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SPA Passport – Core Day + Food & Drink Classroom Course

The SPA Food and Drink Passport provides information and training relevant to the food and drink industry sector in respect of food hygiene, environmental concerns and health and safety, so as to support the continued improvement of such standards throughout the sector. It helps delegates understand the implications for cost, business, job security and risk of injury if concerns for hygiene, environment and health and safety are not properly considered.

The two-day course is awarded by the Safety Pass Alliance and is widely treated as a condition of site access by food and drink manufacturers. Day one is the general SPA Core Day; day two is the food and drink sector day. It is also available as live online instructor-led training, which leads to the same passport.

Course Details

  • Duration: 2 days
  • Format: Classroom training
  • Awarding body: Safety Pass Alliance (SPA)
  • Assessment: Multiple-choice paper at the end of each module
  • Suitable for: Contractors, employees and casual workers in food and drink manufacturing
  • Prerequisites: No formal health and safety experience required
  • Cost: From £195 + VAT
  • Passport: Valid for 3 years
  • Exemptions: May apply to day one if you hold another recognised health and safety qualification

Prices vary by provider, location and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

View Classroom Course Dates

 

What is the SPA Passport – Core Day + Food & Drink?

The Safety Pass Alliance is the most prominent safety passport awarding body in the UK, running sector-specific schemes across construction, food and drink, petrol retail, ports, warehousing and mineral products. Food and Drink is the sector scheme for manufacturing and processing.

Every SPA sector passport follows the same two-part structure. Day one is the Core Day, covering general workplace health, safety and environmental responsibilities that apply in any industry. Day two is the sector day, which concentrates on what is particular to that environment — here, food protection and contamination control alongside the environmental and safety hazards of a manufacturing site.

The passport is used across the sector by household-name manufacturers as a condition of contractor access.

Who is the SPA Food Passport suitable for?

The SPA Food Passport is aimed at contractors, employees or casual workers who work in food and drink manufacturing. The training programme focuses on hygiene and food safety, specific environmental issues and health and safety practices.

  • Contractors and subcontractors working on food and drink manufacturing sites
  • Maintenance engineers, fitters and electricians attending production lines
  • Cleaning and hygiene contractors
  • Hauliers and delivery personnel entering production areas
  • Agency and casual workers requiring site access

No prior health and safety knowledge is required.

What’s included in the SPA Food Passport?

Upon completion of the SPA Food Passport course you will have the knowledge to:

  • Compare injury incident rates across some industry sectors
  • Understand the importance of training, awareness and good personal behaviour in reducing potential for harm
  • Recognise the implications for cost, job security and risk of injury if areas of concern are not addressed and controlled
  • Understand the three main areas of concern as food damage, environmental damage and people damage

SPA Food & Drink Passport course content

Day one is the SPA Core Day. Day two covers the three food and drink sector modules set out below.

Module 1

Food Protection

Gives delegates an understanding of the potential sources and types of food contamination, sources and effects of contamination, safe working practices to eliminate or reduce risk, and the importance of protective clothing and good personal hygiene.

Module 2

Environmental Protection

Gives delegates an understanding of current and future environmental requirements: the impact of environmental damage, anti-pollution controls and proper waste disposal.

Module 3

Health and Safety

Provides an awareness and understanding of the hazards to health and safety particularly relevant to the food and drink sector, and the control measures necessary to reduce those risks to continually lower levels.

Programme may be subject to change without prior notification.

Assessment and certification

Assessment is by multiple-choice paper at the end of each module, completed during the course. There is no post-course project and no external examination.

Successful delegates are registered on the national SPA database and issued a passport photocard carrying their name, photograph, personalised ID number and expiry date. Employers and site operators can verify a passport directly with SPA.

Resit arrangements for a failed module paper are set by the individual training provider rather than by SPA, so ask the provider what their policy is when you book.

Does the SPA Food & Drink Passport expire?

Yes. SPA passports are issued with a three-year expiry date, and that date is absolute. SPA withdrew the three-month post-expiry rule across all its schemes on 31 July 2020, so the expiry date printed on the card is the definitive point at which the passport ceases to be valid.

