Food and Licensing Advice for Businesses
Food Handlers Fitness to Work
There are many ways in which food can become contaminated with food poisoning organisms. One way is from contact with a food handler who is unwell or even one who is well but is a carrier of the organism. There is a legal duty on food businesses not to allow persons known or suspected to be suffering from, or being a carrier of, a disease which can be transmitted by food to work in any food handling area if they are likely to contaminate food. Employers should provide a pre-employment questionnaire which employees should complete and sign before being allowed to handle open food. The questionnaire should cover:
- if they have suffered diarrhoea or vomiting in the last 7 days
- skin trouble or boils affecting hands, arm or face;
- discharge from eyes, ears, gums or mouth
- boils, styes or septic fingers
- recurring skin or ear trouble
- recurring bowel disorder
- contact with anyone in last 21 days who may have been suffering typhoid or paratyphoid.
If any question answered is yes, medical advice should be sought before employing that person. Employers must also ensure employees are aware of the need to report illnesses such as diarrhoea or vomiting. Food handlers could be given alternative work if otherwise fit, providing they present not risk of food contamination. They should remain off food handling duties for at least 48 hours after symptoms have ceased. Medical advice should always be sought for any illness.
Food Hygiene Training
All food handlers must be supervised, instructed and/or trained in food hygiene commensurate with their work. It is also a requirement that anyone in a food business responsible for developing and maintaining a food safety system (HACCP) must also receive training.
As a general rule, anyone handling open high risk food (eg cooked meats, pies, ready to eat foods) should be trained to a level equivalent to the Elementary Food Hygiene Course operated by the Royal Environmental Health Institue of Scotland (REHIS). There are many providers of suitable courses and information can be found either on the web or in the phone book.
Clackmannanshire Council also offer training in Elementary Food Hygiene Courses and limited places are available on these courses which are currently being run monthly. The REHIS course is a day long including a short examination at the conclusion. Currently the cost is £40 per delegate which is inclusive of lunch, tea and coffee.
To book a place on a course or for further information you should contact the number at the bottom of this page.
Contact information
For further information about this page please contact:
Environmental Health
Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa, FK10 1EB
Tel: 0500 545 540 / 01259 450000
Email: ehealth@clacks.gov.uk
Or use the on-line contact form.