ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FOOD TRADING GUIDANCE PART A: IF YOU WISH TO SELL FOOD ON THE STREET

Transcription

1 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FOOD TRADING GUIDANCE PART A: IF YOU WISH TO SELL FOOD ON THE STREET GUIDANCE PRIOR TO APPROVAL The information below is a guide to help you understand the environmental health requirements for any person wishing to sell food. 1) What is a Low and High Risk Food Stall? All proposed operations will need to be inspected by Environmental Health prior to approval. (a) Low Risk Food Stall: Low risk food stalls include operations wishing to sell pre-packaged, non-perishable foods. For example fruit, vegetables, sweets, crisps, bread etc. What is required from low risk food operators? 1. Stalls should have a suitable overhead canopy with side panels and be made of suitable rain-proof material. 2. Provision should be made to store food off the ground (approximately 18 inches). 3. Provision for hand washing facilities (minimum of cold water, soap and basin). Please note that if all food items are wrapped / packaged, then no hand washing facilities are required. Details of the above and a general description of what you are intending to provide should be provided with the application. (b) High Risk Food Stall High risk food stalls include operations wishing to sell perishable foods or carry out food preparation on site. For example seafood, hot food (such as hot-dogs, burgers, chips), ice-cream, fresh juice/smoothies, coffee etc. What is required from high risk food operators? 1. Stalls should have surfaces (such as floors, walls, ceilings and counters) constructed of suitable materials and be able to be kept in a clean hygienic condition. 2. Copies of your and/or your staff members food hygiene training certificate(s). Page 1

2 3. Details of how you intend to store the food (including how you will control temperature) and if there will be any food preparation on the site or in your house. 4. Provision of dedicated hand wash facilities (cold and hot water, soap and basin). 5. Provision of a prep sink with hot and cold water, if any food preparation is carried out on site. 6. Details of how electricity is going to be provided for the running of refrigerators etc. 7. Provision of suitable and sufficient lighting and ventilation. 8. Provision of a dedicated refuse store and details of how the refuse will be disposed of. 9. Provision of protective clothing. 10. Provision of a first aid box. 11. Fire safety equipment (e.g. extinguishers/fire blankets, dependant on the operation). Details of the above and a general description of what you are intending to provide should be provided with the application. 2) Food Business Registration Registration of a premises used for a food business (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures) is required by law. Registration is required with the local authority where you store your stall or vehicle overnight. If you store, prepare, distribute or sell food you must register your food premises within at least 28 days before opening. If you are preparing food from your house, your house will need to be registered as a food premises in the borough in which you live. Your local authority should be contacted for further information. Registration is free and if you are registering in Westminster you can either apply online or download a registration form from the following website address or by contacting the Food Team: Food Team Premises Management 5th Floor, Westminster City Hall 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP phone: fax: foodsafety@westminster.gov.uk Page 2

3 3) Food Hygiene Training If you are intending to sell high risk food items, you will need to demonstrate that you have knowledge of good food hygiene practices. In most cases this will require attendance at a Level 2 award in Food Safety training course. If you have already attended a training course, please provide copies of your food hygiene training certificate with your application. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health will be able to provide you with details of training centres that run Food Hygiene courses. They can also provide details of trainers who run courses in languages other than English. Contact details: phone: website: info@cieh.org Westminster City Council offer accredited courses by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), for further information, please go visit: For further information relating to environmental health requirements for street traders, please contact via Environmental Health Consultation Team Westminster City Council 4 th Floor, City Hall 64 Victoria Street London, SW1E 6QP ehconsultationteam@westminster.gov.uk 4) Planning Restrictions If you are intending to prepare or store food at your house, it is advisable to check your house deed. Some deeds have covenants preventing the use of the house for any commercial use. Additionally, you may need planning permission to store a vehicle used for transporting a food stall or for the food stall itself. The local authority in which you live should be contacted for further information. 5) Public Liability Insurance You are required to hold valid public liability insurance for your operation and a copy of this document should be held on your stall. Page 3

