Systematic approach to compliance
August 1st 2006 JohnsonDiversey's Meagan Tuckerman discusses the new food safety regulations that came into force on 1st January 2006
It was a pretty tough 2005, with a barrage of red tape that at times seemed relentless. From licensing reform and issues surrounding binge drinking, to the impending implications of a smoking ban and a national drive for healthy eating, the cost to catering establishments, in practical and psychological terms, continues to grow.
New Food Safety Regulations came into force on 1 January and left some smaller establishments feeling overwhelmed. Many have had to improve their food safety systems in readiness for these tougher hygiene laws (catering businesses registered with local authorities, for example, must now demonstrate not only that they prepare food that is fit to eat, but that they record their food safety procedures).
In the case of smaller businesses, these systems are quite straightforward, but they still need to conform to the principles of HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (devised, incidentally, by NASA to ensure safe food for astronauts; diarrhoea, weightless in a space capsule, being far from a laughing matter).
Fines are easily preventable if you have good management processes in place
The Environmental Health News recently reported that a popular venue was fined 19,500 after a routine inspection uncovered mouldcovered food and meat long past its sell-by date. Owners of another food premises were forced to part with 12,000 for failing to carry out a hazard analysis of their food operation. One owner was even fined 6,000 for not storing refuse in a suitable container, the food waste apparently attracting birds and vermin.
In truth, though, how many of us can really put hand to heart and swear we've never looked in our own domestic fridge and found a lump of stale blue cheddar, or cursed the open bin bag ravaged by a local fox?
While food safety in kitchens is deemed a critical issue, cleaning and hygiene are often markedly lower on the menu of importance. Did you know for example, that: - 39% of catering staff don't wash their hands after going to the toilet
- 53% admit to not washing their hands before preparing food
- Only 32% of catering managers believe good food hygiene practices are important to their business
(Source: The Food Standards Authority)
The worst ever E-coli food poisoning outbreak, which in 1996 implicated a small butcher's business in Scotland, resulted in 21 fatalities and incidents of food poisoning are on the increase. The reality is that, when it comes to business, there is simply no margin for lack of food safety. If your kitchen, bar, or WC area doesn't comply with the New Food Hygiene legislation, you could face a hefty fine or even be forced to close your operation altogether. It's also worth pointing out that the legislation applies to anything from a hot dog van to a five-star restaurant, from the village hall where food is prepared to a large supermarket, to a vending machine.
And yet many organisations simply don't know what the new regulations entail. One of the greatest challenges with any food safety initiative is the matter of making it achievable. To this end it must first be understood by those who must implement it.
Professional Cleaning & You
As a major UK provider of cleaning and hygiene products and systems (including Persil, Mr Muscle and Toilet Duck), JohnsonDiversey has come up with a solution Professional Cleaning & You and it's remarkably simple and easy to implement (we might not be able to do away with all that red tape mentioned earlier, but we can help you achieve clean, hygienic premises by providing a systematic approach towards fully complying with the forthcoming laws).
Professional Cleaning & You is the result of extensive research carried out throughout the UK. In conjunction with the input of expert industry consultant Phil Dixon, the research highlighted the fact that many licensees were fearful of the new regulation, because they didn't understand, for instance, how to implement HACCP.
HACCP is really only common sense, combined with an awareness of what might contaminate the food you serve, the temperatures at which food is stored and cooked and so on. Most organisations already take measures to control these, however new regulations will dictate that you also keep records of everything you do (having no documentation showing how hazards and risks have been dealt with will be deemed an offence).
Professional Cleaning & You has been specifically designed to help 'partner' smaller organisations through these complexities and offer total catering hygiene compliancy.
It is based around an interactive website, step-by-step work folder, telephone helpline (and includes regular updates via email, post and telephone). Registration is absolutely free and those who sign up receive a welcome pack, 50 worth of vouchers to spend on products and access to more in-depth information and advice on the web.
Members can maintain records online and download the hard copies required by EHOs, access online training modules and gain a concise understanding of what the legislation means to them.
In this way, if the Environmental Health Officer (who in reality IS on your side) should spring you a visit, you can confidently make him a clean, hygienic mug of whatever he fancies while he goes about his checklist, safe in the knowledge that yours is a sound, well-maintained, immaculate premises, with properly managed and documented food handling systems that meet the law.
You can register free at:www.professionalcleaningandyou.com. Or by calling the number in the reader enquiry box. More articles from JohnsonDiversey UK Ltd: | 
