Health & Law

HEALTH & THE LAW

The following major pieces of legislation affect businesses in the United Kingdom whether they handle food or not:

            Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949;

            Health & Safety at Work Act 1974;

            The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970;

            Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988;

            The Food Safety Act 1990;

            The EEC Food Hygiene Directive 1993.

ENFORCEMENT

The above legislation is enforced by the Environmental Health Departments of Local Authorities and the Health & Safety Executive who can invoke penalties including:

            Fines up to £20,000 per offence;

            Unlimited fines in Crown Courts;

            6 months to 2 years imprisonment;

            Closure of premises;

            2 years disqualification from catering.

FOOD BUSINESSES

All the above legislation applies to food or food related businesses, which are required to ensure that:

            Food rooms must be free from infestation;

            Preventative measures must be taken to ensure that food is not contaminated.

For example:

            Fly screens;

            Removal of waste & rubbish;

            Pest Control.

NON-FOOD BUSINESSES

Pests can cause a hazard to the health, safety and welfare of your staff or to visitors (Health & Safety at Work (etc.) Act 1994).

For example:

            Risk of fire from rodents chewing power cables;

            Risk of disease from bacteria, etc., carried by rodents and insects;

            Risk of bites from fleas, etc.;

            Risk of accidents caused by bird droppings.

Employers are required under COSHH Regulations to assess and define the above types of risk and take reasonable measures to minimise them this is referred to as “due diligence".

IMPORTANT

Redbridge Environmental Solutions must comply with stringent EC and UK legislation centred around the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations whilst storing and using poisonous chemicals.

RES are obliged to train and re-train our staff frequently and always employ fully qualified technicians