Module 8 · Principle 1 — Hazard Analysis

Module 8 · Principle 1 — Hazard Analysis0% complete · 8 slides left

HACCP Level 3
Module 8

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Introduction

Hazard analysis is the foundation of the whole HACCP plan. If a hazard is missed here, it will not be controlled anywhere else.

In this module, you will learn how to list the hazards at each step of the flow diagram, decide which ones are significant, and identify the control measures needed.

Listing the Hazards

For every step on the flow diagram, the team asks: what could go wrong here? It lists every hazard that could reasonably be expected to occur, including where hazards could be:

Introduced, for example bacteria from raw food or a piece of glass.
Allowed to grow, for example bacteria multiplying when food is left warm.
Allowed to survive, for example bacteria that are not destroyed because food is undercooked.

All four hazard types must be considered: biological, chemical, physical and allergenic.

Likelihood and Severity

Each hazard is then assessed for two things:

Likelihood: how likely is the hazard to occur, if it is not controlled?
Severity: how serious would the harm be, from mild discomfort to serious illness or death?

Many teams use a simple scoring grid, multiplying likelihood by severity. A hazard that is likely, or one that could be very severe, is treated as significant.

Significant Hazards

A significant hazard is one that is reasonably likely to occur and would cause harm if it was not controlled. Only significant hazards are taken forward to decide whether a step is a critical control point.

Hazards that are already well controlled by prerequisite programmes, such as general cleaning, may not be significant at that step. The reasons for each decision must be recorded.

Control Measures

For each significant hazard, the team identifies the control measures that will prevent it, eliminate it, or reduce it to a safe level. For example:

Cooking to destroy bacteria.
Chilling and cold storage to stop bacteria growing.
Separation of raw and ready-to-eat food, to prevent cross-contamination.
Metal detection, to find and remove metal fragments.
Allergen controls, such as separate equipment and checked labels.

One hazard may need several controls, and one control may deal with several hazards.

Example: Roast Chicken

Consider the cooking step for roast chicken.

Hazard: Salmonella and Campylobacter surviving because the chicken is undercooked.
Likelihood: high, because raw chicken often carries these bacteria.
Severity: high, because they can cause serious illness.
Control measure: cook thoroughly, until the centre of the thickest part reaches a safe temperature.

This hazard is significant. In the next module, we will see how to decide whether this step is a critical control point.

Summary

In this module, you have learned that:

Hazard analysis lists every hazard that could be introduced, grow or survive at each step.

Each hazard is assessed for likelihood and severity, to identify the significant hazards.

Control measures are identified for every significant hazard.

In the next module, we will look at Principle 2: determining the critical control points.

Knowledge Check

In hazard analysis, each hazard is assessed for its likelihood and its what?

Select one answer, then press Check.

Colour

Severity

Price

Brand

Correct. Each hazard is assessed for how likely it is to occur, and how severe the harm would be.

Not quite. Think about how serious the harm would be if the hazard was not controlled, and try again.

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