Food Safety Waivers and HACCP Documents

Start here: waivers and HACCP plans

Some food processes require additional review before they may be used in a licensed retail or wholesale food establishment. Environmental Health may require a waiver, a HACCP plan, supporting documents, or a combination of these items depending on the process.

What is a waiver?

A waiver is a written agreement that allows a modification of certain food safety requirements when the Health Authority determines that a health hazard or nuisance will not result. A waiver request may require supporting documents such as standard operating procedures, HACCP plans, monitoring logs, validation studies, processing authority review, or labeling.

What is a HACCP plan?

A HACCP plan is a written food safety plan for a specific food process. It identifies hazards, critical control points, monitoring steps, corrective actions, and records. HACCP plans and SOPs must be tailored to the specific process used by the establishment.

When a waiver may be required

Waivers may be required for special food processes that need additional review before they are used in a licensed food establishment.

• Smoking food as a method of preservation, not solely for flavor.
• Curing food.
• Using food additives to preserve food or make food non-TCS.
• Reduced oxygen packaging, unless the process meets applicable Food Code exemptions.
• Operating a molluscan shellfish life-support tank for shellstock offered for consumption.
• Custom processing animals for personal or private use as food.
• Sprouting seeds or beans.
• Preparing food by another method determined by the Health Authority to require a waiver.

Waivers may also be requested for some equipment or operational variations, such as non-standard equipment, alternate dishwashing methods, or other operational procedures.

Waiver application forms

Use these forms to request review of equipment, general operational procedures, or special food processes. The special process waiver form is generally used for processes such as smoking or curing food for preservation, food additives used for preservation, reduced oxygen packaging, molluscan shellfish tanks, sprouting seeds or beans, custom processing, or another process determined by the regulatory authority to require a waiver.

What a HACCP plan generally includes

HACCP plans and standard operating procedures must be tailored to the specific food process, equipment, ingredients, and procedures used by the establishment.

• A list of facilities using the plan.
• A process flow diagram that identifies critical control points.
• A list of ingredients and preparation steps for each menu item involved in the process.
• Equipment specifications for equipment used in the special process.
• A training plan for staff responsible for the process.
• Hazard worksheets and HACCP worksheets for critical control points.
• Standard operating procedures and logs that support the process.

HACCP checklists and worksheets

These documents help identify what must be included in a HACCP plan. Start with the checklist that matches your process, then use the worksheets to identify hazards and critical control points.

Use the hazard worksheets and decision tree to identify potential biological, chemical, or physical hazards and determine whether a step in the process is a critical control point.

After a HACCP plan or waiver is approved

Once approved, a HACCP plan or waiver becomes a condition of the health permit. The approved process must be followed, and any adjustment or deviation from the approved process requires resubmission to Flathead City-County Health Department.

Records must be maintained and made available upon request. Records should show monitoring of critical control points, verification that the process is working, and corrective actions taken when a critical control point is not met.

Keep a copy of the approved HACCP plan or waiver on site so it is available for review during inspections or when requested by Environmental Health staff.

Process-specific HACCP documents

Use the document set that matches the process being reviewed. Samples and templates should be adjusted to match the establishment’s actual equipment, ingredients, procedures, monitoring steps, corrective actions, and records.

Standard operating procedures and logs

SOPs and logs help show that the approved process is being followed. Keep required records on site and available for Environmental Health staff during inspections or upon request.

Long-term compliance

If an establishment has repeated issues following an approved process, Environmental Health may require corrective actions or intervention strategies. Use this resource when staff need help documenting improvements and maintaining compliance over time.