The council undertakes hygiene inspections of food premises
within the Borough area.
Purpose of Inspections
Food hygiene inspections have three main purposes:
- To identify potential hazards and assess the risk to
public health arising from activities within the food
business
- Assess effectiveness of management control to achieve
safe food
- Identify specific contraventions of food hygiene
regulations
What can I expect on a food hygiene inspection?
The inspection may be carried out by either an Environmental
Health Officer or a Food Safety Officer. You will be shown
identification if you wish.
The time taken varies considerably and is dependant on the
size, nature and extent of your operations.
We will need to:
- Talk to staff about your quality control systems and
practices (where these exist)
- Inspect all parts of your premises and
equipment
- Talk to you about staff training, risk assessment and
temperature control
The inspecting officer may also request relevant
documentations including recipes and productions records.
Following the inspection the officer will discuss the findings
with you and you will receive a written report.
Where practices or conditions are not satisfactory, every
attempt will be made to resolve the situation by informal means,
but where poor conditions persist, or where there is a risk to
public health it may be necessary to resort to formal action. This
could involve either the service of legal notice, prosecution, or
in extreme cases closure of the business.
How often will I be inspected?
Each business is routinely monitored at a frequency determined
by a hazard rating. This takes account of:
- Type of food being handled
- Compliance history
- Confidence in management
- Premises serving vulnerable groups for example the very
young or elderly
You will be inspected at regular intervals of between 6 months
and 5 years dependant on the considerations above.
Further Information
Officers are always willing to give guidance on how the
law relates to your business. If you require any further
information concerning food hygiene inspections please contact the
Commercial Services Section on the details below.
Commercial Services Team,
Environmental Health,
Barrow Borough Council,
Town Hall,
Duke Street,
Barrow-in-Furness,
Cumbria,
LA14 2LD.
Telephone: 01229 876543
Fax: 01229 876411
For more detailed information on food hygiene issues please go
to the following site: