A hazard is the potential for harm. In practical terms, a hazard often is associated with a condition or activity that, if left uncontrolled, can result in an injury or illness. Hazard Analysis can be defined as:
The process of collecting and evaluating information on hazards and the conditions leading to their presence to determine which hazards are significant for food safety and therefore should be addressed in a HACCP plan or food safety plan (FSP).
The purpose of the hazard analysis is to develop a list of hazards which are of such significance that they are reasonably likely to cause injury or illness if not effectively controlled. Only those hazards that pose significant risk to the health of consumers should be included in the HACCP plan. Hazard analysis can be used to determine appropriate preventive controls.
The hazard analysis should provide justification for your decisions. Products can be grouped together in a single hazard analysis worksheet if the food safety hazards and controls are essentially the same for all products in the group, but it should clearly identify any product or process differences.
Each workplace consists of four major components; People, Environment, Materials, and Equipment (PEME). In conducting a hazard assessment, all four components must be examined to identify what risks are present. It is important to recognize that the hazard assessment does not deal strictly with things that are wrong at the present time, rather the assessment must address with what could go wrong—potential hazards.
An improper hazard analysis may result in a HACCP plan that is not effective in protecting consumers regardless of how well it is followed.
1st principle of HACCP: Conduct a hazard analysis
