Hand Washing in Food Handling Industries

Hand washing is one of the most important hygiene requirements expected of the employees working in the food handling industries. The food business operator must ensure that all employed staff are trained in good hygiene practices and that they behave in a manner that will not contaminate food.

The human body is an excellent home for bacteria. Humans carry a number of potential food poisoning bacteria on and in our body. It is very important that food handlers have a very high standard of personal hygiene to prevent contamination.

 

Why do Food Handlers Need to Wash Their Hands

Bacteria on the hands have an ideal environment for growth and spreading. They have food, moisture and an ideal temperature of around 37°C; all ideal factors for bacterial growth. The role of hands in transferring pathogens to high-risk food is one of major causes of outbreaks’ of food poisoning not only in Ireland, but worldwide. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre publication ‘Preventing Foodborne Disease: A Focus on the Infected Food Handler’ provides a very insightfully report on preventing foodborne diseases with a focus on the infected food handler.

Hand washing is a crucial step in preventing food contamination by food handlers. By using proper hand washing techniques and as often as possible, harmful bacteria present on the hands of food workers are removed. Some examples of harmful bacteria are E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus and viruses (e.g. norovirus) .

 

When do Food Handlers Need to Wash Their Hands

All food handling staff must wash their hands including forearms when exposed with a non-perfumed soap and:

• As frequently as necessary.
• Before starting work.
• Before handling cooked or ready to eat food.
• After handling or preparing raw food.
• After handling waste.
• After cleaning duties.
• After using the toilet.
• After blowing nose, sneezing or coughing.
• After eating, drinking or smoking.
• After handling money.

 

How to Wash the Hands

Hands should be followed as follows:

• Wet hands under warm running water.
• Use sufficient soap to form a good lather.
• Systematically rub all parts of hands with soap and water.
• Lather for 10-15 seconds minimum vigorously and thoroughly rubbing all hand surfaces including the fingertips and thumbs.
• Rinse hands thoroughly with running water.
• Dry hands thoroughly.

The hands should be washed using designated hand wash basins only. After washing the hands must be dried using disposable paper towels. Towels are never to be shared! Alcohol and disinfectants are only effective if used on clean hands. They are not meant to be used as a method of hand disinfection – unless hands have been thoroughly washed prior using disinfectant. Taps should be turned off with either elbow or whilst holding a paper towel.

This short instructional video prepared by SafeFood demonstrates how to wash hands properly: How to wash your hands properly.

 

Use of Gloves

The use of disposable gloves is not a substitution for hand washing. In fact, gloves are a potential cause of food contamination as they can provide the ideal environment for multiplication of micro-organisms. Disposable gloves should only be worn for short periods and hands must be washed before and after use.

If gloves are however used regularly, a glove policy should be provided and all employees must be trained on how and when to put gloves on and how they should be used to prevent contamination. Clear instructions regarding the changing and disposal of damaged and contaminated gloves is a must.

 

Online Food Safety Training

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Food Safety Management System (FSMS)

A Food Safety Management System is a planned and methodical approach to controlling food safety hazards within a food business. The main purpose of FSMS is to ensure the food produced/served is safe to eat. All food businesses are legally obliged to put in place, implement and maintain FSMS based on the principles of Hazards Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).

The Food Safety Management System must be:

• Put in place permanently.
• Recorded and kept up-to-date.
• Reviewed regularly or as a result of any changes to products and procedures.

 

Terms Used in Food Safety Management Systems

To better understand FSMS procedures it is important to clarify what the terms hazard, risk and control measures mean from the food safety perspective.

Hazard

Hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. Food safety hazards can be:

• Microbial (e.g., bacteria growing to unacceptable levels).
• Physical (e.g., presence of bones in meat).
• Chemical (e.g., fly spray being used near open food).
• Allergenic (e.g., nut traces spread by a dirty cloth).

Risk

Risk measures the likelihood that a hazard will actually cause harm together with how serious the problem could be.

