Food Safety Enforcement
In the UK the enforcement of food safety is allocated in the main to environmental health officers based at local authorities.
In the light of recent food safety problems, and outbreaks of e-coli and salmonella, fresh guidance has been issued by LACORS (Local Authority Co-ordinators for Regulatory Services).
The guidelines highlight that during routine inspections, enforcement officers need to take an investigatory approach and question both managers and workers carefully to establish that there is real knowledge and understanding of food safety issues.
Although there is still no requirement to undergo formal training, the new guidelines (issued in July 2010) now require enforcement officers to look more closely at the knowledge and skills of staff. The ability to show a Environmental Health Officer a valid and current Food Safety/Hygiene Certificate will prove that you are serious about food safety and the personal advancement of your staff.
The guidelines suggest appropriate questions which enforcement officers should ask of managers and staff and these include:-
- What are the main responsibilities of your staff?
- How do you ensure that your staff prepare/handle food safely?
- Have the staff been on a recognised training course?
- What instruction do you give your staff in relation to food hygiene?
- How do you supervise your staff?
- Have your food handlers with a supervisory/instruction role received formal training?
- When did you last review the training needs of your staff?
- How do you review the effectiveness of training/supervision/instruction?
The sample questions offered by the guidelines on questioning workers are:-
- What are your food handling responsibilities?
- What food safety training have you received?
- Did you do a course or were you trained in house?
- If 'in house', who trained you?
- What instruction has your supervisor given you about handling food safely?
How would you and your staff perform when asked these questions?
From these guidelines you can see that the pressure is mounting from enforcement officers to ensure staff at all levels obtain a higher level of skills and knowledge in all aspects of food safety and food hygiene to obtain a recognised Food Safety/Hygiene certificate..
Completing these recognised level 1 and level 2 food safety awards from CIEH will go a long way towards ensuring that your food business passes inspection with flying colours. Don’t risk it! Buy the relevant courses for yourself and your staff now.
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