4 PART B: IF YOU WISH TO SELL FOOD ON THE STREET GUIDANCE PRIOR TO TRADING 1) LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) If LPG is to be used on the stall, a Gas Safety Certificate will have to be provided. The certificate should be obtained from a Gas Safe registered engineer. Fixed piping such as copper or steel should be used where practicable. Flexible hoses should be kept to a minimum. Screw driven fastenings for gas pipes must be avoided as these can be over tightened and damage the hosing.crimp fastenings should be used instead. Cylinders should be fitted with pressure relief valves and an emergency shut off valve. Cylinders must be stored upright so that they cannot fall over and stored away from any ignition source or flame. Cylinders should be stored away from risks of tampering by unauthorised personnel. Cylinders should be located away from entrances/exits and circulation areas. Cylinder valves and gas appliances must be turned off when not in use. Appliances should be fixed securely on a firm non combustible heat insulating base and surrounded by shields of similar material on three sides. Combustible material should be kept way from the appliance. Permanent ventilation must be provided to areas using these gas appliances. All gas appliances must be installed and regularly serviced/maintained by a competent person. The food business operator must be familiar with operating the appliance and have plans on how to deal with problems such as leaks or a fire break out. All gas appliances must be fitted with a flame failure device and adequately ventilated. 2) Electricity If electricity is available, traders are only permitted to use the electricity supply for appropriate uses which are, in the reasonable opinion of the Environmental Health Officer (EHO), essential for the operation of their business. Page 4

5 Traders may only use electrical equipment that it is in good condition, weatherproof and suitable for outside use. All electrical equipment must have a valid up to date Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate which must be available for an EHO to view upon request. Connections to the electricity supply must be made by a suitably competent person (using robust, moisture and tamper proof connections which are suitable for outside use). Suitable and sufficient earth-leakage protection must be installed and maintained as part of the fixed wiring installation. Traders must ensure that trailing cables do not present trip hazards or any other hazard and are suitably protected and at a safe height. Traders must not make any alterations or additions to the electrical wiring and fittings of the stall. Generators need good ventilation and must be stored safely and away from combustible materials. Petrol generators are not permitted, they must be diesel operated with minimum noise and smoke emissions. 3) Fire safety All combustible materials that could promote fire spread need to be identified and stored away from any ignition source. Structures/marquees, coverings, curtains and drapes should be certificated as flame retardant or adequately treated with a flame retardant. Appropriate fire extinguishers must be provided and checked every 12 months. The following is required: Stalls cooking food - 4kg dry powder or four litres of foam. If deep fat frying is taking place, it is recommended that you fit a flame failure device and also a suitable fire blanket. Stalls with generators/electrical equipment 4kg dry powder or Carbon Dioxide CO2. Stalls not cooking food 4.5 litres of water. Ventilation and heating systems should be sufficient, designed and installed by competent persons. 4) Structure and construction of stalls The structure must be fully covered to top and sides including any food preparation/equipment/food storage areas. This must include all extensions to food preparation/storage/wash up areas to protect food and catering equipment from contamination. Page 5

6 Surfaces must be easily kept clean and free from condensation and mould growth. 5) Sinks All stalls must have suitable facilities for washing utensils, equipment and food. Washing up bowls or plastic crates are not deemed adequate for catering that is frequent or lasts several days. In ideal circumstances a double sink unit for washing and rinsing should be used with a supply of hot and cold water. A large hot water boiler should be provided specifically for this purpose, sited in a level and stable position. The sinks must be of sufficient size to accommodate the food equipment in use. Sinks must drain hygienically to a waste water container such as a sink waste pipe into a waste water carrier. 6) Hand washing facilities Where open high-risk food is handled there must be sufficient hand washing facilities. These must include a basin or sink with a supply of hot and cold water. Thermos flasks of hot water are NOT acceptable as they do not hold enough water. Alcohol based hand gel/sanitizer may be used by food business operators to supplement the use of other means of hand wash facilities. Hot water may be supplied from an urn that has a constant supply of hot water but NOT from a kettle where hot water is not necessarily immediately available. 7) Barbeques Barbeques (BBQ) and spit roast must be sited to the rear or side of the stand on stable ground, with barriers to protect the public from burns and flame. The BBQ must be sited away from any flammable material. A fire risk assessment is essential. Weather protection is required for foods awaiting cooking/service. Any proposed use of charcoal will have to be assessed by Environmental Health in order to ensure that odour or smoke nuisance does not occur. 8) Storage, display, service and transport of food To avoid possible contamination, food must not be placed directly onto the floor (all unwrapped food needs to be stored off the ground by at least 45cm). Effective temperature control is one of the most important safeguards in protecting food safety. High risk food must be transported, stored and displayed at a temperature of 8C or a lower more critical temperature as required (some labels may recommend between 1 to 5C). All catering areas should have sufficient refrigerated storage space for high risk food items. Foods may be displayed unrefrigerated for a one off period of four hours. Page 6

7 Hot food on display must be kept above 63C if it is hot held for more than two hours. Suitable thermometers with probes should be available. If food is to be displayed at less than 63C it must be for no more than two hours. The burden of proof is on the food business operator to show the time has not been exceeded. Temperature checks are imperative particularly in view of possible significant interruptions to power supplies and the increased risk of airborne contaminants. Page 7