An undercooked chicken being served at a large wedding party is likely to make a lot of people very ill with Salmonella food poisoning and is clearly a ‘high-risk’. On the other hand, finding a slug in a bag of ready washed salad, though undesirable, is quite unlikely and most likely will not cause any real and serious harm. As such, this could be considered as ‘low-risk’.

Control Measures

Control measures are precautions that are taken to reduce the chance of a hazard occurring (to an acceptable level of risk). These measures could include making sure food is stored at the right temperature in a refrigerator, covering food to prevent physical and microbial contamination or training stuff on how to clean and disinfect a work surface. It is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity. Myelearnsafety.com, an online health and safety training platform, developed and run by experienced Health and Safety professionals offers convenient and affordable full online food safety courses.

Critical Control Point (CCP)

Critical Control Point (CCP) is a step at which control can be applied and is necessary to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or to reduce it to an acceptable level.

 

Advantages of Food Safety Management System

Following a FSMS will give confidence of compliance to the management and can help to reduce food waste. The food regulations put an obligation on all food businesses to identify any steps in their activities that are crucial to food safety.

Some of the advantages of adopting a food safety management system are that it will:

• Cover all food processing activities.
• Identify potential hazards early and not after the damage has been done.
• Highlight unsafe parts of the process that need to be controlled or changed.
• Provide records in an acceptable form, showing that preventive action has been taken.
• Focus resources on controlling risks where they are most effective.
• Give greater confidence in ensuring food product safety.
• Provide a common approach that is widely accepted and understood by all staff.
• Allow new operations to be made safe at the design stage.

Everyone in the food business needs to know about the FSMA that is in place. This will help to assist all staff in realising their role and responsibilities in limiting risks to the consumers from food related hazards.

 

Hazards Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)

HACCP is the internationally recognised food safety system that was developed by NASA in the 1960s. It is developed to ensure safe food for space flights and to prevent food poisoning of astronauts in space. Since then HACCP developed and improved based on available food scientific data and has been recognised internationally as a convenient tool to manage food safety. This system is well proven in making all aspects of food production safer and is designed to make sure food businesses can identify and deal with the hazards and risks involved in the production and handling of food.

Specifically, HACCP looks at how food is handled and introduces procedures to make sure the food produced is safe to eat. HACCP plans must be kept up-to-fate and will require reviewing on a regular basis and whenever something in the food operation changes.

 

HACCP Principles

HACCP is a systematic approach to the identification, evaluation, and control of food safety hazards. HACCP principles have seven steps that must be followed at all times:

1. Conduct a Hazard Analysis – establish what could go wrong at every stage of food processing and put in controls to make sure it does not happen. For example, bacteria harmful to health could survive if raw chicken is not cooked enough. Proper cooking will control this hazard.
2. Identify Critical Control Points (CCP) – recognise the most important points where things can go wrong. For example, thorough cooking will reduce bacteria to a safe level.
3. Set Critical Limits for each CCP – set a measurable limit that determines safe food from potentially unsafe food. For example, make sure the core cooking temperature has reached at least 75°C.
4. Set up Checks for each CCP – monitor each CCP to prevent problems occurring. For example, check the core temperature with a thermometer every time food is cooked.
5. Corrective Action – decide what to do if something goes wrong. For example, continue cooking until 75°C is reached, review staff training, etc.
6. Verification – prove that your HACCP plan is working. For example, check that control measures are being applied and corrective actions have been taken when needed.
7. Record Keeping – maintain an accurate record of all of the above. For example, complete a record form showing all the checks that have been carried out.

The success of a HACCP system depends on educating and training management and employees in the importance of their role in producing safe foods.

 

Other HACCP Based Food Safety Management Systems

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has developed the Safe Catering Pack. The Safe Catering Pack is designed for caterers as a practical, easy-to-use, food safety management system. The pack was designed for caterers but it may also be used by other food businesses. It is ideal for businesses that have not yet developed their own food safety management system, but may also be used by businesses to improve existing systems.

