Risk Assessment and Hazard Analysis: Turning Instinct into Action

Article By GRETCHEN WALL
Article Source: Risk Assessment and Hazard Analysis: Turning Instinct into Action - Quality Assurance & Food Safety (qualityassurancemag.com)

What soft skills for food safety professionals and teams are the key to successfully assessing hazards and reducing risks?

Gretchen Wall is Director of Food Safety & Quality at the International Fresh Produce Association

There’s something about hazard identification and risk assessment that is somewhat instinctual: how to navigate that icy patch of driveway to make it to the front door without slipping, taking our turn at a four-way stop to avoid a car accident or learning to take the stairs one step at a time. Just like my toddler, you navigate hundreds of risk assessments in your daily professional and personal lives (albeit probably much more analytically and gracefully than a 2-year-old!).

As Dr. Jennifer McEntire explains in her article from a previous issue of QA, “Risk Assessment and Hazard Analysis in Fresh Produce Operations: Synonyms or Semantics,” “reducing the incidence of hazards might be the most effective means of reducing risk. But the presence of a hazard alone does not equate with a risk.” This knowledge base and critical thinking skill set are key to developing a robust risk assessment program and food safety team, yet few food safety professionals have mastered them, because as it turns out, risk assessment and hazard analysis are not always intuitive.

In fresh produce production and handling, there are many variables to evaluate — environmental conditions, animal activity, agricultural inputs, worker health and hygiene, agricultural water and equipment, just to name a few. Does this mean you need to have a meteorologist, wildlife biologist, soil scientist, sanitarian, hydrologist and engineer on staff to properly assess risks? No, though keeping a few of these people as close friends helps!

Food producers wear many hats and often have limited resources. Building out your network of reliable, knowledgeable individuals can go a long way in navigating the technical components of risk assessment. Consider connecting with trade association representatives, local extension specialists or experts from grower meetings.

Technical assistance aside, often undervalued in the risk assessment process are the soft skills required to tackle challenging situations, conversations and decisions that may have significant consequences to public health and long-term business viability. What soft skills for food safety professionals and teams are the key to successfully assessing hazards and reducing risks?

What soft skills for food safety professionals and teams are the key to successfully assessing hazards and reducing risks?

PROBLEM SOLVING. In food safety, many of the potential hazards we’re trying to address are not visible to the naked eye. Thinking outside the box is sometimes required when you’re working in a complex environment that may limit your options for corrective actions. If there is a microbiological concern with your in-field water source and your treatment options are constrained, alternative actions like changing the irrigation timing or application method to minimize the risk may be necessary.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. Having strong, cross-functional relationships, both internally and externally, is critical to effective risk management. Who can you rely upon when tough decisions need to be made? Do you have the support of upper management when the decision requires a financial investment or important business decision? Will they support you if a recall of product is necessary or change needs to be made to reduce or eliminate a hazard?

ADAPTABILITY. Agricultural production uncertainties, produce buyer needs, regulatory and audit compliance and greater business objectives are likely to change the course of fruit and vegetable production, harvest and handling. There is a need to remain flexible to address food safety needs as they arise. When changes are made to protocol, consider incorporating new changes to your overall food safety plan to maintain it as a living document.

COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION. We need to rely upon our network of experts and collaborators to help us do a thorough job of hazard assessment and risk reduction. Establish clear lines of communication about your company or farm’s objectives to internal and external stakeholders and be collaborative in ensuring potential solutions are mutually beneficial.

PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE. Fully assessing risks is only going to happen when there are boots on the ground. Checklists and assessment tools are great supporting resources but cannot replace the value of having a well-trained person, or preferably, a team of people looking at the environment and situation from all angles. Consider inviting a wider subset of individuals (office staff, sales teams) to join the risk assessment team. Not only does this bring new ideas to the table, but it also fosters a greater sense of accountability for food safety

throughout an entire operation.