Crisis prevention through incident management: being prepared and responding effectively

Prevent incidents from becoming crises that can damage your business, by developing a simple yet effective incident management system

All food operations face problems from time-totime, including ‘technical incidents’ with their products or processes – perhaps an accidental contamination of an ingredient or a failure in a process. Careful planning for technical incidents and effective management of them when they arise can prevent incidents from becoming crises. This planning and management can greatly reduce the effect that an incident might have on a business and even save the business’s life. This document was produced to help companies - especially small and medium sized companies - prevent and manage incidents, and in particular to prevent incidents from becoming crises.

Developed by a collaborative group, involving food companies, food safety advisers and enforcement bodies, the document provides step-by-step guidance for establishing and using an incident management system.The latter is illustrated through example scenarios based on a range of potential incidents. The guidance provided will be relevant to businesses at all stages of the food supply chain - from producers (farmers and growers) through processors and manufacturers to retailers and caterers, as well as to those who advise food operations, such as local authority personnel and food safety consultants.

Contents

• Scope
• How to use this guide
• Definitions and abbreviations

Part 1 – Preparation

• Background – systems for food safety management
• Preparation – systems for incident management

Part 2 – How to do it and review it

• Managing the incident
• Incident scenarios
• Sources of information

Part 3 – Documenting it

• Incident management templates

Softcover - 105 pages