 

Online Food Safety Training

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Food Storage and Deliveries

Proper food storage and deliveries play an important role in ensuring that the food remains safe to eat. Existing food businesses which intend to start delivering food orders need to consider any new or different risks posed by this change in operation. They should adapt their Food Safety Management System to make sure food placed on the market remains safe to eat. Businesses that already deliver food, directly to the customer or to another business, must ensure uninterrupted safe food handling practices.

 

Food Deliveries

It is important that food is purchased from reliable suppliers. ‘Due diligence‘ demands that care be taken on purchase handover. When food is delivered, a person responsible for the receipt of the food should check:

• Quality of the food.
• Evidence of damage by pets.
• Evidence of damage due to food spoilage.
• Evidence of contamination.
• That the items are well within the date.
• refrigerated or frozen foods are at the correct temperature.

Always and without any doubt reject any food that you are not happy with and return it to the supplier! Always make sure that the transfer time after purchase of frozen or chilled foods is as short as possible, preferably in cool bags or boxes and that the food is stored in the refrigerator or freezer in the shortest possible time. Remember:

• Frozen food deliveries must be kept at –18°C or below.
• Refrigerated food deliveries must be kept between 0°C and 5°C.
• Hot food deliveries must be kept at 63°C or above.

 

Food Storage and Deliveries – Spoilage

Food is spoiled when it is unfit for human consumption. The main causes of food spoilage are usually the following:

• Microbial and enzyme activity – this can adversely change a food’s colour, taste, smell, appearance or texture, e.g. moulds and yeasts.
• Chemical contamination – food has come into contact with substances not intended for human consumption, e.g. cleaning chemicals or insect sprays.
• Physical contamination – undesirable foreign objects have contaminated food, e.g. human hair or food pests.
• When food is spoiled, always label it ‘Unable for Human Consumption‘ and store it in a designated area away from other food.

 

‘Use By’ and ‘Best Before’ Dates

Most food packages are labelled with a ‘Use By‘ or ‘Best Before‘ date. It is an offence to serve food that has exceeded its use by date. Such food should be discarded or clearly marked ‘Unfit for Human Consumption‘. ‘Best Before‘ dates are often an indication that the food will be at its premium quality if stored correctly until that date.

 

Dry Stores

Not all food must be kept refrigerated or heated. Some food can be kept in dry stores. However, many dried or dehydrated foods such as milk powder, powdered eggs, etc. will allow bacterial growth if they become moist. It is therefore essential these foods are stored in a dry place and are used immediately after preparation. All dry foods, including flour, biscuits, etc., will remain safe whilst dry.

Dry stores key points:

1. Storage areas must be well lit, clean, cool, dry and well ventilated.
2. Free-standing slatted shelves allow good ventilation and evidence of pest infestation to be seen quickly.
3. Food should be stored off the floor to allow thorough cleaning.
4. Good stock rotation will prevent build up of old stocks and will reveal evidence of pest infestation quickly.

 

Stock Rotation

All food should be stored in date order and the First In First Out (FIFO) rule followed and observed. To help with stock rotation:

• Check ‘Use By‘ and ‘Best Before‘ dates regularly.
• Put products with a shorter shelf life at the front of the shelf at the front of the shelf so they are used first.
• Clear away any out of date stock.

 

Other Food Storage and Deliveries Hazards

There are other food safety hazard points associated with food delivery and storage. Safefood lists a number of additional hazards that are associated with the food storage and deliveries. These can be read in their Food Delivery & Storage article.

 

Online Food Safety Training

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

 

Safe Food Display

To ensure safe food display (for hot or cold display), the food must be kept at the correct temperature. The hot food should be kept above 63°C and cold food should be kept below 5°C. Temperatures must be monitored frequently throughout the day. The main point of safe food display  is to keep food outside the danger zone (5°C – 63°C). Bacteria grow best in warm temperatures, approximately 25°C – 40°C.

Keeping records of these checks can form part of a Food Safety Management System and help to establish a company’s due diligence.

 

Display Units for Safe Food Display

Display units should be:

• Protected by sneeze guards to prevent contamination.
• Cleaned and sanitised after each service period.
• Replenished regularly with small quantities, preventing excess time on display and never overloaded.
• Buffet foods should be placed on display as near as possible to the service time.

