Lots of barriers to further implementation---CP can’t overcome

Time and money have been identified as obstacles in implementing HACCP. Giampaoli, Sneed, Cluskey, and Koenig (2002) found that foodservice directors positively agreed on the benefits of certification and continuing education related to food safety. In our study, time and money were identified as the greatest barriers to improve food safety. Similar problems have been reported by other authors (Mortlock et al., 1999; Panisello & Quantick, 2001; Panisello, Quantick, & Knowles, 1999; Ward, 2001). Managers seemed to find it difficult to make their employees understand the importance of hazard analysis and why particular operations had to be monitored and controlled.

Several studies have examined barriers to HACCP implementation in food businesses. Hwang, Almanza, and Nelson (2001) found that Indiana school foodservice managers identified time to establish a HACCP program, time to run the program, and labor costs as being the three biggest obstacles. In addition, “lack of training funds, time to get used to running the HACCP program, and union problems” were other identified obstacles. Giampaoli et al. (2002) conducted a national study and found three types of barriers: resource management, employee motivation, and employee confidence. Employees are nervous about taking food safety certification examinations and often are not comfortable with the change needed for implementation of a program like HACCP. Youn and Sneed (2002) identified employee and resource barriers in a national study of school foodservice directors. Lack of employee training was the biggest employee barrier and lack of financial resources to devote to food safety was the biggest resource barrier.

In our study, the other barrier to implement a HACCP based food safety management system was the lack of employee motivation and turnover of employees. Employee motivation was also the predominant problem associated with HACCP implementation, alongside record-keeping and process management. More specifically, the need for staff retaining and the lack of staff motivation were considered as key issues influencing the HACCP implementation process in food processing facilities. At the same time, however, one of the major benefits from having implemented HACCP was increased awareness among staff of food hygiene/safety issues, in turn this enhanced the motivation of staff to maintain enhanced food safety controls (Henson, 2002). In addition, Panisello and Quantick (2001) identified constant turnover of employees as a barrier to the proper implementation of the HACCP system, as employees need time and training in order to fully comprehend and use the system. Furthermore, the workforce in this industry varies from the very young to those who have worked in this sector for years. Some in the latter category could not see the necessity of having a system like HACCP in place, so it was not considered important and no effort was made to understand it.