Full graphics version | Change low graphics options | Skip navigation | Site map | Help | Contact us
|Home page | Publications | Events | Meeting diary | Online payments
|
Registered Users |
|
These notes provide some advice on the legal requirements which food businesses are required to fulfil. When inspecting premises, officers are looking for compliance with Regulations. The basic requirements of Regulations are shown below, also included, are a number of recommended practices. This information is provided as a guide only and is not a substitute for the actual Regulations.
Food premises must be kept clean and maintained in a good condition and repair to permit adequate cleaning and disinfection.The walls, floors, ceilings, doors, windows and food contact surfaces in all food premises must be maintained in good repair and condition to permit adequate cleaning / disinfection with no danger of contamination by external sources such as pests.Drainage facilities must be adequate and they must be designed and constructed to avoid the risk of contamination of foodstuffs.
Recommendation / Advice
"Clean As You Go"
It is recommended you implement an effective cleaning schedule to cover all of the premises and all equipment within it. The type of material used that is suitable for surfaces will depend upon the activity in each room. It is recommended that areas which are subject to intense use are finished to provide a more durable surface.
Adequate ventilation (mechanical or natural) must be provided to ensure that heat and / or humidity do not build up to levels that cold compromise food safety. The air must not flow from a contaminated area to a clean area. All parts of the ventilation system, including filters must be accessible for cleaning and maintenance. Adequate natural and / or artificial lighting must be provided to all areas of the food premises to allow safe food handling, effective cleaning and monitoring of cleaning standards
Recommendation / Advice
As a target, ambient temperatures should be below 25°C. Natural ventilation will only be suitable for small premises. The levels of lighting should be enough to ensure that the work can be carried out easily and safely. Glass lights should be protected with shatterproof diffusers in areas where open food is handled.
An adequate number of suitable toilets must be readily available and they must not lead directly into any room where food is handled. Toilets must have either natural or mechanical ventilation.
Recommendation / Advice
Mechanical systems should discharge away from food rooms.
An adequate number of designated wash-hand basins must be readily available.The wash-hand basins must be provided with:
Where necessary, the provision for washing food must be kept separate from the hand-washing facility.
Recommendation / Advice
The need for regular hand-washing must be considered, particularly where both raw and cooked foods are handled.
Adequate changing facilities for staff must be provided where necessary e.g. depending upon the size and type of the business and the number of employees to allow separate storage of street clothes and personal items.
Recommendation / Advice
Personal lockers for staff are recommended
Where necessary, adequate facilities must be provided for washing equipment. The facilities must be constructed of materials resistant to corrosion and must be easy to clean and have an adequate supply of hot and cold water.
Recommendation / Advice
Twin sinks are preferable to allow washing and rinsing
Where necessary, adequate facilities must be made for washing food, although one sink may be used for washing both food and equipment in smaller operations. Sinks for washing food must be provided with a supply of hot and / or cold running water and must be kept clean.
Recommendation / Advice
It is good practice to display signs to indicate the use of the sink. Where the same sink is used for washing food and equipment. Time separation should be used to separate the operations and the sink should be disinfected between uses.
All items that come into contact with food, including packaging must be kept clean, be in good condition and made of suitable material so as to minimise the risk of contamination. You must ensure that equipment will be thoroughly cleaned and where necessary disinfected and be installed so that the surrounding area can be adequately cleaned.
Recommendation / Advice
The equipment you choose should be suitable for the job. It should be non toxic, smooth, inert to both food and cleaning materials and capable of being cleaned and disinfected. Implement a cleaning schedule. Separate surfaces / equipment should be used to reduce the risk of cross-contamination from raw to cooked foods.
Every person working in a food handling area must maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and where appropriate wear suitable, clean clothing. No person known or suspected to be a carrier of a disease which can be passed on by food (e.g. infected wounds, skin infections, diarrhoea, vomiting) may work in any food handling area if there is a possibility of contaminating the food. If you are suffering from any of the above or a member of your family is suffering from diarrhoea / vomiting you must inform your Manager immediately.
Recommendation / AdviceChanging facilities for staff. No smoking. Provide adequate clothing e.g. uniform, hat, hairnet. Implement personal hygiene policies. Implement a return to work policy to include
This should inform staff of their duties.Ensure that clearance from the doctor is gained before allowing a member of staff to return to work after illness.
Food waste must not be allowed to accumulate in food rooms. Food waste and other refuse must be deposited in closable containers, which are easy to clean and disinfect. Adequate provision must be made for the removal and storage of food waste and other refuse. Refuse stores must designed and managed to enable them to be kept clean, to prevent access by pests and against contamination of food, drinking water, equipment or premises.
Recommendation / Advice
It is good practice to remove all waste from the food room at the end of the day. Cleaning schedules should ensure that the lined, refuse containers are regularly cleaned and disinfected inside and out. Outdoor storage areas should not be next to the delivery entrance. Its recommended that the refuse area is well lit and that it has a hose for cleaning and draining.
The must be an adequate supply of potable water to ensure that food does not become contaminated. Potable water must be used:
Ice must be made from potable water where possible, to ensure it does not contaminate food.
Recommendation / Advice
Generally, it can be assumed that water will be potable if it comes from a main water supply. Ice for drinks should not be handled with bare hands and glassware should not be used for 'shovelling' ice.
Operators of a food business must assess the processes in their businesses, identify any possible hazards, and decide how these can be reduced or eliminated so that the end product is safe. Having assessed the hazards and introduced controls the hazards should be monitored regularly and amended as necessary. This is known as Hazard Analysis.
Recommendation / Advice
Although it is not a legal requirement to document your hazard analysis, it is recommended that you do. This will help you to demonstrate that you have identified hazards which exist in your business and methods for their control.
Downloads:
EU Food Hygiene Regs (113KB PDF)
|
approved premises regulations (278KB PDF)
| Help with PDFs
| Quick links | |||||||
|
|||||||
Main navigation:
Do It Online | Advice & Benefits | Business | Community & Living | Council & Democracy | Councillors & Meetings | Education & Learning | Health & Social Care | Housing | Jobs & Careers | Leisure & Culture | News & Media | Planning & Building | Roads, Parking & Transport | Website Assistance