 

Recommended Safe Temperatures

The following is a general guide to safe temperatures for safe food display (to include processing and storage):

• Cooking/Reheating – Minimum core temperature of 75°C must be achieved (or maintaining 70°C for 2 minutes).
• Hot Holding – Minimum core temperature of 63°C or above has to be achieved (temperatures should be checked regularly).
• Refrigerated Deliveries – Minimum core temperature of 0°C to 5°C has to be maintained.
• Refrigerating and Cold Holding – Minimum core temperature of 0°C to 5°C has to be maintained.
• Chilled Display and Cold Stores – Minimum core temperature of 0°C to 5°C has to be maintained.
• Frozen Deliveries – Minimum core temperature of -18°C should be maintained (frozen deliveries above -15°C should be rejected).
• Deep Freezing – Minimum core temperature of -18°C should be maintained.

 

Temperature Measuring Devices

To ensure the food is kept at correct temperatures, a temperature measuring device should be used. There are a number of different temperature measuring devices available for use in the food industry including handheld thermometers and inbuilt thermometers. Temperature measuring devices should be calibrated according to the manufacturer’s instructions and should be checked regularly to make sure they are working correctly.

The most common temperature measuring devise is probe thermometer. This device can accurately measure the temperature of the food. The probe can be inserted into the centre of the food to enable the temperature to be taken. The core temperature should be always be measured in the thickest part of the food. However, it is important to note that probes can be a source of cross-contamination if not cleaned and disinfected appropriately.

All food business operators must have in place procedures for regularly checking that probes are working correctly. This can be done by using special test caps or by first placing the probe in boiling water and checking that it displays 100°C and then placing the probe in slush ice to check it displays 0°C (an error of up to +/- 0.5°C is acceptable on both checks).

Never use mercury thermometers as it would present a contamination risk if it breaks.

 

Measuring and Recording Temperatures to ensure Safe Food Display

House rules should be followed about how often temperatures should be measured . Food handlers with a responsibility for taking temperatures should be given specific training on how to:

• Take temperatures using the equipment that is available to them.
• Recognise and deal with unsafe readings.
• Keep records of taking temperatures and any corrective actions necessary as a result.

 

Some additional information about safe food display can be found on FSAI page Temperature Control.

 

Online Food Safety Training

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

 

Shelf-life of Food Products

Shelf-life of food products is the period of time during which a food product maintains its acceptable or desirable characteristics under specified storage and handling conditions. These acceptable or desirable characteristics can be related to the safety or quality of the product. They can be microbiological, chemical or physical in nature.

Regulation (EU) No.1169/2011 requires that the shelf-life of a foodstuff be indicated by either a date of minimum durability “Best-before” or a “Use-by-date”.

Most food packages are labelled with a Best-before or Use-by-date. It is a legal offence to serve food that has exceeded its “Use-by-date”. Such food should be discarded and clearly marked ‘unfit for human consumption’.

 

Shelf-life of Food Products – Best-before

The “Best-before” date refers to quality. The food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best. For example, its flavour and texture might not be as good. The date of minimum durability, or “Best-before” date, is the date until which a foodstuff retains its specific properties e.g. taste, aroma, appearance, any specific qualities which relate to the product, vitamin content etc. when the product has been stored appropriately and the package unopened.

Typically, a shelf-life of food products marked “Best-before” date is used for food products such as canned, dried, ambient, frozen foods etc. Many foods that are past their “Best-before” date may be safe to eat, but their quality may have deteriorated.

 

Shelf-life of Food Products – Use-by-date

The “Use-by-date” on food is about safety. Foods can be eaten until this date but not after, even if they look and smell fine. The “Use-by-date” is the date up until which a food may be used safely i.e. consumed, cooked or processed, once it has been stored correctly. After the “Use-by-date” date, food is deemed unsafe and can be danger to human health. The food cannot be sold or served past its “Use-by-date” date.

