Juggling in the Jungle William L. Weichelt Director of Marketing, ServSafe
Why Conduct Food Safety Training? • 80% of Americans eat out at least once a week • NRA estimates that restaurant industry sales will be $566 billion – This includes all meals and snacks prepared away from home
• From 1993 to 1997 45% of confirmed foodborne illness outbreaks came from restaurants • From 1998 to 2004 52% of confirmed foodborne illness outbreaks came from restaurants – In an EHS-Net study 68% of those restaurants did not have a Certified Kitchen Manager
Cost of a Food Borne Outbreak • According to the Pew Charitable Trusts – Foodborne illnesses account for $156 billion in medical costs, lost productivity and premature death Camploybacter Salmonella E. coli O157:H7 Listeria monocytogenes Toxoplasma gondii
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
1
Effects of a Foodborne Illness Outbreak on your Business • E. coli outbreak in a fast food restaurant – 70 customers became ill – Experienced a $20 million hit on operating profit for a quarter – Stocks fell $1.02 or 1.68%
• E. coli outbreak in a buffet style restaurant – 30 customers became ill 13 were hospitalized Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
• Salmonella outbreak – One restaurant sales dropped from $16,000 to $7,200 per week – One restaurant sales dropped from $56,000 to $3,000 per week Now has leveled off to $14,500 per week
Just the Facts • According to a CDC Study in 2008 – – – –
135 million people eat out each year 76 million people get sick each year 325,000 of those that are sicken need to be hospitalized 5,000 of those hospitalized die 0.004% of all customers will die
• Is 0.004% an acceptable risk? – 2.75 billion airline passengers per year ~11 million would perish
Causes of Foodborne Illness • According to EHS-Net – 65% of outbreaks were caused by food being handled by infected employees – 35% were caused by bare-hand contact with food – In a telephone survey found risky food handling practices 60% did not always wear gloves while touching ready-to-eat foods 23% did not always wash hand between handling raw meat and Ready To Eat (RTE) 33% did not always change gloves between handling raw meat and RTE foods 53% did not use a thermometer to check food temperatures 5% worked while ill with vomiting and diarrhea
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
2
Causes of Foodborne Illness • Study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration – Not having proper holding or time and temperature controls 64% of full-service restaurants 42% of fast food restaurants
– Not following recommended practices for personnel hygiene 42% of full-service restaurants 31% of fast food restaurants
Barriers to Proper Procedures • Lack of knowledge – Do not understand the role they play in a food safety program – Follow by example – High turn over adds to the challenge of educating
• Time constraints – Busy shift – Being pulled in different directions
• Blocked areas – Areas for washing hands or getting to cleaning materials are blocked
• Lack of tools – No thermometers – Unstocked hand sinks – Gloves out of stock
Positive Impacts of Food Safety • Health Department Inspections – Knowledge that health inspections are random – Understanding what the health inspector is looking for
• Knowledge of Food Code – Understanding how the food code impacts an operation – Knowledge of how the food code can impact food safety
• Adequate Training – Understands role of food safety – Able to put knowledge to practice
• Recruitment/Retention – People want to work for a company that has a good reputation
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
3
Positive Impacts of Food Safety • Create culture of Food Safety – Food safety is top down
• Positive Customer Perception – Greater loyalty from the customers
• Improve workplace performance – All employees are part of a team
• Proactively minimizing risks – Ability to minimize food safety issues before they happen
• Strengthen brand identity
Training Cost for Managers
Sending one manager to training Course
Cost of online training for one manager
Bringing in a trainer to train 5 managers
Cost of online training for 5 managers
$125
$125
$1,000
$625
Materials
$50
$0
$250
$0
Travel
$10
$0
$550
$0
Meals
$25
$0
$75
$0
Total Training Costs
$210
$125
$1,875
$625
Additional Labor at the unit
$128
$0
$640
$0
Total Cost
$338
$125
$2,515
$625
Positive Impacts of Online Training for Managers • • • •
Managers can take the course at their convenience Course available 24/7 on any computer with internet connection Zero down time for managers to be out of the unit Consistent training message to all managers
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
4
Class Room Training Cost for Employees
Training One Employee
Yearly Costs for Training Employees
Classroom Training
Online Training
Classroom Training Av Number of Employee Trained
Avg Training Time
3.5 hrs
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Materials
$5
Trainer Cost Total Cost
Avg Training 2 hrs Time $7.25 Minimum Wage $15 Materials Trainer Costs $0 (9 classes)
$42 $72.38
$29.50 Total Cost
Online Training
45
45
3.5 hrs
2 hrs
$7.25
$7.25
$5
$15
$378
$0
$1,745
$1,260
Looking to the Future • Need to train at a deeper level • Need to be more creative with managing costs during down economic times – Training budgets are typically the first to be cut
• Online training is a cost effective means of training – Ability to train more on the same training budget
• Online training is effective – Many new employees are from the Generation Y segment They grew up on computers and technology Online training is consistent – Every person is getting the exact same message each and every time
• Online training is self paced – People can review topics they are not as comfortable with
Two Key Take Aways
• Foodborne illnesses do affect our industry • Food safety training helps mitigate risks
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
5
Questions?
