Washington State Food Manager Certification and Training

Food Safety Manager Certification is a significant designation in the food service industry. It validates that you have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to maintain safe food storage, preparation and service in the workplace.

The state requires most food establishments to have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager. To obtain this certification, you must pass the Food Protection Manager Certification Exam as required by the Washington State Department of Health. Having this credential shows that you are qualified to oversee food operations and instills confidence in employers and customers alike.

To help ensure food safety, the Food Manager Certification course and exam cover important topics for managers and supervisors. These include:

• Preventing cross-contamination
• Ensuring food worker health and hygiene
• Identifying approved suppliers
• Inspecting deliveries
• Maintaining a hygienic environment
• Recognizing pest prevention measures
• Prioritizing bacterial growth prevention
• Maintaining facilities and equipment to comply with regulations

The training course is designed to prepare food managers, also known as people in charge, for the nationally approved Food Protection Manager Certification Exam. It also fulfills the demonstration of knowledge requirement for some areas.

While training is optional in most regions, check the specific requirements of your local health department to confirm. As part of the training package, an optional practice test is included at no additional cost.

This practice test provides an opportunity for individuals to assess their understanding of the material before taking the exam. The Food Protection Manager Certification Exam is designed to evaluate the knowledge of food managers and is mandatory for those who intend to obtain their Food Safety Manager Certification.

To obtain your Food Protection Manager Certification, begin by selecting a product that includes the certification exam. To adequately prepare for the exam, it is recommended that you take the Food Safety Manager Training course. You can also purchase the exam alone. Once you have chosen a product, you can proceed to select your exam proctor option.

You can take the proctored exam in person or 100% online using your webcam. After selecting your proctor option, you can purchase the course and complete the registration process.

At your scheduled proctored session, remember to bring a valid government-issued photo ID for identification purposes. During the exam, you will not have access to any reference materials, as it is a closed-book exam. Furthermore, you are expected to adhere to the Examinee Code of Ethics and follow all rules and instructions the proctor provides.

After successfully completing the exam, you can instantly print your Food Safety Manager Certificate from your StateFoodSafety account. The certificate is valid for 5 years.

Training takes about 8 hours to finish. You may choose to complete the full course or review only the topics you need. Stop and start as needed. Take the practice test as many times as you like to prepare for the certification exam.

The Food Safety Manager Certification Exam has a 2-hour time limit. Many examinees complete the exam in 60 minutes or less.

The Washington State Department of Health offers valuable information about Food Safety Manager Certification, including the associated laws and regulations. The Washington State Retail Food Code provides further guidance and requirements for obtaining the certification.

To pass the StateFoodSafety Food Protection Manager Exam, you must score at least 750 out of 1,000 points. Immediately after completing the exam, you will receive an unofficial score. To obtain your official score, visit your StateFoodSafety dashboard and access your exam transcript.

The StateFoodSafety Food Protection Manager Certification Exam utilizes a scaled passing score of 750 or above. Scaled scoring ensures comparability among examinees who may have taken different exam forms. If one form is slightly more challenging, the raw passing score may be slightly lower. However, the scaled passing score remains the same, consistently measuring candidates across all exam forms.

It's important to note that this is a pass-fail certification exam. A higher exam score does not necessarily indicate a better-qualified food safety manager. However, examinees can use post-exam feedback on each topic to guide personal study. Failing examinees are encouraged to utilize this information for future exam preparations.