Serving Up An Education: Online Food Safety Training

Washington State requires all food workers to complete a basic course on food safety.  Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department inspectors have taught food worker classes since the 1950’s.  Recently, in response to consumer demand, the department began searching for a more convenient way food workers could obtain the State required training.  

In January 2011, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department launched the State’s first web based food safety training and testing program.  The interactive program offers users a 30 minute course on food safety in 8 different languages and closed captioning.  Upon completion of the course users take a test, pay for the course with a debit or credit card and print a copy of their food worker card.  

The online food worker class has been a success.  Nearly 80% of Pierce County’s food worker cards are now issued online.  Seventeen additional counties participate in the program, and more than 10,000 cards are issued monthly to food workers in those counties.  User surveys show a high rate of satisfaction with the class and significant time and travel savings. 

Participating health departments have realized cost savings and other incidental benefits. The development and launch of this online food safety program presented many challenges as well as opportunities.  This presentation will discuss the challenges, lessons learned, and benefits realized by both food workers and participating local health jurisdictions.