be independently assessed at the same time in line with published guidance. The sign-posting throughout the outcomes of this specification directs teachers/trainers to areas that provide opportunities for independent assessment of Key Skills.

BACKGROUND TO HACCP
The candidate will be able to:
i) describe the background to, and the current status of, HACCP.
ii) explain that HACCP is a planned, logical, sequence of activities providing a framework for food safety management systems.
iii) detail the major benefits and limitations of HACCP systems.
iv) explain the main characteristics of other methods of food safety management.
v) demonstrate familiarity with the terminology of HACCP, using the Codex Alimentarius definitions

Key Skills:
Section 1 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Problem Solving.

HACCP NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS.
The candidate will be able to:
i) discuss HACCP and international trade including the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT).
ii) discuss Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) issues, including “equivalence” of food safety systems and the role of Mutual Recognition Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, in terms of resolving trade disputes.
iii) explain the role of the World Health organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Codex Alimentarius Committee (CAC) and its relevant committees.
iv) describe the role of HACCP within other international management standards frameworks, in particular ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 22000.
v) provide examples of relevant legislative requirements.
vi) explain the concept of the “Competent Authority” including the role of the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
vii) detail the advantages and disadvantages of adopting certification for HACCP systems.

Key Skills:
Section 2 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Communication.

PREREQUISTE PROGRAMS
The candidate will be able to:
i) explain the term “prerequisite programmes” and why these programmed control measures must be in place to support a HACCP system.
ii) describe how prerequisite programmes contribute to the effectiveness of HACCP systems.
iii) explain why existing prerequisite programmes must be evaluated and assessed to establish whether they meet company requirements for prerequisites to support HACCP.
iv) explain the need to identify deficiencies or gaps in existing prerequisites and explain the importance of developing appropriate development programmes.
v) explain the importance of ensuring that prerequisite programmes being used in support of HACCP systems are effective.
vi) explain that the HACCP plan must always consider hazards independently of prerequisite programmes

Key Skills:
Section 3 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Problem Solving and Application of Number.

MANAGING CHANGE TO HACCP
The candidate will be able to:
i) describe how to manage change to a HACCP system including obtaining top management support, justifying the need for change and strategies for overcoming resistance to change.
ii) outline the personnel resources needed for developing a HACCP system.
iii) discuss the ideal composition of a HACCP team, the roles of its members and their training requirements.
iv) describe the structure of a HACCP system and its documentation format emphasising that the structure should be determined before the project is planned.
v) explain and differentiate between the linear, modular and generic approaches to HACCP documentation.
vi) outline the main features of HACCP Project Management including, defining of objectives, developing schedules, budgeting, quality/cost/time elements and team selection.
vii) explain how planning techniques such as Gantt or PERT may be used.
viii) discuss the benefits and disadvantages of using software to develop and manage HACCP systems. Predictive Modelling, should be included.

Key Skills:Section 4 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Communication and Working with Others

LEADING A HACCP TEAM
The candidate will be able to:
i) define leadership taking account of management definitions and general use of leadership and explain how this relates to the HACCP team.
ii) discuss the essential aspects of HACCP team leadership including identification of training needs, models of leadership, delegation, dealing with conflict, time management and identification of HACCP team members.

Key Skills:
Section 5 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Communication and Working with Others

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF HACCP PRINCIPLES
The candidate will be able to:
i) explain that HACCP is a systematic and thorough approach to hazard analysis including the importance of hazard identification.
ii) describe the activities prior to conducting a hazard analysis, such as defining the scope, writing product descriptions and drawing process flow diagrams.
iii) describe the techniques used in the identification of hazards and their sources/causes.
iv) explain the techniques used to assess the significance of hazards, comparing and contrasting qualitative and quantitative methods.
v) design effective Control Measures, emphasising the link between the source/cause of hazards and control measures.
vi) discuss the methods/tools available for the identification of Critical Control Points.
vii) explain how to design and determine Critical Limits including their relationship with Control Measures.
viii) describe how to design, perform and record trials to confirm the effectiveness (validity) of Critical Limits.
ix) explain the use of target values, tolerances and warning limits and their relationship with Critical Limits.
x) explain how to design and document effective Monitoring Systems.
xi) describe the relationship between Monitoring Activities and Control Measures.
xii) describe the design and documentation of Corrective Action procedures, including the need for short and long term Corrective Action.

Key Skills:
Section 6 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Communication, Application of Number, Information Technology and Working with Others

VERIFICATION & MAINTENANCE
The candidate will be able to:
i) define and explain definitions for 'verification', 'review' and 'maintenance activities'.
ii) explain Verification of the HACCP system including its coverage of prerequisite programmes.
iii) explain that Verification is a scheduled activity which will also be initiated by any change to the HACCP system.
iv) explain that Validation may form part of Verification.
v) describe Validation methods, including the need to challenge the effectiveness of a proposed HACCP plan and identify limitations (e.g. Failure Mode, Effect Analysis and experimental trials).
vi) describe Verification methods such as audits of systems in place, review of working systems and tests other than monitoring tests that can be applied to verify that the objective is being met
vii) describe Verification skills such as audit/assessment skills, data analysis/results interpretations, sampling and testing.
viii) describe the roles of those responsible for internal and external verification and certification schemes.
ix) describe and compare the roles of government and industry and independent third parties in assessing HACCP systems.
x) explain the need for HACCP maintenance activities to be planned, including updating, document management, training and HACCP team maintenance.
xi) explain mechanisms for updating a HACCP plan in response to operational changes and changes arising from validation or review activities.
xii) describe the need for periodic/scheduled HACCP system review, including consideration of improvements proposed as a result of verification activities and impact of external factors such as emerging pathogens and legislation changes.
xiii) identify the principal types and purposes of record keeping.
xiv) verify a HACCP plan.

Key Skills:
Section 7 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Communication, Application of Number, Information Technology and Working with Others.

IMPLEMENTATION OF HACCP SYSTEMS
The candidate will be able to:
i) define implementation as the transition from the completed paper HACCP plan to the practical operation of the system.
ii) describe preparation for implementation of the HACCP plan including ensuring that the plan is complete, accurate and valid.
iii) explain the importance of ensuring that the basis for the development of the HACCP plan was sound, that is, that the scope was covered, the process flow diagram was still accurate, the HACCP principles have been correctly applied, Control Measures and Critical Limits have been
validated and prerequisite programmes are operational.
iv) describe methods of implementation including differing scales of implementation between small and larger companies, the need for training, the importance of management culture and role of the HACCP team (including communications training and support).
v) explain the need for confirmation that the implementation phase is complete.
vi) describe barriers to successful implementation such as company culture resistance to change, ineffective communications and inadequate planning.

Key Skills:
Section 8 may provide opportunities for demonstrating Key Skills activities in Communication, Application of Number, Information Technology, Problem Solving and Working with Others.