An HACCP Coordinator job takes you to the floor of a plant or the kitchen of a restaurant, investigating the workplace and instructing employees on food safety regulations. Both the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) have strict rules on how food can and cannot be treated. Your job is to know those rules inside out to prevent slip-ups in a factory or kitchen.
An important part of your work entails passing the torch of knowledge to those you work for. The government has regulated standards about how to store food, cook meat, and keep cooking surfaces clean. You must communicate those standards to businesses in a clear and organized way.
Sometimes, people will not listen to you because they’re sure that they know their business and methods better. You have to be confident and clear in telling them that it’s illegal to operate below standards. Dissenters can face steep fines as well as having their business shut down completely if a Health Inspector finds them implementing unsafe practices. When the business of your employer and the health of the community are at stake, it’s more important than ever that you’re firm and effective in your work.
There are a lot of dangers out there when dealing with food. Pollutants can enter water supplies, diseases can take root in poorly packaged meat, and they run the risk of being sent out and distributed in grocery stores and restaurants. Your keen eye for detail may be the one thing that saves a whole city of shoppers from a hazardous product.
