Evaluating Food Safety Needs in the Food Industry Using a 'Worker-experience Protocol'

摘要

Company food safety needs must be evaluated in order to implement successful food safety training, Customizing a program to address unique situations and needs in the food industry requires studying day-today food safety operations and worker food safety behaviors, One problem with most inspection methods is that they alter the behaviors being studied. To develop a less obtrusive approach, we examined the usefulness of an observation method called the Worker-Experience Protocol (WEP) in conducting aneeds assessment in a food production setting. The objectives of this paper are to (1) outline the steps in the WEP, in which a person unconnected to either the regulatory system or the food company served as a 'worker' in order to make direct observations of company operations and worker behaviors; (2) compare the findings from this observation protocol with those of focus groups conducted with workers at the same companies; and (3) outline the unique insights that WEP provides for food safety needs assessment. Both methods highlighted current strengths and weaknesses that are reported under the following major themes: Implementing proper food safety practices; adequate plant/farm sanitation; worker food safety behavior;and communication channels Whereas the WEP identified the physical situation and personal behaviors and interactions that might contribute to problems,the focus groups illuminated the workers' attitudes and commitment and reasons why problems occur: Although both methods provide valuable information for designing food safety programs, the WEP offers a fast, inexpensive method of gaining a well-rounded impression of worker and management actions and interactions related to food safety at a given time or at repeated time points WEP also avoids the short-term behavior modification that often occurs during an audit or plant inspection. Food professionals could use this protocol to obtain valuable information regarding food safety needs in their operations.