Martin Elvery of Get West London reports that rat droppings hanging from the ceilings of rooms where fruit and vegetables were stored, products being repackaged and sold after being gnawed by mice and a cement mixer allegedly being used to mix marinated chicken are just some of the horrors Ealing’s food safety officers have uncovered over the past year.The council carries out thorough, regular checks of all premises serving and selling food in the borough which are categorised for their level of risk on a sliding scale of A to E.Whilst the vast majority – 82% this year – complied fully with food standards, they have had to take swift action to deal with a few. A report summarising them was presented to the council’s general purpose committee on Tuesday, June 26.When officers visited food store rooms used to keep fruit and vegetables based at a store in The Green, in Southall, they were found to be riddled with rat droppings.The report states rat and mouse droppings were found throughout at wall and floor junctions, and on high level shelving. They were also found hanging from the ceiling and on the door leading to the rear store room.
UK Businesses urged to get ahead of new BRC 8 Food Safety Standard
With food safety practices increasingly under the limelight, Bureau Veritas is urging businesses to act now in order to comply with the new BRC Food Standard Issue 8, a revised auditing framework set to redefine product safety in the food sector.
Published in August 2018, the BRC Food Issue 8 has been introduced in order to create a standardised approach to food safety for food supply chains across the world. As such, it features a number of significant changes in relation to providing greater clarity on pet food practices, expanding the requirements of environmental monitoring and stepping up monitoring of high risk production risk zones – all designed to ensure global applicability and bench-marking to the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
After a transition phase of six months, the standard will replace the current Issue 7, with assessments against the new version of the standard set to commence from 1 February 2019.
It comes amid a rising spate of food safety breaches after the Food Standards Agency admitted that the past year has seen the regulator face the most significant international and domestic food incidents since 2013, namely referring to Fipronil imported eggs and non-compliance at several meat cutting plants across the UK1.
Joy Franks, Food Market Director – Europe Operating Group for Bureau Veritas, said: “Although food safety is at the top of the agenda for many businesses in the food manufacturing, processing and packing industry, there are still more than 2,000 foods, feed and environmental contamination incidents in the UK each year, raising concerns about possible threats to the safety, quality or integrity of food and feed, as well as actual and confirmed threats.
“As an industry, we have a huge job to do in placing greater emphasis on improving food safety culture; which the BRC Food Issue 8 will hopefully address with its clear focus on simplifying and creating a robust framework for assessing and tackling emerging issues raised by stakeholders and suppliers alike.”
According to Bureau Veritas, one of the main issues facing the industry is the persistent high level of product recalls, which is often down to the incorrect labelling of products, either due to incorrect information printed on labels or a wrong label stuck on the product. To combat this, the revised standard has added a new clause that states businesses must adequately train all their staff, including agency, temporary and contractors, on the correct labelling and packing of products.
What’s more, for the first time ever, the food safety standard compels a site’s senior management to define and maintain a ‘clear plan for the development and continuing improvement of a food safety and quality culture’.
Joy adds: “Whilst the introduction of BRC Issue 8 is a welcome step forward in raising safety standards in the UK industry in-line with the evolving challenges of the global food market, for many these new auditing requirements will no doubt be hard to decipher and potentially confusing to put into practice. That’s why, for businesses keen to ensure a smooth transition to compliance, our advice is clear – act now to get to grips with the revised standard as soon as possible.”
Building work went ahead without asbestos check by UK company
A UK property management company has been fined £15k for failing to undertake an asbestos survey prior to undertaking extensive refurbishment works.
Between April and May 2017, Thistlemoor Healthcare and Management Ltd undertook construction work at two properties, one of which was part of a medical centre in Peterborough. In this time, the company failed to carry out an asbestos survey for either property, both of which were likely to contain asbestos.
The HSE’s investigation found the company undertook and carried out construction which was likely to disturb asbestos containing materials during the strip out and part demolition of the two properties. Despite this, the company failed in its duty to carry out an asbestos survey for either property.
Tesco fined after employee fractured pelvis
Thistlemoor Healthcare and Management Ltd of Thistlemoor Road, Peterborough pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was fined £15,000 with costs of £1,805.60.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Samantha Wells said: “The risk of exposure to asbestos could so easily have been avoided if the company had carried out a suitable and sufficient asbestos assessment to identify the presence of asbestos within properties prior to commencing refurbishment work.
“Companies should be aware HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
Foodborne Outbreak in the UK & Europe
Listeria monocytogenes: update on foodborne outbreak
The Food Standards Agency has issued the following information on the current food poisoning outbreak caused by frozen sweetcorn and other frozen vegetables
Frozen corn and possibly other frozen vegetables are the likely source of an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in the UK and across Europe.
It is essential that defrosted frozen sweetcorn or vegetables are not eaten without cooking (ie. do not add to salads or sandwiches unless cooked first).
