Food Safety : Standard Inspection Policy

The aim of this document is to set clear and consistent procedures for conducting Food Standards inspections within North Lanarkshire Council.

Inspections will be carried out at appropriate stages of the food chain to establish whether the requirements of relevant food law are being met.

An inspection of a food business may be either a primary inspection or secondary inspection; a definition of each is given below.

"Enforcement" includes the giving of advice and practical guidance on the interpretation or application of food law.

This document will be reviewed in the event of any relevant significant changes as necessary and also on an annual basis.

1.1 Primary Food Standards Inspections

A primary inspection is an inspection of a food business in which the appropriate elements set out in the relevant inspection form for the business concerned are considered. Authorised Officers may, however, use their professional judgement and decide to cover only certain elements of the inspection form in circumstances where they consider it appropriate to do so.

Food Standards inspections should be carried out when appropriate as detailed in the Services's food standards inspection programme which is based on the food standards inspection ratings that have been determined in accordance with Annex 5 of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland).

Circumstances may arise that require the re-scheduling of Primary Food Standards Inspections.  Such situations may include:

·        An unsafe practice is occurring or has occurred which represents a significant hazard to public health.

·        Particular food handling or food preparation practice is found to entail a previously unsuspected hazard to public health.

·        A food with widespread distribution was found to be contaminated and thereby presents a significant hazard to public health.

·        There is evidence of widespread fraud in labelling or presentation of food.

Where such a situation arises, the Food Standards Agency may require Food Authorities to take specific action by means of a communication. 

Circumstances may arise that make it appropriate to bring forward a Primary Inspection.  Such circumstances may include -

·        Receipt of a consumer complaint.

·        Receipt of a new application for registration of  a food business/request to change registration details.

·        Becoming aware of any material change in ownership, management, layout or nature of operation of a food business.

·        Receipt of a referral under the Home Authority Principle.

·        Receipt of a request or other information from the Food Standards Agency.

·        Becoming aware that the business may be closed at the time of the due date because of seasonal closure.

When an early primary inspection takes place, the inspection may be recognised as meeting the requirements specified in Annex 5 of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) so long as the premises' risk rating is recalculated and the next programmed date for inspection is scheduled from the actual date of the early inspection.

2.1 The purpose of a Primary Food Standards Inspection

Food Standards inspections of premises undertaken by this Authority in terms of the Food Safety Act 1990 and other relevant subordinate food standards legislation have the following key objectives:

·        Assess the risk of the business failing to meet food standards requirements.

·        Consider the existence and effectiveness of the management control systems used to ensure that food standards requirements are met and, where they exist, test their effectiveness.

·        Assess the compliance with composition, presentation and labelling requirements by examining advertisements labels, descriptions, menus, claims, recipes and other records.

·        Recommend good practice in accordance with relevant industry codes and other appropriate technical standards.

·        Assess compliance with suppliers' specifications.

Programmed inspections can be broken down into five stages:

(1)               Planning for the Inspection.

(2)               Preliminary Interview.

(3)               The Inspection.

(4)               Post Inspection Interview.

(5)               Post Inspection Administration.

2.2 Planning the Primary Food Standards Inspection

Before embarking upon the actual inspection, Officers should set aside sufficient time to thoroughly familiarise themselves with the background history, nature of the business and relevant legislation pertinent to the premises to be inspected.

This objective can be achieved in part by examination of the individual premises file including -

·        Previous risk assessment score(s).

·        Individual risk assessment criteria ratings.

·        History of relevant complaints.

·        Food business management systems information.

·        Information on layout (i.e. site plan) and processing operations (i.e. flow diagrams) where available.

·        Reference to training records of supervisors and foodhandlers.

·        Response to previous inspection outcomes.

·        Checking computerised records in the Authority Public Protection (A.P.P.) software package.

·        Approved Food Law Code of Practice and Practice Guidance.

·        Reference to pertinent documents sourced via electronic media such as Technical Indices software package or via other legitimate sources such as L.A.C.O.R.S. or Food Standard Agency operated web-sites etc.

·        Official guidance (e.g. E.U. and Industry Guides ).

·        Dedicated 'food standards' legislation (where applicable).

Timing of the Inspection

Some food business by their very nature will conduct their operations outwith conventional office hours. In such occasion, in order to obtain the maximum value from a planned inspection, the timing should be chosen to:

·        Coincide with the optimum time to view specific processes or operations; and/or

·        To ensure that key food business personnel are available.

Clothing and Equipment

This Authority will provide its Officers with or permit them access to the following items of protective clothing and equipment:

(a)               White hats and coats and hairnets.

(b)               Food-grade Wellington boots (where applicable).

(c)               Disposable gloves.

(d)               Electronic probe thermometers.

(e)               Single-use bactericidal probe wipes.

(f)                 Torches.

(g)               Cameras.

(h)               Mobile telephones.

(i)                 Sampling and swabbing equipment.

(j)                  Official notebooks.

Damaged equipment and defective protective clothing shall be repaired or replaced (as appropriate) before being subjected to further use. Officers must report such incidents to their respective Line Manager without delay.

Additional expertise required

In most cases, our Officers will not require the assistance of persons with additional expertise. However, this may be necessary when inspecting complex operations, or after an inspection when the need may arise.

Expert advice may be sought from the Public Analyst/Authorised Food Examiner at   Glasgow Scientific Services, 64 Everard Drive, Springburn, Glasgow G21 1XG. Telephone no. 0141 562 2200.

Notice of Inspection

In accordance with Directive 89/397/EEC, as a general rule, "inspections shall be carried out without prior warning".  However, there will be circumstances when it is advantageous to give advance notice.  If Officers expect to examine management system records and complex processing operations, it is reasonable to contact the premises in advance to arrange a mutually acceptable time for the inspection. This is especially important if an inspection will be hampered where key personnel are absent.

Nevertheless, Officers should exercise discretion in this area and be guided by the over-riding aim of ensuring compliance with food safety legislation.

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