 

Food Labelling

Proper food labelling can prevent food poisoning, ensure food safety and prevent food wastage. The European Commission estimates that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste generated annually in the EU is linked to date marking on food products.

It is the responsibility of a food business to ensure that the food provided to customers is safe to consume. In order to do this, proper food safety protocols must always be adhered to and followed. This includes ensuring that food is not spoiled or expired. “Best-before” dates, packaging dates and “Use-by-date” (expiry dates) are key to knowing what foods are safe to prepare and serve, and which ones should be disposed of. Different types of date markings on packages are used depending on the product.

The “Best-before” or “Use-by-date” dates for a specific shelf-life of food products is decided by the food manufacturer or producer when developing their food safety management system, based on HACCP principles, for the product.

 

Safe Handling and Storage of Food

Food businesses must ensure that all food received and stored in the food business is checked for “Best-before” and “Use-by-date” dates. It is essential that food is not only handled and stored properly, but also used within the proper time frame. Food should be stored using the First In, First Out (FIFO) method.

Satisfactory rotation of stock is essential to ensure older food is used first, to avoid spoilage and to ensure food is safe.

High-risk and perishable foods have a short shelf life. They are usually stored under refrigeration and have “Use-by-date”. It is unsafe and illegal to alter this date or sell the food after this date.

Low-risk food, which does not support the growth of bacteria is given a “Best-before” date. The food is at its best quality  and/or condition uo to this date. It is, however, not illegal for it to be sold after this date.

“Use-by-date” should be checked daily whereas weekly checks may suffice for products with “Best-before” dates.

Out of date stock should be disposed of.

All food handlers in a food business should be checking “Best-before” and “Use-by-date” dates on a regular basis. Food safety training is the best way to ensure that all food handlers are able to understand their duties under Irish food safety legislation as well as to follow best food safety practice guidelines.

 

Online Food Safety Training

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

The Importance of Food Safety

The importance of food safety is knowing how to avoid the spread of foodborne diseases when cooking, preparing, and storing food. People can often feel unwell complaining of sickness, diarrhoea and stomach pains. Most of us dismiss the cause as ‘something that disagreed with us’. However, this may be a food poisoning caused by eating contaminated or poisonous food.  Food poisoning affects thousands of people each year in Ireland, the seriousness of which cannot be underestimated. Good food safety is essential to make sure we are not harmed in any way from the food and drink we consume. All food handlers have a legal obligation to make sure they do not cause harm to anyone through bad practice, ignorance or neglect.

 

Food Safety and the Law

The importance of food safety has a significant legal weight. Serious breaches of food laws can result in significant financial penalties and prosecutions resulting in imprisonment.

 

Financial penalties

Food businesses who do not comply with the law can incur the additional sanction of direct financial costs, including:

• Fees for additional official controls – businesses can be charged for the expenses arising from any additional official controls that were necessary to follow up non-compliance.
• Court-imposed penalties arising from a prosecution.
• Costs associated with destruction of non-compliant foods.
• Administrative fines such as fixed penalty notices.

 

Prosecutions

As well as taking immediate enforcement action to deal efficiently and effectively with risks to public health and interests, each year a small number of prosecutions are initiated where there are significant breaches of food law. Prosecutions may also be initiated where there is intentional or reckless endangerment of public health. Taking prosecutions also supports the objective of enforcement as a deterrent to future non-compliance in food businesses in general.

 

Food Safety Training

A major requirement by law is that all food handlers must receive appropriate training in safe food handling relevant to their duties. This means that the type of training you need depends on the type of job you do. Legislation specifies that, even if a food operative handles only wrapped foods, they must receive training in how to handle food safely (which might include storage, serving, food allergens, inspection of deliveries, pest control, etc.). Every food operative has a responsibility to follow the food safety regulations and law to ensure a safe food product for their customer. If something goes wrong, evidence of receiving formal training may help in a defense of ‘due diligence’. This is why it is crucial to keep records of all the training staff have been given. Every employee must know the importance of food safety and how to achieve and maintain it.