Renewal is a one-day refresher which can be taken at any point in the six months before expiry. Once the expiry date has passed you are no longer eligible for the renewal and must sit the full two-day course again, so booking ahead of the date rather than after it saves both a day out and the difference in fee.

Renewing early costs nothing — SPA keeps the original anniversary date, so only the year of expiry changes.

Are exemptions available from day one?

Possibly. Food and Drink recognises Core Day exemptions. Anyone who has previously attended a nationally recognised health and safety course can apply for exemption where that course covers at least 80% of the Core Day material.

Exemption is not automatic and is not something you can self-certify. It has to be approved in advance, and providers will normally want to see the syllabus of the qualification you are relying on. If you think you may hold an exemption, raise it when booking rather than on the day — you may only need to attend day two, which changes both the time commitment and the fee.

How does this compare with the other SPA passports?

All SPA sector passports share a common structure and a three-year validity, but they differ in sector content and in whether exemptions apply.

Passport Sector Duration Exemptions
Core Day + Food & Drink Food and drink manufacturing 2 days May apply to day one
Core Day + Petrol Retail Forecourts and fuel handling 2 days May apply to day one
Mineral Products (MPQC) Extraction, aggregates, cement, asphalt 2 days Not accepted
Core Construction (CSCS) Construction, CSCS Green Card route 1 day Classroom only
Related training and progression
Find a SPA Food & Drink Passport course near me

Classroom courses run at venues across England. If you are looking for a course near you, find dates in your area:

Or compare all SPA Food & Drink Passport courses in the UK across every format.

SPA Passport – Core Day + Food & Drink Online Instructor-Led Course

The SPA Passport – Core Day + Food & Drink online instructor-led course is a live, tutor-led version of the two-day safety passport delivered remotely by video conference. It follows the same Safety Pass Alliance syllabus as classroom training and leads to the same SPA passport, valid for three years.

This is not self-paced e-learning. It is live, interactive training with a qualified tutor across two consecutive days, where delegates ask questions and sit the module assessments in real time. If you would rather attend in person, see the classroom courses.

Course Details

  • Duration: 2 days
  • Format: Live online instructor-led training
  • Awarding body: Safety Pass Alliance (SPA)
  • Platform: Zoom or Microsoft Teams, depending on provider
  • Assessment: Multiple-choice paper at the end of each module
  • Suitable for: Contractors, employees and casual workers in food and drink manufacturing
  • Prerequisites: No formal health and safety experience required
  • Cost: From £195 + VAT
  • Equipment needed: PC or laptop with webcam, microphone and stable internet
  • Passport: Valid for 3 years

Prices vary by provider and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

View Online Course Dates & Fees

 

What is the SPA Food & Drink online instructor-led course?

The online instructor-led course allows contractors and employees to complete the full two-day Food and Drink safety passport remotely with a live qualified tutor. Sessions are delivered by video conference over two consecutive days and follow the same syllabus as classroom training, leading to the same SPA passport.

Day one is the general SPA Core Day; day two concentrates on the food and drink sector — food protection and contamination control, environmental requirements and waste disposal, and the health and safety hazards particular to manufacturing and processing sites.

Is the online course the same as the classroom course?

Yes in every respect that matters. The syllabus, the assessments and the passport are set by the Safety Pass Alliance, not by where the course is held. A delegate completing the course online receives exactly the same SPA passport as one who attends in person, and site operators make no distinction between them.

Remote delivery is permitted by SPA for this scheme. SPA accredited providers deliver both classroom and remote courses across the UK and Ireland using Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The one notable exception in the SPA range is Core Construction (CSCS), which remains classroom-only; Food and Drink is not affected by that restriction.

The differences are practical rather than substantive: no travel, no venue, and assessments completed on screen under webcam supervision. The full syllabus is listed on the classroom tab.

Who is the SPA Food Passport suitable for?

