Why there is a need for Winnipeg First Aid? In Canada, it is estimated that approximately 4.5 million people are affected each year by foodborne illness. Foodborne illness is colloquially called food poisoning – a condition acquired by ingesting contaminated or expired food. The diseases classified under foodborne illness usually manifest the same symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, and loss of appetite. Diarrhea and vomiting are particularly dangerous, accounting for over 2.2 million deaths annually worldwide (according to the WHO).
Winnipeg First Aid is one of the few Certified Food Handler Training Course providers in Manitoba, with the training curriculum created according the Food Service By-law of Winnipeg. If you work as a food service worker in Winnipeg and your employer asks you get a certificate for food safety, our program should be the one you apply to.
Quick facts about signing up
- Application the program is easy. We have five different methods of enrollment – internet (Winnipeg First Aid website), mail, e-mail, telephone, and in person.
- The form on the Winnipeg First Aid website is not downloadable. You fill it up online and click submit. Afterwards, we will receive your request immediately and send out replies during business hours. The same goes for e-mail applications.
- You can pay the training fee with cash, check, or credit card. Be sure to settle are training fees before the start of classes.
- Training fees for the full course include the workbook and exam. You can opt to buy a workbook separately and take the exam (separate fee as well) without actually attending classes.
- The website has all program details, as well as our contact information.
Certified Food Handler Training with Winnipeg First Aid
The Food Service By-law in Winnipeg requires the presence of a trained and certified employee in the establishment. At least one member of the staff should be trained and on duty at all times if there are more than four employees in the establishment. If there are less than five staff members, the trained employee does not have to be present all the time.
By enrolling in a food handler training course, you will learn how to properly handle food. Proper food handling decreases the risk of food becoming contaminated, hence decreasing the incidence of foodborne illness. Food handling starts from the moment food products are acquired (raw produce and meat) to the moment they are packaged, sold, or served.
A basic training course at Winnipeg First Aid will include the following topics:
- Basic microbiology
- Foodborne illness
- Personal hygiene and health
- Housekeeping and sanitation
- Establishment licenses and permits
- Proper food service
Getting started: What count as a food establishment
A food establishment is any place where food is handled, manufactured, prepared, packaged, stored, served, or sold, whether or not the product is consumed in the premises or whether or not the food is charged. Establishments that are covered by the Food Service By-law are the following:
- Convenience stores selling pre-packaged food or packaging food themselves
- Bakeries
- Butcher shops
- Delis
- Canteens and commissaries
- Restaurants, dining halls, banquet halls, cafeterias, bars, and other similar locations