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The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 will apply to the music and entertainment sectors from 6 April 2008.
The legislation introduces new requirements for action to be taken by employers. They must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones is now 85 decibels (daily or weekly average exposure) and the level at which employers must assess the risk to workers' health and provide them with information and training is now 80 decibels. There is also an exposure limit value of 87 decibels, taking account of any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection, above which workers must not be exposed.
More information can be obtained from the HSE web site at
http://www.hse.gov.uk/noise/regulations.htm
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has a number of web pages devoted to providing advice to migrant workers, including health and safety at workplaces. A publication, "Working in the UK: Your Rights” can be accessed in English at http://www.tuc.org.uk/tuc/workingintheuk.pdf while pages in other languages (Czech, Estonian, French. Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Slovak. and Spanish can be found at http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/index.cfm?mins=288.
A Migrant Workers Website is now live on the HSE web site at http://www.hse.gov.uk/migrantworkers/index.htm under the title 'working in GB from overseas- guidance for employers and workers.'
The webpages have been developed to help migrant workers understand their rights and responsibilities. They also explain what employers need to do to manage the health and safety of this group of workers.
The pages for workers have been translated into several languages, and are also available in English. Advice, guidance and sources of further information and help are accessible through page navigation and links to other relevant Government and non-Governmental agencies.
These pages aim to help protect vulnerable workers by capturing in one place the increasing amount of key guidance and essential information available. They can also be used as a portal to other sources of information via web links to partner organisations and stakeholders.
The national Food Standards Agency is currently consulting on its proposals for a 'scores on the doors' scheme which will translate the necessarily technical 'risk rating score' assigned to a business by food inspectors into a consumer friendly scoring system. Some local authorites have piloted either 'home grown' or commercially provided scoring systems, often with a star award system to give residents, consumers and food business operators information on standards and a means of comparison between food outlets. The outcome of the consultation by the FSA is expected in mid-springtime after which many local authorities, including Gedling Borough Council will be implementing a 'scores on the doors' system.
Our downloads page has copies of the current Enforcement Policy Statement (Enforcement Concordat) used by our Section and the Environmental Protection and Maintenance Section Private Housing services together with our Food and Health & Safety Documents. These contain the policies and procedures to be followed when dealing with a wide variety of food hygiene and occupational health, welfare and safety matters. We also have annual service delivery plans which you may wish to comment upon and have ideas for new work in the 2008-9 period. We are also amending our policies and procedures in line with the expectations of the Regulatory Compliance Code stemming from the Hampton Report. While much of the work of the service is regulated at a national level we would be pleased to receive any contributions that you may have to consider incorporating in future documentation. Our contact details can be found further down the page.
Unfortunately some of the ice used to add to drinks in pubs, clubs and restaurants can become contaminated if the ice making machines and insulated containers are not kept clean or by poor handling practices allowing bacteria from the skin or dirty utensils onto the ice. Premises service ice in drinks are being reminded about the hygienic production and handling of ice and an ice information leaflet has been produced which can be downloaded from our downloads page.
The Section has the responsibility for a very wide range of environmental health functions including:
The inspection of a range of food businesses including nursing homes; restaurants; school kitchens; takeaway premises, grocers and mobile traders. Some premises that are normally closed during the day are inspected during the evening. During 2007-2008 officers in the Section undertook 397 local food inspections that were due for inspection. A significant number of insections to food businesses last year involved introducing the Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) catering and retails packs to businesses. 73 SFBB inspections were undertaken and an additional 170 revisits made to local premsies to check on progres. More details about SFBB can be found on our Safer Food Better Business web page.During 2008-2009 more businesses will receive SFBB insections and revisits and we hope to help all local ethnic run takeaways and restaurants acheive compliance with the SFBB system with a series of coaching events across the Borough.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has updated the popular guide for new food businesses, “Starting up – Your first steps to running a catering business” and which now reflects the food hygiene regulations introduced in January 2006.
