[Ansteorra] food safety was Re: Underage Participation In The SCA

[Stefan li Rous]

On Feb 8, 2012, at 9:59 PM, James Crouchet wrote:

> I think we are better off  from a liability standpoint if our food  
> handlers
> voluntarily get the training but are not required to be certified.
>
> The law does not require that our cooks be certified for food  
> handling and
> if we require it we become responsible for consistently following  
> those
> rules. Should there be any lapses they can be used as evidence in a  
> law
> suit that we are not meeting our own minimum standards.

I happen to agree with you that the training should be voluntary but  
strongly encouraged, but for different reasons.

The law doesn't require us to have background checks for children's  
officers or that we use a "two deep rule". So it could be said that we  
could be sued if anyone ever documents that we had a situation where  
we didn't follow "our own minimum standards". And yet we still feel  
that we should make these rules mandatory.

Damned if you don't take precautions and damned if you do and you ever  
mess up?

> The training, OTOH, actually teaches us to avoid unsafe conditions  
> which is
> good for us from a liability standpoint and in terms of keeping our  
> friends
> healthy.

Definitely agree here.

> Another consideration is that many of our sites do not provide the
> facilities necessary to meet those standards. Either we would have to
> provide additional equipment (assuming there was space) or find  
> other, more
> expensive sites.

I don't see how knowing what the perfect site conditions would be,  
makes you guilty if you are forced to use a non-conforming site.  
Although I can see advantages in having someone who has had the food  
handler training being involved in the group charged with finding and  
proposing a site.

We've had multiple, long discussions, on other lists, and I think  
here, on finding the perfect site in regards to those with  
disabilities. The end conclusion tends to be that no site is perfect  
for all needs and sometimes we have to make compromises. I see whether  
a site has kitchen facilities that meet all our needs in the same way.

> Christian Doré

I *think* I know a good part of what is taught in a food handlers  
class, but looking forward to being able to take it at some event in  
the future.

Stefan

--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/marksharris
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****