Safety briefing - food safety

This briefing addresses the key risks and control measures needed to manage food safety.

What’s covered?

The aim of this Safety Briefing - Food Safety is to ensure that all staff are fully aware of the potential risks associated with food and what they should do to minimise the chances of a food poisoning incident.

Hazards and risks

The briefing identifies hazards, including foreign objects in food, poor handling and control and chemical contamination. It also covers the risks.

Management

Control measures include health screening of food handlers, providing clean protective clothing, training staff and observing good hygiene practices.

Key points

As the document suggests, attendees must take note of the following key points:

• “All food handlers are required to be trained in food hygiene and safety to a level appropriate to their responsibilities.
• All food businesses are required to implement a food safety system known as the hazards analysis and critical control points (HACCP)
• Documented records of the HACCP system must be kept by all food businesses and shown to EHOs when required.
• Conviction for an offence under food safety legislation can result in a fine of up to £20,000 or two years in prison, or both.
• Food poisoning is largely avoidable if food handlers practice high standards of food hygiene.”