What are Ottawa First Aid and Ottawa Food Safety Certification?
Ottawa First Aid is a top training provider of Ottawa Food Safety Certification and first aid training courses in Ottawa, Ontario. We offer a variety of training programs that are endorsed and approved by the Ottawa local health authorities. Our programs are all certification courses, meaning trainees who are able to complete training are awarded a credential for either food safety or first aid, depending on the course they took.
We hold classes throughout the week (and throughout the entire year), sometimes during evenings and weekends when there is an influx of students who apply to our programs. We also offer private classes for large groups of students; just inquire if a trainer is available during your preferred schedule.
What is food safety and why do I need to get trained for it?
Food safety is an important concept involved in food handling – whether in your home or in a food establishment. Most people overlook learning food safety because it’s basically a no-brainer – make sure food is cleaned and cooked properly. For the most part, this is the most basic thing we teach our students. However, there are many different factors such as proper storage, cooking time, personal hygiene, and even basic microbiology that affect food safety.
A basic food safety course is the minimum amount of training required by law for food service workers working in food establishments. It introduces students to the basic concepts involved in food safety at home and food safety in food establishments. We also have an advanced course for trainees who have completed basic training, with topics mainly targeted towards supervisory and managerial staff.
Is food safety required in Ottawa?
According to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s bylaw, all medium and high risk food facilities are required to have trained and certified food handlers on duty at all times. This means that food service workers are not required to receive training, rather food facilities are required to have their employees trained and certified in food safety. So while food safety training certificates are not a requirements for applying to food handling jobs, your potential employers might select you as the member of the staff to attend certification training.
How important is food safety?
Food safety is an important concept used to prevent the spread of foodborne illness, a condition that affects approximatley 4.5 million Canadians each year. One of the major complications of foodborne illness is diarrhea, and kills more than two million people each year. Despite foodborne illness being entirely preventable, the number of people affected by it keeps growing each year because it is easily transmitted and microorganisms easily contaminate food.
If you have ingested food that has been contaminated with dangerous microorganisms, you can expect to experience the following signs and symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal cramps
- Appetite loss
By enrolling in a class at Ottawa First Aid, you will learn how to prevent the contamination of food and the spread of foodborne illness among consumers. Sign up today!