Food handlers working in Hamilton, Ontario are required by law to receive food safety training. This ensures that all food products they handle have a very low or absent risk of being contaminated. However, the bylaw specifically requires food handlers to train and become certified by a training provider that is approved by Hamilton’s local health authorities. Hamilton First Aid just happens to be one of the few providers that work hand in hand with the city’s health department. If you receive training from us, the credential you receive will be accepted throughout the entire province. Register now with FOODSAFE in Hamilton.
But how do you sign up for a class FOODSAFE in Hamilton?
Signing up is easy. On our Hamilton First Aid website, you will find an online form that you fill up with your details on the website. After you click submit, the form will send all your information to us, which will be processed during regular business hours. Another option is to sign up in person, which is always popular, since most students prefer paying personally instead of over the internet.
Contacting us is similarly as easy. Our complete details can be found on the website – just expect to be entertained during business hours from 8 AM to 5 PM. You may send e-mails and submit sign up forms at any time of the day.
Hamilton First Aid training classes
At Hamilton First Aid, we offer both first aid and food safety training programs. Food safety programs are further categorized into basic and advanced training. The bylaw that was drafted by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care in Ontario only requires basic training for food handlers, but taking both levels is highly encouraged.
Basic level food safety is an introductory course, open to all students who are interested in learning food safety, not just people who work as food handlers. It is an eight-hour program that can be taken in on eday or two days.
The introductory food safety curriculum includes the following topics:
- The health unit’s role in food safety
- Pathogenesis of foodborne illness
- Personal hygiene and health
- Pest control and sanitation
The curriculum of a advanced level food safety focuses on management – teaching students how to run a food establishment. This advanced program targets food establishment owners, managers, and other staff members in supervisory capacity. It runs longer than the basic course, taking 16 hours over two days.
The advanced food safety curriculum includes topics such as:
- Health permits and certificates
- Workflow in the establishment
- General housekeeping and sanitation
Getting started: the process of food contamination
The biggest culprit of food contamination is unsafe food handling. Food handlers who do not practice proper hand hygiene or wear protective gear increase the risk of food becoming contaminated with either microorganisms or chemicals. Over 60 percent of foodborne illness cases are caused by the Norovirus, the other microorganisms that round off the top five are Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, non-typhoid Salmonella, and Campylobacter spp..
All certificates awarded by Hamilton First Aid are valid for five years before they need to be renewed.