As of June 2018, 47 cases including nine deaths have been reported.
Frozen sweetcorn is the likely source of an ongoing outbreak of listeriosis affecting five European countries including the United Kingdom.
Listeriosis is a rare but serious foodborne illness caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes that can be more serious for those individuals who have weakened immune systems and also the elderly, pregnant women and infants.
The Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland, Public Health England and Health Protection Scotland are reminding people that most frozen vegetables, including sweetcorn, need to be cooked before eating. This includes if adding them to salads, smoothies or dips.
How clean are your employees hands?
Cleanliness is next to ……….. food poisoning? How clean are your team’s hands?
How hot is your kitchen this week? Very, I hear you shout. Unfortunately, bacteria loves this level of heat. It is the perfect heat for multiplication of bacteria so it is essential to keep all your chopping boards, knives, work surfaces and hands scrupulously clean.
The most common cause of food poisoning illness is from human bacteria (ie. your staff). So check that your whole team adheres to the following hand washing procedure:–
Wash hands with antibacterial handwash soap and use hot water. Wash hands thoroughly including the palms and between the fingers. Use blue roll or handtowels to dry hands.
Wash hands –
- After a toilet break
- After sneezing, coughing
- After touching hair
- After handling raw foods
- After changing any task within the kitchen
- Before handling food
- After taking in deliveries.
UK company stack shelves with mice eaten food
Staff at UK food place put food gnawed by mice back on shelves
Managing Safety, Health and Welfare in Schools
Who is responsible for managing safety, health and welfare in schools?
The board of management is responsible for managing safety, health and welfare of students. All of the members of staff in the school including teachers;
- Special needs assistants
- Ancillary staff
- Students
- Parents and visitors
They all have a role to play in securing their own safety and welfare. Everyone has a part to play.
How does the Board of Management begin the process of managing safety, health and welfare more effectively? By using the guidelines set out by the Health Safety Authority.
The Board of Management might consider taking the following steps
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- Decide who will lead the process on behalf of the Board. This could be the principle or the deputy principal, or an employee or member of the Board appointed to act as a Safety, Health and Welfare Officer.
- The Guidelines on Managing Safety, Health and Welfare in primary Schools (The Guidelines). This is both a guidance document and a toolkit to assist schools in managing safety, health and welfare.
- This resource is a guide to help school plan, organise and manage a safe and healthy school environment for staff, students and visitors.
- All of the members of the school community have responsibilities for their own safety, health and welfare and that of others. The school is charged with informing staff, students and visitors of these responsibilities.
These guidelines do not place any additional responsibilities on schools that are not already in legislation or part of the school’s common lay duty of care.
Bullying at work- health and safety issue
Bullying at work is a health and safety issue
Employers have a duty of care to protect their employees both mentally and physically in the workplace. This is a workplace and human relations issue and needs to be treated very seriously. It has been identified as dangerous and can lead to health and safety problems.
Bullying in the workplace can be described differently in various forms. The Health and Safety Authority describes it the following:”repeated inappropriate behaviour, direct or indirect, whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others, at the place of work and/or in the course of employment, which could reasonably be regarded as undermining the individual‘s right to dignity at work.”
Here are some examples of the types of bullying that happen in the workplace
- Purposely undermining someone
- Targeting someone for special negative treatment
- Manipulation of an individual‘s reputation
- Social exclusion or isolation
- Intimidation
- Aggressive or obscene language
- Jokes that are obviously offensive to one individual by spoken word or email
- Intrusion by pestering, spying and stalking
- Unreasonable assignments to duties which are obviously unfavourable to one individual
- Repeated requests with impossible deadline or impossible tasks
Employers need to be vigilant and know that individuals who are accused of bullying have employment rights too. They have to follow the correct procedure.
Bully Culture
Where a bullying culture has been identified, (through a number of complaints being received, for instance) employers must take reasonable measures to prevent incidents of bullying occurring (through awareness raising and training as well as reacting speedily to resolve issues early/progress investigations and/or initiate control measures). When and if they bullying occurs, employers should prevent the risk of injury to the health of employees worsening by providing and implementing support and assistance throughout the process, and reviewing and monitoring the environment afterwards, as far as is reasonable..
Managers and supervisors have a particular responsibility to promote dignity in the workplace for all. They should be alert to the possibility of bullying behaviour and be familiar with the policies and procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying. Their behaviour may be modelled by others, as it may be considered acceptable. That’s why managers, supervisors and those in authority should be aware of their own behaviour at work and not engage in improper conduct in any form.
If you are being bullied in the work or want to talk to a someone confidentially, contact us and we can give you help and support advice.