The SPA Food Passport is aimed at contractors, employees or casual workers who work in food and drink manufacturing. The training programme focuses on hygiene and food safety, specific environmental issues and health and safety practices.

  • Contractors and subcontractors working on food and drink manufacturing sites
  • Maintenance engineers, fitters and electricians attending production lines
  • Cleaning and hygiene contractors
  • Hauliers and delivery personnel entering production areas
  • Agency and casual workers requiring site access

No prior health and safety knowledge is required.

What’s included in the SPA Food Passport?

Upon completion of the SPA Food Passport course you will have the knowledge to:

  • Compare injury incident rates across some industry sectors
  • Understand the importance of training, awareness and good personal behaviour in reducing potential for harm
  • Recognise the implications for cost, job security and risk of injury if areas of concern are not addressed and controlled
  • Understand the three main areas of concern as food damage, environmental damage and people damage

The three food and drink sector modules are set out in full on the classroom tab.

Why choose online instructor-led training?
  • Attend from home, depot or any suitable location
  • Learn from a live qualified tutor in real time, not a recorded module
  • No travel, accommodation or overnight costs
  • Ask questions and interact with the tutor throughout
  • Same SPA passport as classroom training
  • Suits contractors covering several manufacturing sites across a wide area
  • Usually a wider choice of dates than classroom, since courses are not tied to a venue
Online or classroom — which should I choose?

Both lead to the same SPA passport, so the decision is practical rather than about the qualification itself.

Classroom Online instructor-led
Schedule Fixed dates, set venue Fixed dates, remote
Duration 2 days 2 days
Instructor Live tutor in the room Live tutor via video
Time away from work 2 days plus travel 2 days, no travel
Passport issued SPA Food & Drink SPA Food & Drink
Validity 3 years 3 years
Best for Face-to-face learners, groups at one site Dispersed teams, mobile contractors
How is the online course assessed?
  • Module papers: A multiple-choice paper at the end of each module, completed on screen during the course
  • ID verification: Delegates must verify their identity and remain visible on webcam during assessments
  • Passport: Successful delegates are registered on the national SPA database and issued a passport photo card valid for three years

There is no post-course project and no external examination. Resit arrangements for a failed module paper are set by the individual training provider rather than by SPA, so ask the provider what their policy is when you book.

Equipment and technical requirements
  • A PC or laptop with a working webcam and microphone — mobile phones are not suitable and most providers will not accept them
  • A camera position that shows your face, upper body and desk area during assessments
  • A stable broadband connection. Connection quality is the delegate’s responsibility
  • Zoom or Microsoft Teams installed and tested before the course starts
  • A quiet, private space for both days

You do not usually need your own Zoom or Teams account — providers send a joining link by email. Joining instructions, including setup guidance, are issued in advance of the course start date.

Does the SPA Food & Drink Passport expire?

Yes. SPA passports are issued with a three-year expiry date, and that date is absolute. SPA withdrew the three-month post-expiry rule across all its schemes on 31 July 2020, so the expiry date printed on the card is the definitive point at which the passport ceases to be valid.

Renewal is a one-day refresher which can be taken at any point in the six months before expiry. Once the expiry date has passed you are no longer eligible for the renewal and must sit the full two-day course again.

Renewing early costs nothing — SPA keeps the original anniversary date, so only the year of expiry changes.

Are exemptions available from day one?

Possibly. Food and Drink recognises Core Day exemptions. Anyone who has previously attended a nationally recognised health and safety course can apply for exemption where that course covers at least 80% of the Core Day material.

Exemption is not automatic and is not something you can self-certify. It has to be approved in advance, and providers will normally want to see the syllabus of the qualification you are relying on. If you think you may hold an exemption, raise it when booking rather than on the day.

Related training and progression

Training more than one person on this course?

If you have a group to put through this course, it can be delivered at your own premises or a venue near you, on a date that suits your shift patterns. No travel, no overnight stays, and priced for the group rather than per person — which usually works out cheaper per head than booking individual places.

Tell us the numbers and roughly where you are, and we will come back with a written quote. Purchase orders and invoicing welcome.

Get a group quote