Unit 101 Maintain a Safe and Secure Working Environment.

1. Unit 101 Maintain a Safe and Secure Working Environment. This Unit is broken down into 4 elements and is a Mandatory Unit required for your NVQ qualification. • E1 Maintain Personal Health & Hygiene. • E2 Carry out procedures in the event of a fire. • E3 Maintain a safe environment for customers, staff and visitors. • E4 Maintain a secure environment for customers, staff and visitors.

2. Element 1 Maintain Personal Health & Hygiene. • The image you project while dealing with customers can say a great deal about the way your company operates. People are more likely to use a restaurant or food outlet if they can see that the staff take care of their appearance and follow good hygiene practices when dealing with food. • NLN Personal Hygiene.

3. What is Food Hygiene ? Food hygiene is following good practices which lead to the safe production of food in clean workplaces. Keeping workplaces, staff and equipment clean is an important part of food hygiene. working in a clean area: • reduces the risk of producing harmful food. • Prevents infestation by pests. • Is more attractive to customers.

4. The Law and You. Everyone involved in the preparation and service of food has a legal duty under the following regulations. FOOD SAFETY ACT 1990. FOOD SAFETY (GENERAL FOOD HYGIENE) REGULATIONS 1995. On average there are up to 40 deaths each year due to food poisoning. This number has increased in recent years with cases such as E Coli. Usually the people who die are in a high risk group, such as children and elderly.

5. Food Safety Act 1990. The Food Safety Act 1990 was introduced because of public concern about risks during food preparation. The main provisions are: • It is an offence to supply food that fails to comply with food safety requirements. • It strengthened powers of enforcement, including detention and seizure of food. • It requires training in basic food hygiene for all food handlers.

6. It requires that all food premises are registered. • It enables Environmental Health Officers: • To issue Improvement Notices if they feel there is a potential risk. • To issue emergency Prohibition Notices to force caterers to stop using the food premises or equipment immediately.

7. Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) Are responsible for enforcing the regulations and have a number of powers which include: • Being able to enter food premises to investigate possible offences. • Inspecting food and where necessary detaining suspect food or seizing it to be condemned. • Asking for information and gaining assistance.

8. Food Safety Act Penalties.

9. Food Safety (General Food Hygiene ) Regulations 1995. As a food handler, you need to be aware of the ways in which your clothes, habits and your personal cleanliness can increase or reduce the risk of food contamination. Under the above regulations the food handler’s responsibilities are clearly stated.

10. Food Handler’s Must: • Protect food from the risk of infection. • Wear suitable protective clothing. • Wash hands after visiting the toilet, smoking or eating . • Not smoke, spit or sneeze in food rooms. • Cover cuts or wounds with a clean washable dressing. • Report illnesses or contact with illnesses.

11. Food Handler’s Must also: • Not wear excessive jewellery and/or nail varnish. • Not attend work while suffering from or have symptoms of food poisoning. • Not continue to work with eczema and dermatitis. • Not scratching sores or spots.

12. Much of the guidance given to food handler’s is aimed at reducing the risk of bacterial food poisoning, this is achieved by: • Protecting the food from contamination by people through the wearing of protective clothing. • Ensuring that everyone is aware of the main sources of bacteria, i.e. throat. • Ensuring that everyone follows basic guidelines on personal hygiene.

13. Sources of Food Poisoning. As you are involved in food handling it is important to be aware of the most common sources of infection. There are 3 main sources of food poisoning. • Natural sources. • Chemical or metal contamination. • Bacteria. • NLN Causes and symptoms of food poisoning.

14. Natural Sources. Such as poisonous plants (certain types of Fungi) people will develop food poisoning due to the poisons in the food item. Chemical/Metal contamination. Such as pesticides, cleaning fluids, copper, mercury. Food poisoning can be caused by spilling chemicals into foods.

15. Bacteria. These are naturally present all around us and can easily contaminate food. Common bacteria found: Staphylococcus Aureus: found in Nose, Mouth, Cuts. Salmonella: Animals & Human carriers. Bacillus Cereus: Soil, Dust, Vegetation & Cereals. Clostridium Botulinum: Damaged or Bloated Cans of food.

16. Protective Clothing. • Wear the correct protective clothing in food preparation areas i.e. correct chefs whites and safety shoes. • DO NOT wear food protective clothing to and from work. • Keep your clothing in good order and change daily. • Keep outdoor footwear separate.

17. Personal Hygiene. • Keep fingernails short, free from nail varnish. • Jewellery: only wedding ring. • Keep hair neat and tidy and covered. • Shower or bath regularly. All work places should have changing and shower facilities available to use.