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The objective is to ensure that all food premises located within
South Somerset meet the requirements of current food safety
legislation. Inspections are carried out by qualified environmental
health officers and technical officers.
Regular checks are made to ensure that the public is protected
and that high standards of food safety and hygiene are
maintained. Where applicable a Food Hygiene Rating is
given.
Visits to premises are programmed and carried out, as far as
possible, without prior notice and are programmed according to the
potential risk they present.
Inspection frequency can vary from 6 months to 3 years depending
on the risk. If a premise has a high risk score it will be
inspected more often than a premise with a low risk score.
The risk is based on a number of criteria that include the
following:
- type of food prepared
- the expertise of the staff
- cleanliness of the premises
- the competence of the management
There are a number of things that officers can do to address
problems during a visit. They can advise the owner on
good practice and draw the attention of staff to any relevant
industry guides.
Where conditions contravene the regulations officers can issue
notices to require works to be carried out by the proprietor of the
business. In extreme cases the officer can seize or detain
food products and if necessary close the premises to protect public
health.
The officers will also visit premises to investigate complaints
that may have been made against the business, or if the business
has been implicated in a food poisoning investigation.
The Food
Standards Agency has a toolkit with various resources to help
businesses promote their Food Hygiene Rating score.
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