Food Safety Inspections

 

Advice for Food Retailers and Food Businesses

It is important to ensure that stock is checked against the list of effected products as listed on the Food Standards Website www.food.gov.uk/ . Any food items found to be in stock must be withdrawn from sale and the supplier contacted to arrange disposal or collection. Any food items that are disposed of must be done in such a way to prevent the food re-entering the food chain. If you require any additional advice please contact the Environmental Health Department.

The Environmental Safety and Hygiene Section carries out regular checks on all food premises in the Borough to ensure the public is protected and that high standards are maintained.

Visits to premises are carried out, as far as possible, without prior notification and are priority programmed according to the degree of potential risk. This ensures that higher risk premises are visited more frequently than those in lower risk categories.

During an inspection, Officers will want to reassure themselves that potential food safety risks have been identified by the business, and that there are adequate controls in place to prevent any problems. They will also look at the training of managers and food handlers to ensure that it is suitable, and they will check that the condition of the premises and equipment is satisfactory.

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.

Use the contact details at the bottom of this page if you want to request a business inspection
 

Food Awards

Tameside and Glossop Primary Care NHS Trust run the Tameside Healthy Catering Award Scheme jointly, with Tameside Council
 

Food Complaints

The investigation of complaints concerning standards in food premises, unfit or contaminated food is a further aspect of the Section's work. These are usually resolved by giving advice to the proprietor or manufacturer, but in certain circumstances formal action may be taken, either in the form of a formal caution or prosecution. Use the contact details at the bottom of this page to make a complaint.
 

Registration of Food Premises

Most food businesses are required to be registered with the Local Authority. Information on how to register can be obtained by contacting the Section. Details of registration.
 

Investigation of Food poisoning and Food-Borne Illnesses

The Section is involved in the investigation of outbreaks of food poisoning and other infectious diseases, which are notified by GP's, hospitals etc. This work is aimed at controlling and preventing the spread of these illnesses.

Use the contact details at the bottom of this page to contact us if you think that your illness was caused by food prepared outside the home.

 

Food Sampling

The Section undertakes a comprehensive programme of microbiological and analytical food sampling. Any unsatisfactory sample results are carefully investigated with the intention of giving advice on improvements to manufacturing techniques, or systems of handling and storage.

 

Miscellaneous Public Health Problems

Complaints in respect of the illegal dumping of rubbish and problems that may arise from the keeping of animals in unsatisfactory conditions are also investigated by the Section.
 

Training

We offer a wide range of food hygiene and occupational health and safety training courses for managers and staff, which can be tailored to suit individual businesses. These courses, which are also open to members of the general public, are based on training packages designed and promoted by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and lead to nationally recognised qualifications.

Courses run on a regular basis include:-

• Basic Health and Safety Certificate
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
• Safer Food Better Business (SFBB)

Full details of the training courses or to book a place.

If you want any further information about charges for sampling, export letters and voluntary surrender certificates see our list of charges. For information about any of our services, please use the contact details below.

View the Foodlink website - www.fdf.org.uk  for more general information.