The Gentle Leading of the Rebellious Foodhandler

Debbie Harris was the first proctor to sign on with my internet food safety program. Throughout central Alabama, she offers exam-only classes to students who take my on-demand ServSafe® training.

Debbie is the Deputy Director of Food and Catering for the City of Montgomery, Alabama. Using skills sharpened by years of experience in the Las Vegas resort and casino business, she led her department through a major metamorphosis. “We used to be all about beverage carts roaming the city golf courses, and hot dogs & nachos at the ball parks. Now, you can have lobster and champagne waiting for you at the 18^th Hole, or any cuisine delivered to any party location.”

She led the charge to convert their business from just concentrating on concession stands to include fine dining for very large and varied venues. It’s not unusual for the City Catering Department to serve 10,000 meals in a week’s time, for a wide range of simultaneous events including barbecue for backyard summer parties, prime rib and whole sturgeon for political fund raisers, fine wine and hors d`oeuvres for cruises on the City’s river boat, and champagne and caviar for romantic midnight soirées. And don’t forget, while all of that’s going on, burgers, dogs, fries and nachos are still being served by the thousands at 35 locations for all manner of sports tournaments from football to golf to tennis to softball. But, that’s not all. Birthday parties for all ages are booked by the dozens; events for sororities, fraternities, and civic associations are constantly in the schedule; and weddings are presented in some of the most romantic settings imaginable.

You would think that Show Business must be Debbie’s primary concern, but that’s not even close. “With so many events, and so many people handling so much food,” she explained, “food safety is our first priority.” The department’s hiring policy reflects that. Anyone who wants to apply for a fulltime position must have already passed the ServSafe® exam, before they can even submit a job application. In addition, merit increases and awards are all based solely on how well any given staff member performs good food safety practices.

Anyone in the food service business knows that enforcing good practices among the staff is a constant, difficult process. People don’t like to learn new things or change old habits. “When I started this job,” she said, “they were so reluctant to change, I thought I was going to have to fire everybody and start over.” Some of them were so stubborn, they joined forces and threatened to quit rather than wear gloves. But, when “fire everybody” crossed her lips, they snapped-too pretty fast.

Now, her staff of seasoned, veteran managers is charged with constantly reminding one another to wash their hands and change gloves, wear hair covers, and check food temperatures. Food Safety is the routine theme throughout the operation.

But, part-time new-hires are still a problem. Even though they’re in the mix with a well trained staff, there’s still a lot of fussing when it comes to meeting routine expectations.

I was lucky enough to overhear a conversation between Debbie and a part time employee. The new hire had never even heard the term “food safety” and was completely resistant to following the rules.

Currently he was angry over the requirement to wear a hair cover. “I’ll look ridiculous in front of my friends,” he argued, “I won’t wear it!”  In a quiet tone she said, “It’s important. I wish I could make you understand.” He squared off against her and snidely quipped, “and what if you can’t make me understand?”

She answered quietly, “Then, I can make you gone.”

He put on the hair cover.

The title of this article is intentionally deceptive to make this point. Food Safety is a serious, life-or-death issue. When the concern is enforcement of strict rules for good practices, gentle is not part of the process.

I encourage all of my students to “become walking bull whips, when it comes to food safety. Lead with unwavering commitment. You don’t have to be mean, but you do have to be firm and consistent.”

But, in spite of all your efforts, if an employee refuses to fall in line, just say quietly in a voice that’s gentle, “you’re gone.”

Thank you.

Andy Bozeman, CFPM

phone 334-834-1714

email AndyBozeman@FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com

internet FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com

Tell Me About Toxins, PLEASE!!

Generally, people have at least a passing knowledge about bacteria and food. It’s widely understood that bacteria will grow in food that’s not cared for properly, and can make someone sick. But, there’s one word you can say that’s almost always greeted with blank stares, TOXINS.

Incident #1: A contestant on one of those who’s-the-best-cook TV shows thought she had made too many orders of spaghetti. I’ll call her Spaghetti Girl. Knowing the head chef accepted only the freshest dishes, she tossed the extra spaghetti into the trash. Later she realized that her order-count had been correct all along, and she was one order short because she had thrown it away. To keep the pace going she made a fateful decision. The discarded pasta was retrieved from the garbage, and then placed it into a pot of boiling water. Alas, there was a witness, the head chef. When he challenged her sanity, her explanation was, “the boiling water, at 212⁰, will kill any bacteria from the trash can.” She was dumbfounded when the head chef rejected her reasoning, and then ordered her to prepare fresh spaghetti.