Juggling in the Jungle Bob Custard, REHS, CP-FS Environmental Health Manager Alexandria (VA) Health Department
Tough Times in State and Local Government ¾ 15%+ of U.S. Public Health Workforce Lost in Last 24 Months ¾ Most States and Localities Have Cut Budgets and Staffing ¾ Many States and Localities Have Cut Benefits and Furloughed Employees ¾ Impact on Staff Morale ¾ Losing the Best and Brightest Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
6
Coping with Tough Times in Government ¾ Can Government Maintain Essential Services With Fewer Resources ? ¾ How Can Local Public Health Units Survive In this Environment ? ¾ Are There Any Silver Linings To These Dark Clouds ?
Increased Efficiency ¾ Eliminating Program Duplication Manufacturing facilities turned over to Ag
¾ Increasing Staff Time in the Field Fewer staff meetings Staff start in the field
¾ Risk Assessment / Plan Review for Temporary Events Low risk vendors with satisfactory prior history are not inspected every time
Highly Focused Efforts ¾Risk-Based Inspection Frequency Fewer inspections, but higher quality Clear compliance and enforcement policies to assure proper follow-up
¾ Baseline Survey to Spot Opportunities Employee Health Policy initiative
¾ Elimination of Low-Benefit Programs Laundromats Personal care & massage • Inspection only if a complaint is filed
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
7
Cost Reduction ¾ Free Manpower Volunteers Interns & MPH students
¾ Donated Equipment ¾ No Cost Training
FDA ORA-U NEHA Epi-Ready Workshop NEHA Insect & Rodent Control Workshop Regional “Brown Bag” seminars IFPTI courses
Increased Revenue / Cost Recovery ¾ Fees for Services State restaurant fee increased USDA Summer Feeding Program contracts
¾ Grants FDA Programs Standards grant
¾ City Funding Industry-supported earmarked appropriation for food safety education
Staff Excellence ¾ With Fewer Staff, Highly Motivated High-Productivity Staff Are Essential ¾ Recruit for Excellence If necessary, readvertise Don’t settle for “second best”
¾ Staff Retention
Professional work environment Opportunities for training Special project assignments Morale building events
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
8
Engage Government Decision Makers ¾ Demonstrate Good Management
Describe efficiencies already achieved
¾ Speak Frankly During Budget Process
Quantify possible effects of further cuts
¾ Delineate Specific Needs
Seasonal peak work loads •
EH Techs for Aquatic Health Program
¾ Market Your Food Safety Program at Every
Opportunity
QUESTIONS ? Tragedy
or
Opportunity
?
• More focused • More effective • More efficient • Better managed
Contact Information: Bob Custard, REHS, CP-FS Environmental Health Manager Alexandria Health Department 4480 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302 (703) 838-4400 Ext. 254
[email protected]
Juggling in the Jungle: Increasing Food Safety with Decreasing Resources Copyright © 2010
9
