Inspections of Food Premises
Food hygiene inspections are carried out to ensure that food
sold in hotels, public houses, restaurants, shops and on the
streets is safe to eat. To achieve this all food premises are
inspected on a regular basis. The length of time between visits is
determined by carrying out a risk assessment of the premises and
then categorising it according to Food Law Code of Practice. Those
premises posing the greatest risk to the public are inspected most
frequently.
Category Inspection Frequency
A at
least every 6 months
B at
least every 12 months
C at
least every 18 months
D
at least every 2 years
E
at least every 3 years
The criteria used to arrive at these categories are based upon
the following principles:
The Potential Hazard of the Premises
The type of food handling
The method of processing
The number of consumers at risk
The number of high risk consumers catered for (Elderly, under 5s,
sick)
The Operational Compliance of the Premises
Food Safety and Hygiene
This category aims to determine whether there are safe, hygienic
practices and procedures in place, whether staff are fully trained
and that a food hazard analysis has been carried out.
The Structure and Facilities of the
Premises
This section aims to determine the structural standards of the
premises and whether all the necessary facilities are provided.
(E.g. wash hand basins, sinks, ventilation etc.)
Confidence in Management/Control
Systems
This section assesses whether the management
and the hygiene systems of the premises are sufficient to control
any risk to health of consumers.
Significance of Risk
This section deals
only with the risk of contamination by E. coli 0157, Clostridium
botulinum and other dangerous food poisoning bacteria.
Scoring
Each of these sections is scored
and the final total determines the premises category and thus the
frequency of re-inspection.
If a premises represents a very significant risk resulting from
a failure to meet the required standards, then it is designated a
Category A premises and will be re-assessed within six months (all
significant risks would be dealt with immediately using the powers
outlined in our enforcement policy).
The vast majority of pubs and restaurants throughout the Vale of
Glamorgan would fall within category C.