CFPM Managerial Responsibilities 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A manager discovers that a thermometer used for checking food temperatures has not been calibrated in six months. What is the appropriate corrective action?
- Continue using it until the next scheduled inspection
- Calibrate or replace the thermometer immediately (Correct answer)
- Only use it for non-TCS foods going forward
- Document the issue and recalibrate at year end
Correct answer: Calibrate or replace the thermometer immediately
An uncalibrated thermometer provides unreliable readings that could result in unsafe foods being served, so it must be fixed immediately.
Question 2: Under the FDA Food Code, a food manager is required to report which employee condition to the regulatory authority?
- A sprained ankle sustained at work
- Diagnosis with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (Correct answer)
- A positive COVID-19 test
- An allergy to shellfish
Correct answer: Diagnosis with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli
The FDA Food Code requires managers to report employees diagnosed with certain pathogens, including STEC, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, norovirus, and hepatitis A.
Question 3: A manager notices pest droppings near dry storage shelves. Which is the MOST important immediate managerial action?
- Set traps and monitor for two weeks before notifying anyone
- Remove affected food, seal entry points, and contact a licensed pest control operator (Correct answer)
- Rearrange shelves to limit pest access
- Notify the health department before taking any action
Correct answer: Remove affected food, seal entry points, and contact a licensed pest control operator
The immediate priority is to eliminate contaminated food, block pest entry, and engage a professional PCO to eradicate the infestation.
Question 4: Which practice best supports a manager's responsibility to maintain equipment in a food-safe condition?
- Scheduling equipment cleaning only when it appears visibly dirty
- Establishing written cleaning and sanitizing schedules for all food-contact surfaces (Correct answer)
- Assigning cleaning tasks verbally at the start of each shift
- Cleaning equipment monthly regardless of use frequency
Correct answer: Establishing written cleaning and sanitizing schedules for all food-contact surfaces
Written cleaning and sanitizing schedules ensure consistency, accountability, and compliance with food safety standards for all equipment.
Question 5: A manager receives a complaint that a customer became ill after eating at the establishment. What is the manager's FIRST responsibility?
- Deny responsibility until an investigation is complete
- Contact the local regulatory authority and preserve food samples if possible (Correct answer)
- Issue a refund and apologize without investigating
- Immediately discard all food currently in production
Correct answer: Contact the local regulatory authority and preserve food samples if possible
Notifying the regulatory authority and preserving evidence (food samples, records) are required first steps in managing a potential foodborne illness outbreak.
Question 6: Which action reflects a manager's duty under the principle of active managerial control (AMC)?
- Relying solely on health inspections to identify food safety issues
- Proactively monitoring food temperatures throughout the day (Correct answer)
- Posting food safety rules and expecting employees to follow them independently
- Investigating complaints only after they are submitted in writing
Correct answer: Proactively monitoring food temperatures throughout the day
Active managerial control means continuously monitoring and controlling food safety risks, such as regularly checking and logging food temperatures.
Question 7: An establishment's written food safety plan should be reviewed and updated under which circumstance?
- Only during annual health department inspections
- Whenever there is a change in menu, process, or supplier (Correct answer)
- After every customer complaint regardless of severity
- Only when required by the regulatory authority
Correct answer: Whenever there is a change in menu, process, or supplier
Menu changes, new processes, or new suppliers can introduce new hazards, requiring the food safety plan to be updated to address them.
CFPM Managerial Responsibilities 3
A manager discovers that a thermometer used for checking food temperatures has not been calibrated in six months.
What is the appropriate corrective action?