R638 Food Handler Training Requirements Explained

What does Regulation 10 of R638 require?

Regulation 10 deals with the training of food handlers. In accessible terms, it makes the Person in Charge responsible for ensuring food handlers receive appropriate food-safety and hygiene training, that assessment and follow-up happen where necessary, and that training programmes and records are kept and available.

Rather than reproducing the full regulation here, we summarise its practical thrust: food handlers should be trained appropriately for the work they do, and a business should be able to show that the training happened and had an effect. For the exact wording — including short phrases such as “an inspector or any other suitable person” — read Regulation 10 directly in the official text.

Who is responsible for food-handler training?

Under Regulation 10, the Person in Charge of the food premises carries the responsibility for food-handler training and the related assessment, follow-up and record-keeping.

The Person in Charge does not necessarily deliver the training personally, but is responsible for making sure it happens appropriately. The flow below shows how these responsibilities fit together in practice.

What does “adequately trained” mean?

In practical terms, training should be appropriate to a person's work and their food-safety responsibilities — not a one-size-fits-all quantity.

We do not invent a statutory definition where the regulation does not provide one. The sensible reading is that a food handler should understand the food-safety matters relevant to what they actually do — someone preparing raw ingredients, someone plating food and someone cleaning food-contact surfaces may each need emphasis on different points. The goal is genuine, relevant understanding rather than simply ticking a box.

Does R638 prescribe a specific course duration?

R638 does not set a specific universal number of hours that every food-handler course must run for.

We will not invent a prescribed duration. What matters under Regulation 10 is that training is appropriate and effective for the people and premises involved. A course should cover the relevant food-safety content properly rather than meet an arbitrary time figure.

Does R638 prescribe a single national curriculum?

R638 does not set out a single, fixed national curriculum that every provider must deliver identically.

Regulation 10 frames training as a responsibility to be met appropriately, rather than prescribing one uniform syllabus for all food handlers across the country. Training content should be suited to the food-safety responsibilities of the people being trained. For the precise wording, refer to the official regulation.

Does R638 require SETA or QCTO accreditation for every food handler?

R638 does not, by itself, state that every food handler must hold a SETA- or QCTO-accredited qualification. These are distinct things and should not be conflated.

It helps to keep three separate ideas in mind:

Because requirements can differ from place to place, we encourage businesses to confirm the applicable local requirements with the Environmental Health Services of their relevant local authority.

Who can provide the training?

Regulation 10(1)(b) refers to training being provided by “an inspector or any other suitable person.”

This short phrase raises understandable questions about who counts as a “suitable person.” We examine it carefully — and avoid over-interpreting it — on a dedicated page.

Why is assessment important?

Assessment matters because training is not merely attendance — Regulation 10 addresses assessment to help determine whether training has had an impact, and follow-up where necessary.

Sitting through a session is not the same as understanding and applying food-safety practices. Assessment helps confirm that a food handler has actually absorbed the relevant knowledge, and it highlights where a refresher or additional support may be needed. This is what makes training meaningful in day-to-day practice.

Training records

Businesses should keep clear training records so they can demonstrate what training their food handlers have received and when.

Useful information to capture in a training record includes:

This list is a practical suggestion to help with good record-keeping. It is not itself a prescribed national R638 form — for any specific record-keeping requirements, refer to the official regulation and confirm local expectations with your local authority.

Certificate of Completion vs Certificate of Acceptability

A Foodologists Certificate of Completion is evidence that a learner completed training and assessment. A Certificate of Acceptability relates to the food premises and is issued through the local authority. One does not replace the other.

How Foodologists approaches training

Foodologists offers online R638-aligned Basic Food Safety Training — structured, assessed, and designed to give food handlers practical knowledge and businesses clear training records.

Digital training records and business tools are available where applicable, making it simpler to keep your team's records in order. The training is R638-aligned; it is not government-, SETA- or QCTO-accredited, and completing it does not, on its own, address the separate matter of a Certificate of Acceptability for a premises.

Frequently asked questions