Rule 511-6-1-.09 - Certification and Standardization of Environmental Health Personnel(1)Responsibilities and Requirements. All Environmental Health personnel who are assigned responsibilities in food service plan review, permitting, inspecting or other means of enforcing this Chapter will successfully complete and maintain current certification in: (a)Nationally Recognized Food Safety Training Program. A nationally recognized food safety training program approved by the department and a professionally validated examination that is accredited by the Conference for Food Protection prior to acquiring food service program responsibilities;(b)Standardization Certification. Standardization certification in food safety inspection techniques shall be obtained through a program approved by the Department within two years of acquiring food service program responsibilities. Standardization certificates shall be administered as follows: 1. Georgia Standardized Food Service Establishment Inspection Officer Certificates issued to EHS shall be valid for a five year period from the date of issuance;2. Standardized Food Service Establishment Inspection and Training Officer Certificates shall be issued to District Standard-Trainers by the Department's State Office of Environmental Health Standard-Trainers and they shall be valid for a five year period from the date of issuance; and3. The Department's State Office of Environmental Health Standard-Trainers shall maintain current standardization certification in retail food establishment inspections through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Should such FDA certification not be available, State Office of Environmental Health Standard-Trainers shall maintain at least the same level of standardization certification as specified in subsection (1)(b)2 of this Rule. (2) Standardization Certification Maintenance.(a) In order to maintain the standardization certification maintenance, Environmental Health personnel must accumulate at least 20 hours of continuing education unit credits (CEU) prior to being re-standardized.(b) All CEU credit hours shall be evaluated by the Department's State Office of Environmental Health prior to being credited to Environmental Health personnel.(3) Notification of Food Service Program Responsibilities. Local Health Authorities shall notify the Department's State Office of Environmental Health with the date that Environmental Health personnel are assigned food service program responsibilities.(4) Record of Training, Standardization and CEU Credit. A record of training, standardization, and CEU credit for Environmental Health personnel shall be maintained in the office where each Environmental Health employee works. At its discretion, the Department may audit these records for compliance with this Rule.(5) Temporary Staffing and Emergency Response. Environmental Health personnel must successfully complete a nationally recognized food safety training program, as stated in subsection (1) (a) of this Rule prior to conducting independent food service program duties that may occur in emergency situations such as staffing issues for temporary employee coverage, emergency response events, or widespread foodborne outbreak responses.(6) Non-standardized Environmental Health Personnel. All food service program activities performed by non-standardized Environmental Health personnel, as stated in subsections (1) (b) and (4) of this Rule, shall be monitored by Environmental Health personnel who hold a valid standardization certificate as specified within subsection (1) (b) 2 of this Rule.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-6-1-.09
O.C.G.A. §§ 26-2-373, 31-2A-6.
Original Rule entitled "Certification and Standardization of Environmental Health Personnel" adopted. F. Oct. 9, 2015; eff. Oct. 29, 2015.