Mental Health & Well Being in the Workplace
We know how much time is spent working with our colleagues in the same environment. So it is very important that we have a safe and healthy with Mental Health and overall wellbeing in the workplace. A place that we feel comfortable and able to communicate in a safe manner. A place where we are not afraid to speak openly. Where we feel valued, satisfied and respected in our jobs. This is the kind of place where we will be more productive and committed. Everybody needs and safe workplace.
Violence and Bullying
This occurs in the workplace in many different forms and can result in devastating outcomes for the person who is getting bullied. This can be a much broader problem consisting of many acts of threatening, abusing, assaulting, intimidation, degrading, or humiliating a person in the workplace.
There are different types of bullying and ways in which to do it and some of them include the internet harassment and cyberbullying and negative interaction. Click this link to find out what your citizens rights are.
Some forms of bullying
- Spreading malicious rumours, gossip or innuendos.
- Excluding or isolating someone socially.
- Intimidating a person.
- Undermining or deliberately impeding a person’s work.
- Physically abusing or threatening abuse.
- Making jokes that are obviously offensive by spoken word or email.
- Tampering with a persons belongings or equipment.
If you feel that you are getting bullied in the workplace don’t suffer in silence and speak to a friend or colleague.
Joining the Dots – Child Friendly Healthcare in Hospitals
Joining the Dots Survey Results
The Children’s Hospital Group Board and the Ombudsman for Children’s Office are pleased to launch the results of the survey Joining the Dots: Connecting voices for child-friendly healthcare in hospital.
Joining the Dots has been an exciting opportunity to hear, for the first time, from children and young people receiving care and treatment in the three hospitals about what they feel is working well and where there is room for improvement.
Joining the Dots is a joint initiative by the Children’s Hospital Group Board and the Ombudsman for Children’s Office with the three children’s hospitals – Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Temple Street Children’s University Hospital and the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital – to hear the views of children, young people, parents/guardians and hospital staff on the delivery of services to children and young people in hospital.
This joint initiative sought participants’ views on a range of issues that relate to children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and different rights that children have in healthcare settings, including hospitals.
Survey
The results of the surveys completed by children, young people, parents/guardians and hospital staff will help the children’s hospitals to identify what changes could give children and young people a better experience of being in hospital. The survey results will also support ongoing work to plan and design paediatric services for the new children’s hospital and two paediatric outpatients and urgent care centres at Connolly and Tallaght Hospitals.
The Joining the Dots survey took place in the Emergency Departments, Inpatient Departments and Outpatient Departments of the three children’s hospitals between July and August 2017. In total, the participants were;
- 2,530 children (aged 6-11 years)
- Young people (aged 12-17 years)
- Parents/guardians
- Hospital staff and management
The surveys were distributed by staff in each of the three children’s hospitals and by Children in Hospital Ireland volunteers.
Results
Welcoming the publication of the results, the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon said: “Joining the Dots is an innovative initiative because it is the first time in Ireland that children and young people have been asked for their views as service users on a wide range of issues relating to their rights in hospital settings.”
Dr Muldoon continued;
“The results of the Joining the Dots survey provide a welcome indicator of the quality of acute paediatric healthcare services in Dublin: we now have a much clearer picture of what is working well and where there is room for improvement. Joining the Dots is a child-centred quality assurance tool and I warmly welcome that the Children’s Hospital Group is working with the HSE to examine the feasibility of implementing this initiative in acute paediatric services outside Dublin.”
Commenting on the results of this first survey of acute healthcare services for children Eilísh Hardiman, Chief Executive, Children’s Hospital Group said;
“We wish to thank all who made this survey possible, with a very special thank you to those who provided their invaluable insights into our health services. This feedback will become the backbone on which we will shape our design for acute paediatric services delivery.”
The CEOs, Directors of Nursing and clinical staff from the three children’s hospitals also welcomed the results of this initiative and said;
“We would like to acknowledge how important these results are to all our staff and services. We will work hard to identify and implement the vital improvements that are in our capability to achieve. Thank you to everyone who made this feedback possible.”
Issues being sought
The wide range of issues we sought participants’ views on were grouped under 8 sections:
- Getting good quality care
- Being treated equally and fairly
- Rest, play, leisure and learning
- Information and participation
- Safety and environment
- Protection
- Pain management
- Final comments
The results of the questionnaires highlight a range of good practices as well as signposting areas for potential improvement.
Over 3,000 comments were made by children, young people and parents/guardians. 65% of the comments were positive and 35% of the comments suggested areas where improvements could be made.
Eight out of ten of the positive comments were about the care delivered by hospital staff to children and young people.
Among the issues raised in comments about room for improvement were: waiting times for treatments and procedures (26%), building infrastructure (16%), parking (14%) and food (9%).
The Children’s Hospital Group is working with the HSE to explore the feasibility of rolling out this initiative in acute paediatric healthcare services across Ireland. It has also established a Quality and Patient Safety Group which will take responsibility for the development of a quality improvement action plan based on the areas for improvement identified by the survey results.