Did you know that over 65% of all food businesses in Hammersmith & Fulham have a '5' rating?
Ratings can be checked by your customers on the Food Hygiene Ratings website. Customers expect a '5' rating so this will help your business succeed.
Once you register as a food business, your area environmental health officer (EHO) will be able to offer you food safety and health and safety advice by telephone and email.
We can also carry out pre-inspection visits and provide detailed bespoke compliance advice.
We are aware that some businesses would benefit from this support, so we are now offering the following paid-for services.
Pre-inspection advice, onsite visit and written report
This service aims to provide you with comprehensive bespoke advice in food hygiene (including allergen information) and health and safety in the food premises.
The support can be tailored through discussion with your EHO but would normally comprise 3 areas.
A. Food safety pre-inspection documentation preparation and review
- Reviewing of plans to ensure adequate facilities have been included
- Advising on a suitable Food Safety Management System and reviewing this once drawn up
- Supporting you in drawing up monitoring methods for your critical controls
- Advising on how your business should comply with food safety training requirements (see details of training options below)
- Reviewing other documentation such as temperature monitoring, pest control management, allergen charts
B. Health and safety advice and assistance
We can outline your health and safety duties together with providing information and guidance on how to comply with the law.
This includes general health and safety duties which apply to all businesses, such as how to:
- create a health and safety policy
- risk assess your business activities
- make your workplace safe
- ensure work equipment is safe and work tasks are carried out safely
- ensure the chemicals you use for your business are used and stored correctly
- provide adequate welfare facilities
- ensure you are giving information, supervision and training as necessary for your employee's health and safety.
Currently, we do not provide formal health and safety training.
C. Onsite visit and written report
One onsite visit is included, carried out by one of our practicing EHOs. You may want to use this at an early stage while the premises is under construction to review layout and facilities. Alternatively, you may choose to use this visit as a mock EHO inspection just prior to, or on opening.
Following the onsite visit you will be provided with a written report that, based on what was observed at the visit, describes the actions that need to be taken to achieve a '5' rating at the actual inspection.
Cost
The cost for this service is £324.40.
What is not included in this service
While officers can direct you to general advice on other safety concerns and council services, the pre-inspection advice service is limited to food safety and health and safety.
Topics that we cannot offer bespoke support on include:
- fire safety
- food product labelling (other than for foods that are pre-packed for direct sale)
- planning control
- street trading permits
- alcohol licenses
- formal health and safety training courses.
How will this service help me?
This can save you time and money by having tailored professional advice for your business. The advice is tailored to your business meaning you don't have to over spend on compliance, such as buying equipment you don't need or documented systems that are not right for your business.
It also enhances your chance of achieving a good hygiene rating that you can use in your marketing, and give you a competitive edge.
Be confident that what you are doing is right.
What don't you offer?
We are unable to offer labelling or health and safety advice, but we can signpost you to where information and advice can be found.
What are you waiting for, apply now!
To request this service:
- call us on 020 8753 1081
- email us at foodandsafety@lbhf.gov.uk
- fill in the food safety start-up advice form (DOCX, 35.6KB) and email it to us
Once a completed application form and payment has been received a food safety officer will contact you within 5 working days to make an appointment.