Food business - food safety inspections
Environmental Health
The Council carries out regular checks on all food premises to ensure the public is protected and that high standards are maintained.
To see how these premises are rated, click on Rate My Place or
To find out more about the Rate My Place Scheme Click Here.
| Service ID: | 406 |
|---|---|
| email: | ehadmin@staffordbc.gov.uk |
| telephone: | 01785 619402 |
| sms: | 07781 471023 |
| fax: | 01785 619319 |
| complaints: | welcome.asp?id=2505 |
To make an online request for information please click here
I want to start a food business in the Stafford Borough - what do I have to do?
How often do food businesses have to be inspected by Environmental Health Officers?
The corner shop I use is not very clean or tidy - can the Council send someone round to inspect it?
Can the Council close down food businesses that don't comply with hygiene standards?
How can I find out about Food Premises Inspections that have taken place in Stafford?
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 assure 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 a legal notice, prosecution, or in extreme cases closure of the business.
For further information regarding Food Safety Regulations, Click Here
For further information regarding Risk Assessment, Click Here
FAQ
I want to start a food business in the Stafford Borough - what do I have to do?
A pack of information is available from the Commercial Team relating to new food business. You will need to complete a registration form and return it at least 28 days prior to opening. Officers from this service are available to give advice at the planning stage of any new food business as it is easier to ensure that the premises is suitable at this stage than after any refurbishment works have begun. For further information, click here.
How often do food businesses have to be inspected by Environmental Health Officers?
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) issues national guidance on the frequency of food inspections. They may range from every 6 months to every 5 years depending on the risks associated with the type of food handled and the scale of the business. This authority inspects its registered food premises inline with the FSA guidance. TOP
The corner shop I use is not very clean or tidy - can the Council send someone round to inspect it?
If you want to make a complaint of this nature you must contact the Commercial Team and give full details to an officer who will in most cases visit the premises to investigate if there are any contraventions of legislation. TOP
Can the Council close down food businesses that don't comply with hygiene standards?
In extreme cases, where there is an imminent risk to health Environmental Health Officers can serve an Emergency Prohibition Notice to prohibit the use of a premise or a practice or even equipment. Any closure of this nature is immediate but must be confirmed by a magistrate's court at a later date. TOP
Where can I get a food hygiene certificate?
There are many bodies that offer the Foundation Food Hygiene Certificate in this area. While we cannot recommend any particular trainer a list of those providing this and other courses locally is available. For further details, click here.
I am a food retailer and all the freezers have broken down overnight and the stock is ruined. Can you help?
Yes, we can visit your premises and certify that the food is unfit for human consumption. We will then either supervise the disposal of the food or dye the food so it cannot be resold. You may then give the certificate with a complete list of the unfit stock to the insurance company who will process your claim. TOP
How can I find out about Food Premises Inspections that have taken place in Stafford?
You can find out about Food Premise Inspections that have taken place since the 1st April 2007 by visiting the RateMyPlace website.
Ratemyplace is a partnership between Staffordshire local authorities to publish details of food safety inspections across the county.
The system is based on a star rating, which is calculated by taking into account how hygienic the premises are, whether they take into account recognised food hygiene practices and how much confidence the inspector has in the management to keep their premises up to standard.
Ratemyplace also aims to be a useful resource for food businesses, giving useful information about the location of the premises, what type of food it serves as well as giving you a map and driving directions to the business.
If you run a food premises, and are not happy with the rating you have been given, you have the right to reply. Simply search for your business and click on the 'Right to reply' button. Your comments may also be published on the site.
You can also download the ratemyplace policy document which gives more details, together with some background information about the scheme.