Conference for Food Protection

The Conference for Food Protection (CFP) Program Standards Committee (PSC) is recommending that new resources developed by the PSC be approved and included on the 2011 Self Assess and Audit Disk to compliment the Guide to Self Assess as a resource for assessing staffing levels as defined in Standard No. 8.

The Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards were developed to serve as a guide for regulatory retail food program managers in the design, management, and execution of a retail food program in our continued goal of reducing foodborne illness risk factors and promoting active managerial control practices sustaining long term compliance. Standard No. 8 applies to Program Support and Resources which includes a section on assessing adequate staffing levels.

Standard No. 8 recommends "a staffing level of one full-time equivalent (FTE) devoted to food for every 280 - 320 inspections performed". While the committee believes that this Standard as it applies to staffing level is unachievable for most jurisdictions and does not provide a realistic measurement that can be applied across various retail food regulatory programs across the nation, the majority agreed that if the PSC focused on a resource to assist in assessing the staffing level that valuable information pertaining to the challenges in meeting this Standard could be identified, which in the future could lead to a more attainable staffing level load.

Over the past two years, the PSC developed a new staffing level assessment resource through discussions and research to compliment the Guide to Self Assess for Standard No. 8. The PSC also developed a supporting instruction guide and recommends it also be made available to enrolled jurisdictions.

1) Approval of the following documents (included as attachments to the Issue titled: Report - Program Standards Committee):

- Standard No. 8 - Assessment Workbook

- Standard No. 8 - Assessment Workbook Instruction Guide

2) That a letter be sent to the FDA requesting that both resource documents be made available to enrolled jurisdictions on the FDA web site and on upcoming versions of the Self Assess and Audit Disk.