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Best practice resources funded by the
Australian Government Department of Health.

If you are an employer

  • Include managing allergies in your guidelines and policies for a safe work environment.
  • Encourage employees to tell you if they have a food allergy. This way you will be aware of what food allergies need to be managed in the workplace. Remember your employees’ medical information is confidential. You cannot tell your staff or colleagues about your employees’ food allergy unless they give you permission to.
  • Find out if the employee has any medication or Action Plans for their allergy and where they keep them.
  • Ask the employee for permission for some of their colleagues to be made aware of their food allergy and how to help them if they have an allergic reaction.
  • Work with the employee and their colleagues to decide what you can do minimise the risk of allergic reaction, without isolating the person from the team.
  • Subscribe to Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia for resources and support around managing food allergies in the workplace.
  • Educate your employees workplace about food allergy through memos, posters and team meetings.

Catering for work functions: 

  • Speak with the employee with a food allergy before organising catering for workplace events.

  • Work with the person with food allergy and caterer to organise appropriate food and drinks for them.

  • Buffet style and shared food situations at functions are high risk for people with food allergy, so a special meal for the person with food allergy is the best option.

  • Use this checklist to help you plan catering at work events.
    pdfNAC Workplace Catering Checklist514.43 KB

Do you provide food or meals as part of working conditions?  

Some workplaces, such as mine sites, remote work camps or residential settings, provide food and meals on site as part of working conditions.

Employers should ensure that food allergen management is part of the food safety procedures in their food service department or food service provider.

Ensure all food service staff and the food safety supervisor are trained in best practice food allergen management in foodservice.

Food service staff should do the free All about Allergens online training. Cooks and chefs should do the free All about Allergens for cooks and chefs online training.

Further information about managing food allergy in the workplace is available from Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia.

Resources 

Workplace Catering Poster   Workplace Catering Checklist

Content created May 2024.