The booklet is aimed at people who are setting up a restaurant, café, or other catering business, whether they are taking over a business that already exists, or starting a new one. It includes details on registering food premises, licences that may be required, and regulations on premises, equipment, staff, transport and other areas.
It also contains a section on good food hygiene that explains the 4 Cs (Cleaning, Cooking, Chilling and Cross-contamination), personal hygiene, illness and storing food. In addition to food safety information, the booklet also gives some details on other issues that are relevant to new catering businesses, such as being self-employed, charging VAT and paying employees. It gives contact information for other organisations and Government departments that may be helpful.
The colourful new booklet is now A5-size rather than A4. Copies can be ordered from Food Standards Agency Publications by calling 0845 606 0667, or emailing them at foodstandards@ecgroup.uk.com or downloaded from the FSA website.
The FSA has produced several food hygiene publications in a number of minority languages and which are available from their website at http://www.food.gov.uk/aboutus/publications/pubsminority/
In July 2000, the European Commission published a package of five measures to update and consolidate the seventeen existing food hygiene directives. The package was intended to introduce consistency and clarity throughout the food production chain from 'farm to fork'.
After nearly four years of negotiations the texts were adopted in the European Union last year and five new consolidated European Regulations took full effect on the 1st of January 2006. The Food Standards Agency has recently issued details on the new legislation for local authorities while continuing to widely consult on national guidance.
The overarching high-level requirements for all Member States are contained in Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004. This document contains the basic controls and infrastructure that all Members States must have in place to provide for effective inspection, laboratories and food sampling. In this country the Food Standards Agency (FSA) must ensure that comprehensive official controls are in place for food. You can download details of these regulations here. (pdf file size 72KB)
Places of work are also inspected to check for compliance with health, safety and welfare legislation which affects not only businesses with employees but also self employed persons and also covers responsibilities to the general public entering places of work. The list of businesses included for inspection takes in offices, shops, warehouses and some workshops. The Health and Safety Executive inspect other businesses such as council offices, factories, schools and industrial buildings. In 2007-2008 the Section undertook 270 topic based intereventions at businesses.
The responsibility for enforcing health, safety and welfare requirements in businesses is nationally split between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities. Local councils have responsibility for lower risk businesses including offices, shops,and warehouses.The HSE has responsibility at higher risk businesses including those involved with manufacturing at building sites and work carried out in domestic premises. The local HSE office is based in Nottingham and can be contacted by telephone on 0115 9712800.
The Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service have provided a number of web pages giving fire safety advice to businesses. Please visit their main page www.notts-fire.gov.uk and search under 'protect your workplace for further details.
Officers in the Section carry out investigations on the more serious accidents reported to the Authority under the national reporting arrangements (RIDDOR- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995). Other less serious events may have preliminary enquiries made of the circumstances by officers. Most accidents are reported through a national electronic reporting system operated by the HSE though some employers still report accidents by post directly to their local authority. Staff involved in any accident (whether requiring reporting under RIDDOR or not) have the responsibility to ensure that the incident is recorded in the accident book (BI 510) kept by the business for Social Security purposes. During 2007-2008 65 accidents were reported to this authority for investigation, which was slightly down on the number of cases in the previous year.
Employers may report a reportable accident or dangerous occurence onto the national database from the website of the HSE-accessible from our links page.
Gedling Borough Council has produced a leaflet called, "Your guide to accident investigations" for informing persons affected by a reportable accident on what investigting officers will do and the purpose of any investigation. The leaflet can be downloaded here (pdf document 92 KB)
Despite the regular inspection of food businesses in line with national standards and visits to health & safety enforced premises each year a number of complaints relating to either food purchased in the borough, to food businesses or relating to health, safety and welfare matters are reported to the Section for investigation. In 2007-2008 we received 23 complaints about food purchased in the area and 66 complaints about local food businesses and a further 39 complaints on health, safety and welfore matters for investigation.
Consumer expectations over food hygiene are rising nationally and if you have a complaint regarding either food purchased in the area, or are concerned about a food or health and safety enforced business in the Borough please contact the Food/Health and Safety Section either by telephone or email (please see our contact details below).