Incident #2: A previous student owns a small meat-and-three café. I’ll call him Mn3. He thawed a roast, overnight on the counter, at room temperature. Later, because he had taken my on-demand ServSafe® class and passed the exam, Mn3 realized his mistake of leaving the roast in the temperature danger zone for too long. Mn3 reasoned that cooking the roast to the proper internal temperature would kill any bacteria, and make the roast safe to eat. However, when he served the roast, dozens of customers still got sick.

What MAJOR thing did they both miss? TOXINS!

The bacteria left toxins behind. It’s like bacteria going to the bathroom, and the stuff left behind is dangerous. Even in an oven at hundreds of degrees, or in a pot of boiling water, toxins can’t be cooked away. Neither cooking nor freezing bothers them at all. Picture them in the boiling water, paddling around wearing sunglasses and colorful microscopic floaties. They’re happy wherever they are. So, at every temperature, they remain dangerous and able to make people sick. In these incidents, festering bacteria left toxins behind on the roast and in the trash can where it could be transferred to the spaghetti.

Spaghetti Girl was bumped off the show, although the head chef never mentioned toxins. The audience was left with the impression that she was eliminated for getting an order wrong, not for serving food out of a toxin-laced garbage can.

Mn3 was reported, investigated and shut down. Before he was allowed to reopen, he had to repeat the entire ServSafe® training class. Before he started his on-demand class retake, he sent me an email. He wrote, “Tell me about toxins, please!!”

What can we learn from this, besides a lesson about toxins? Nobody knew. Not Spaghetti Girl, not Mn3, not the Head Chef, or the TV producers; not one of them showed the slightest understanding about the danger of toxins and food. So, a valuable teaching moment for everyone was missed.

That’s how we got here. FUSION MINUTE™ is received by Mn3, and also by a producer of the TV show that featured Spaghetti Girl and her toxic noodles. So, this is me telling everybody, including Mn3, about toxins. Sadly, until Spaghetti Girl and the head chef start reading FUSION MINUTE™, they’re on their own.

WHEN “US AGAINST THEM” BECOMES “WE”

This is just for health department administrators and health inspectors.

During these times, as the presidential election dominates the news, we are constantly reminded that America is a divided nation. There are two sides. We are either Red or Blue. It’s “us” against “them.” Of course, this type of political division is healthy, because it takes more than one side to guarantee our own freedom. So, the longer we stay “us against them,” the longer our nation will remain free.

But there’s another instance when “us against them” is not so healthy - food safety regulations. Where regulatory policies are concerned, ”us” is the side that enforces the standards, and “them” is the side that must comply. The problem is that “us” says “you have to meet the standards,” but “them” says “I don’t want to, and you can’t make me.”

They’re usually right. States, counties, and parishes have enacted all manner of well thought out regulations and standards for prevention measures. Food Protection Manager Certification has been mandated almost everywhere. Food-handler training is required in many places. In addition, in some states, new food-business licenses and permits are withheld until the new food facility has met all training requirements.

So, where’s the “us against them” issue? It’s in the follow-through.

Too often, when I visit a food establishment whose managers I’ve trained, I’ll see the required ServSafe® Certificate on the wall, but no evidence that anyone from the facility ever went near a ServSafe® class; no gloves, no hair covers, cooks in the kitchen chewing gum and smoking, and not a single food thermometer in the place.

If I ask them why they’re not practicing what they were preached, the answer is always, “I’ve got the certificate, and that’s all that matters.”

That’s the problem, because they’re right. In most states the statute says that if a food establishment has a ServSafe® Certificate, the business is in compliance with the statute. Even if an inspector finds infractions, barely short of the grossest negligence, because of the certificate, the inspector’s hands are often tied.

In most places all a regulatory agency can do is mark off points on a health score, and threaten closure. But closure requires such a low score, that by the time that low score is reached, customers have already been in danger for months.

The Solution

Some states have begun to rethink the powers granted to inspectors. The concept is to give inspectors almost sheriff-like power to close a business instantly, and in some cases, seal it with chains and padlocks.

In my on-demand internet food safety training program, in the final chapter I tell students to “Actually do the things you’ve been taught.” Some will show follow-through, but not because I said so. They’ll do it because it’s right.

For others the instant when they’ll consider doing the right thing won’t happen until they see an inspector walk in carrying a chain and a lock.

That’s when their concept of “us against them” becomes “what can we do about this.”

Even then they’ll try to argue by saying “But, I have a Certificate.”

To which the inspector can reply, “I know, but I have a chain.”

