Thunder Bay First Aid is a provider of first aid and food safety training in Thunder Bay, Ontario. You can enroll in basic and advanced training courses with us and receive training certification upon passing the certification exam. We are one of the few training providers that are approved by Thunder Bay’s local health authorities, making us the number one choice for food handlers/service workers in the city.
Prospective students who are interested in learning food safety and sanitation in Thunder Bay can sign up for a class on the Thunder Bay First Aid homepage. We have our complete contact information on the website, as well as an online application form you can use to enroll in a food safety class. The form is available all day but we only process requests during regular business hours.
Frequently Asked Questions about Food Safety in Thunder Bay
1. Why do I need to study food safety?
The goal of food safety is to help reduce the number of cases of foodborne illness. When food is properly handled – the entire food preparation process – the risk of the finished product being contaminated is very low. Food has to be cleaned, cooked, stored, and served properly for it to be declared safe for public consumption. When food service workers do not practice safe handling, bacteria and other microorganisms (even chemicals) end up on food, making it unsafe to be consumed.
2. How bad does foodborne illness affect society?
Each year, an approximate 4.5 million Canadians are infected with foodborne illness each year. Complications arising from diarrhea kill more than two million people each year. Despite these dangerous statistics, food safety is often overlooked when talking about public health and safety. To remedy this, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term created the Health Protection and Promotion Act, emphasizing the need for food handler training in the province of Ontario.
3. Is food handler training mandatory?
Technically, food handlers are not mandated by law to get food safety and sanitation training. The law, however, requires all food facilities (specifically medium and high-risk food facilities) to have members of the staff trained and certified in food safety. These staff members have to be present in the facility at all times. So while food handlers aren’t required to get trained, your employer might select you as the staff member to receive food safety training.
4. What programs are available with Food Safety in Thunder Bay
Basic training is the first level of food safety we offer. It is an introductory course to foodborne illness and food safety, lasting eight hours over a single day. The second level of food safety training is an advanced course, targeting managerial or supervisory staff members. It is a longer program. running for 16 hours over two days.
Students can choose to take a classroom-type or a self-study course. In a self-study course, the student simply buys the workbook with the complete food safety coursework and studies on his or her own time. Registering for the certification exam is also done separately.
Training credentials expire after five years. They can be renewed through a refresher course and another certification exam.