Food Safety

Businesses Classification Tool

The business classification tool is to provide a consistent approach to the categorisation of food premises by councils.

Food premises will be classified into one of four separate classes.

The risk classification tool has two components:

• predetermined business classification list; and
• business classification that have not been pre determined.

To assist councils, a large number of food premises have already been classified. Please refer to the first component of the tool the predetermined businesses classification section to determine if a particular business has been allocated a classification.

Of course many food establishments do not reflect a standard type. Today’s food sector is very dynamic with many business varying their food product lines and services. Many food premises are complex establishments which will sell and service food to a diverse customer base, using multiple processes and a mix of foods of varying degrees of potential hazards.

The predetermined business classification list is therefore indicative and is by no means exhaustive. The scheduled list of standard pre-classified premises will continue to grow and develop as new food premise types come to light.

Registering councils will, however, need to classify non standard premises to proceed with the registration process. Consequently the second component of this tool was designed to enable councils to work through a number of steps to determine an appropriate classification for premises that have not been predetermined.

Undertaking the steps requires the registering council to answer a series of ‘Yes and No’ questions. This information is then used to select a classification using the following business classification that have not been pre determined.