Thank you,

Andy Bozeman, CFPM

phone 334-834-1714

email AndyBozeman@FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com

internet FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com

FOOD SAFETY TRAINING ONLINE

Internet Education, Distance Learning, Online Training....... whatever you call it, it's amazing, and it's a great idea! The phrase “I’m going to school,” no longer exclusively means to travel from one place to another, to sit at an assigned desk in a specific room, and listen to a teacher in that room only.

Now, going-to-school often means to reach for the nearest smart phone, tap a few keys on a virtual keyboard and, abracadabra, you’re in school, whether it’s a seat in a stadium, a bench on a bus, or a lounge chair on the beach. By the way, that’s where I am right now……the beach I mean……this technology isn’t wasted on me.

Food Safety Education has changed, thanks to the advent of the internet, and the devices that connect us to it. Here’s a good example, www.FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com. A video on the home page tells students how it works. In fact, the video is called HOW IT WORKS. Instructors and proctors can find additional information about the business of online learning here : www.FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com/proctorinvitation.asp . Or, on the home page, hover the mouse over MORE INFO, then select PROCTOR INVITATION.

Everyone has access to this training, not just online, but ON-DEMAND. The training can be viewed using any computer or hand-held device that is video-enabled, such as ANDROID smart phones and tablets, or the latest iPhones and iPads. This makes it possible for almost everyone to have access to food safety knowledge.

Students can take the training from anywhere, anytime without traveling long distances to spend all day in a physical classroom. It reduces student-procrastination, because it helps students who can’t dedicate entire days to training, thus leaving their operations at risk, due to their absence. Further, and this is important, it increases exam-sales for both Instructors and Proctors. Increased sales………..that’s a good idea!

Online, on-demand internet education is here, and it’s wonderful. It’s a good idea to take advantage of it in every possible way. The next time you use your super-smart, hand-held, instant-access, personal-connect-to-the-world device; think about how many other people are also connected to the information and knowledge that’s streaming around the planet. Who knows, maybe the next time we go to school, you and I will meet in the classroom, ……you know.......the one on the beach.

HOW TO TEACH 2 LANGUAGES IN 1 ROOM

We call America the melting pot of the world. That’s never more obvious to me than when I teach food safety to a class that includes several non-English-speaking students, each representing a different national origin.

Once, in a single live class, students represented the nations of the USA, Mexico, Viet Nam, China, Korea, the Philippines, India, Portugal, and one who described himself as a French-only Cajun from Louisiana. It took three extra hours to complete that class, because I had to take time to find common English words that had counterparts in all of those different languages. It was worth the effort, because almost the entire group passed the exam. Whew!

But that’s the extreme case. Normally, my “foreign” students are from Mexico, and speak limited English, if any at all. And there’s the problem, because I only teach in English. So, to protect my precious pass rate, I had to devise a way to get the knowledge across the border, linguistically speaking.

Here’s how I do it. First, I have a large room where I teach live classes. Second, like almost everyone, I use a computer and a projector to present the ServSafe® presentations, both PowerPoint and the training videos. Third, and this is the good part, I set up a DVD player connected to a second projector which shows on a side screen. Then, there’s a small sound system with multiple headphone connections. The DVD player plays the Spanish version of the ServSafe® training videos. My Spanish-speaking students listen through the headphones. Finally, Spanish students are encouraged to bring an interpreter, pre-approved by ServSafe®, to translate, in a whisper, the lessons I speak in English.

The hardest part is starting two videos at exactly the same time, one in the computer and one in the DVD player. But, with just a little practice it becomes almost second nature to synchronize a clicked mouse with a pressed button on a remote control. Why is this important? Because, it’s less distracting when both screens show the same thing.

That’s it. I only teach in English, but Spanish students receive the training almost entirely in their native language.

The disturbance caused by many foreign whispers is minimal. The English students are understanding, patient, even encouraging. The Spanish students and interpreters are cautiously quiet and courteous during the lectures.

The best part is the results. My pass rate for non-English speaking students is above 75%. The national average is well below 50%, so that’s pretty good.

I should add that, just once so far, Spanish students outnumbered English students by 12 to 4. I simply played the Spanish training videos on the main screen for the Spanish students, and swapped the DVD disk to the English version. The four Americans used the headphones and watched the training videos in their native tongue on the side screen. We didn’t miss a beat, and the pass rate for that class was still 92%.

It just goes to show : In any language, give people a chance and they’ll make you proud every time.

Thank you.

Andy Bozeman, CFPM

phone 334-834-1714

email AndyBozeman@FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com

internet FoodSafetyTrainingCenter.com