Health education and promotion work is undertaken during routine inspections and visits for food and health, safety and welfare purposes with a wide range of advisory and guidance literature being available from officers. Food hygiene advice is given to persons recovering from food poisoning.
We are pleased to be able not only to promote food hygiene during inspections and visits to businesses but also through talks to local groups and by spreading the word about national and local initiatives aimed at the public and concerned businesses. One initiative from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), LACORS, and the Local Government Association (LGA) is Food Vision which aims to promote safe, sustainable and nutritious food to improve local community health and well-being. Their site at http://www.foodvision.gov.uk/ contains a wealth of information including case studies and toolkits designed to inspire those who would like to set up food initiatives.
The Food Vision site contains a number of toolkits using information provided by local authorities and web based research. They are not intended to be all encompassing but are a review of information that is available to date. In general they aim to provide a brief overview of what is involved in setting up a food project, as well as links to other useful websites and guidelines where specific areas are already covered in greater detail. The FSA hopes that in highlighting the development of these projects they will raise interest in such initiatives and that local authorities (for example those involved in providing school meals) and other organisations will proactively send them details of their own developing work to include on the Food Vision website. Currently you can obtain toolkit information on the following areas.
You can visit the Food Vision site at www.foodvision.gov.uk/ .
The Licensing Office within the Section deals with the administration of many types of licence including private hire vehicles and hackney carriage licences; for premises wishing to hold public entertainment and for theatres; for pet shops; animal breeding and boarding establishments; massage or special treatment premises and riding establishments. Caravan sites licensed in the area are inspected against their site licence conditions.The advent of the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005 has meant a rise in workload for the Licensing Office.
The registration and inspection of some skin piercing activities required by law are carried out (for tattooing, acupuncture, ear piercing and electrolysis).
Application forms and applicable guidance can be requested from our Licensing Office or downloaded from our licensing pages. The contact details for the Licensing Office can be found on our Licensing Office main page.
Visits are made to new businesses to provide information and advice and thereby help promote good standards from the start. Revisits are carried out to premises to ensure outstanding matters have been completed. Much work continues to be done locally with the business community to improve communication and the provision of advice and information. A joint Nottinghamshire local authority enforcement policy has been produced (based upon the national Enforcement Concordat principles) for use within the area.Other visits are made to investigate a health and safety concern or a reported accident to a member of staff or the general public.
If you wish to arrange a visit by an officer to discuss a matter or wish to obtain some advice please either write or telephone our Food/Health and Safety Office or contact us by email using the contact details set out below.
New businesses wishing to check on what health and safety implications there are may wish to look on our slips and trips page which has a very useful link to the interactive safe start up site at www.safestartup.org.
Reported cases of food poisoning are investigated and outbreaks of illness may involve visiting implicated food businesses. The causes of illness are discussed with patients to help determine whether an illness has been caught while abroad, through a meal cooked at home or when eating out. Advice and information are given relevant to the illness. Cases of legionnaire's disease are also investigated and water samples taken for examination from domestic premises and implicated businesses.
Persons suffering from food poisoning symptoms are advised to contact their GP for medical advice. Ill persons may also wish to ring our our Food Office to further discuss the matter with an officer in case an investigation of any implicated food premises etc. within the area is required.
The sampling of foodstuffs and water supplies are also carried out. Food samples are mostly undertaken in conjunction with the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Food Sampling Groups with 149 foodstuffs being sampled in 2007-2008. Water samples are taken from private water supplies and mains water where a consumer has specific problems. The periodic sampling of swimming pool waters is also carried out at cost for both public and private pools. During 2007-2008 172 water samples were taken.
Enquiries over sampling should be made either by telephone or email- please see our contact details below.
Copies of our food and health and safety newsletters are now available from our downloads page or can be requested by contacting us as detailed below.
Food/Health and Safety Section
Planning and Environment Department
Civic Centre
Arnot Hill Park
Arnold
Notts
NG5 6LU
0115 9013838
0115 9013843
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