Duties of a Certified Food Manager

Responsibilities & Services
You have passed your Certified Food Manager class, obtained your certificate, and are employed by a food facility in Chester County. As a Certified Food Manager (CFM), you have certain duties and obligations:
  1. Supervise and instruct food service workers in the techniques of sanitary food handling, in proper maintenance of the food establishment and in the requirements of the CCHD Rules and Regulations.The food facility is not required to have a CFM present at all times, however, the CFM is required to educate and train employees with the information learned from the CFM class. The CFM needs to play an active role in ensuring employees follow safe food practices.
  2. Notify the Licensor in writing within 5 days after change of Employment. This requirement is in place to ensure that food facilities always have an employee who is a CFM. When a CFM terminates employment, the owner/operator has 90 days to obtain a new CFM. It is important that a CFM notify the Department upon change of location even when transferring from one location to the next within a chain or umbrella corporation.
  3. Renew certification by completing the required course work prior to the expiration date on current certificate. This requirement can be confusing if the CFM did not obtain their certificate through a CCHD-affiliated teaching center. If the certificate was obtained through ServSafe or another national program, the expiration year may be different. Department policy is that a CFM may not renew their certificate more than six months in advance of their expiration date. Please wait until you receive your recertification notice prior to taking renewal courses.
  4. Monitor staff and notify the food facility operator or the person in charge of necessity to remove anyone with signs of active illness from food service line. Signs of active illness include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, jaundice, and sore throat with fever. Exclusion is also necessary if the employee has a lesion containing pus such as a boil or infected wound on the hands or arms that is open or draining unless it has an impermeable cover (single use gloves must also be used if on the hand).
  5. Report to the Licensor and to the food facility operator the occurrence of any group expression of illness or disease among patrons and/or food service workers. If several employees simultaneously come down with vomiting and/or diarrhea it is possible that the illness is due to food handling or is being spread through food. It also means that patrons may be experiencing the same. If employees and/or patrons notify the facility of suspected foodborne illness, the CFM must notify the CCHD immediately so the situation can be investigated and any outbreak minimized. Please note that the purpose of notifying CCHD is not punitive; it is to protect employee and public health.
  6. Perform the duties of the person in charge in accordance with Chapter 46 of the PA Food Code when the Certified Food Manager is the person in charge at the time.These duties are outlined in §46.102 in the PA Food Code.
You worked hard to obtain your CFM certifications and should take your responsibilities as a CFM seriously. The Rules and Regulations literally give you the authority to do so. As always the Environmental Health Specialist for your facility is available if you have any questions or concerns regarding your duties as a CFM.