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<p>The contractor reviewed the existing food safety culture research and tools that were available in the public domain. As no dedicated tool for food safety existed, one was created.</p>
<p>This project included a desktop phase of work, supported by a food safety expert, to ensure that the terms and questions were specific to food safety.</p>
<p>The tool was tested qualitatively by food businesses and food hygiene inspectors in two workshops. The workshop results were then used to produce a draft final tool for review by the Agency. </p>
<p>Background: Food safety management systems are commonly constructed to include controls such as time/temperature processes, sampling, post-process contamination, hygiene training and HACCP.</p>
<p>An outbreak of E. coli O157 in South Wales in 2005, and the publication of the Public Inquiry Report in March 2009 highlighted the issue of cultures and behaviours in businesses and enforcement bodies and their role in influencing compliance with food hygiene legislation.</p>
<p>Other sectors, such as health and occupational health safety have gone through a similar evolution: first focusing on equipment, workplace and procedures; then focusing on management and the organisation’s mature safety culture ( i.e. a safety culture that has followed the maturity model in an established business).</p>
<p>This is a progressive process, with each stage of work building on the previous one. </p>