As a member of staff you may see an inspector carrying out a food hygiene inspection. If you are involved in the handling or preparation of food we may ask you some questions, this is so we can have some idea of your food safety knowledge and how much your employer has told you. We are not trying to catch you out, it is important that you are aware of food hazards in the business and it is your employers responsibility to tell you.

Where you work

However big or small your business is, the place where you work has to be kept clean and well maintained to ensure good hygiene.

Premises should be designed in a way that allows you to keep the place clean and work hygienically.

Make sure that doors and external windows keep out pests, such as flies and rats. Careful storage of waste is also important to avoid attracting pests. You should:

• not allow food or other waste to gather in food areas
• keep the storage area clean
• arrange for rubbish to be removed regularly

Being ill

If you are suffering from food poisoning, diarrhoea and/or vomiting you must inform the owner of the business or your line manager immediately. You should not continue working with open food while suffering from this disease/condition.

We recommend that any food handler who suspects they are suffering from food poisoning seeks advice and confirmation from their G.P.

Food handlers should only consider returning to work when:

• No vomiting has occurred for forty-eight hours, once any treatment has ceased
  
• Bowel habits have returned to normal for forty-eight hours, either spontaneously, or following cessation of treatment with anti-diarrhoeal drugs
  
• Ideally when they have had clearance from their G.P.

Food handlers who have been ill must inform their manager of their intention to return to work. It will then be the owner or line manager's decision whether this is acceptable for food safety.

Remember these essential points:

• Do not handle food if you are suffering from diarrhoea and/or vomiting
  
• Tell your boss if you or anyone in your household is ill
  
• Tell your boss if you were ill while on holiday
  
• Tell your boss if you have infected cuts or sores
  
• If you have to visit the doctor, remember to say you are a food handler

Training

As a food handler your employer should provide you with instruction and/or training in food hygiene to enable you to carry out your job. This may be verbal instruction or a formal course with an exam at the end.

Protective Clothing

If you handle food your employer should provide you (free of charge) with protective clothing to prevent the food from being contaminated. The extent of what you are provided with will depend on the type of food you are handling, it may range from an apron to over clothing, hat and gloves and you may not be allowed to wear jewellery.

Staff facilities

It's very important to make sure that suitable facilities are provided for staff to wash their hands.

There should be a basin for washing hands in food areas. You will also need a sink to use when cleaning premises, equipment, utensils, etc. If unwrapped food is handled as part of your business, you must have a separate sink just for washing food.

Washbasins must have hot and cold running water, plus soap and suitable equipment for drying hands, such as disposable towels or hot-air dryers.

When staff have used the toilet, they should not wash their hands in the same basin that is used to wash hands during food preparation or the sinks used for washing food or for cleaning. Otherwise, they could bring germs into the food area.

Your Responsibility

The ultimate responsibility for food safety rests with the proprietor of the food business, however you have a part to play in this. If you are instructed to carryout a task in regard to food safety you must do so, unless it is dangerous, the legislation does allow for action to be taken against food handlers if they have not carried out specific instructions from the proprietor.

Contact us

If you have any queries or would like to ask a question please contact us on:

Should you wish to speak to an Environmental Health Officer it is advised that you telephone the office number before 10.00 am or after 4.00 pm. Our administration staff will be more than happy to give advice or help as necessary or take your details to enable an officer to return your call. In addition, you may contact us by post or e-mail at the addresses below:

Environmental Protection Division of 'Technical Services

Runnymede Borough Council, Runnymede Civic Centre, Station Road, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 2AH Tel: 01932 838383 Fax: 01932 838384 Email: technical@runnymede.gov.uk