 

Food Handlers Responsibilities

Food Handlers have a legal responsibility to:

• Keep themselves clean.
• Maintain good levels of personal hygiene.
• Follow the food safety training they have been given.
• Wear appropriate personal protective Equipment (PPE).
• Report to their supervisor if they have specific illnesses or symptoms of food poisoning.

Food handlers could be prosecuted if it can be proved they have not followed company rules and training they have been given.

 

Due Diligence

‘Due Diligence’ is the principal defence available to a food business if a legal action is taken against them. It means the business must prove they took every reasonable precaution to ensure the safety of food. Precautions could be:

• Systems of control to minimise risks.
• Training.
• Implementation of cleaning schedules.
• Personal hygiene.
• Inspection of deliveries.
• Pest control.
• Record keeping.
• Written records.

This list is not exhaustive but ‘Due Diligence’ could be demonstrated by proven use of these systems. If the business can show the offence was the fault of another person, such as a food handler who ignored company rules, this could also be used as a defence. In such a case it is possible that the food handler could be prosecuted if it can be proven they have been negligent.

 

Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) was established under the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act, 1998. This Act was enacted in July 1998 and came into effect on 1st January 1999.

The principal function of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland is to protect consumers and raise compliance through partnership, science and food law enforcement.

FSAI are a statutory, independent and science-based body, dedicated to protecting public health and consumer interests in the area of food safety and hygiene. They come under the aegis of the Minister for Health and currently have a Board of ten. They also have a 15 member Scientific Committee that assists and advises the Board. Therefore, decisions relating to food safety and hygiene take account of the latest and best scientific advice and information available.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has authorised officers who have extensive powers to enter and inspect food premises, to secure these premises for later inspection, to inspect and, if necessary, remove records. These officers may take samples of food or related materials and have these samples analysed and it is an offence for any person to obstruct an officer in carrying out this duty.

The authorised officers are the staff of the various agencies involved in food safety, including Environmental Health Officers from the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Environmental Health Officers can:

• Enter food premises at any reasonable time to inspect premises, equipment food and procedures within the business.
• Take food samples and swabs from surfaces.
• Take photographs.
• inspect written records in order to help them make assessment of the premises.

Failing to allow them access is an obstruction under the law.

 

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Myelearnsafety.com – One-stop Shop for Online Health and Safety Training

Design Risk Management Ltd. (DRM Ltd.) is Health and Safety Consultancy based in Dublin, Ireland. We provide Health and Safety Services, Auditing and Training to Companies and Individuals across the island of Ireland, UK and EU. In addition, we have developed a one-stop shop for Online Health and Safety Training – Myelearnsafety.com

Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to Ireland’s regeneration and future success. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.

Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.

According to Health and Safety Authority of Ireland “The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, strongly emphasises the need to provide employees with instruction, information and training necessary to ensure their health and safety. Providing employees with health and safety information and training reduces the chance of them suffering injuries or ill health. It helps them acquire the skills, knowledge and attitude to make them competent in the safety and health aspects of their work and instils a positive health and safety culture.” (HSA).

 

Myelearsafety – Online Health and Safety Training Platform Developed by DRM Ltd.

Efficient Health and Safety training demands a new approach. The approach that can innovate and evolve at the same pace as business and technology. A model that espouses the highest quality education and focuses on equipping employees with the knowledge and skills they need to safely perform their daily work-related tasks, and to upskill and retrain where necessary to ensure they can stay ahead in their field.

This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.

 

About You

Health and Safety is important because it protects the well being of employees, visitors and customers. Looking after Health and Safety makes good business sense. Workplaces which neglect health and safety risk prosecution, may lose staff, and may increase costs and reduce profitability.

If you are an employer, the way you approach health and safety training speaks volumes about your business, your values and your professionalism.

If you are an employee, health and safety training will not just help you to learn of how to address, manage and deal with workplace risks. It will also expand your personal and career development.

No matter how small or large a company is, workers in all fields of industry face workplace dangers that can threaten their health and safety. In some industries, such as in the construction and agriculture, the dangers can be evident: falls from height, crush injuries, exposure to harmful chemicals, fires, breakdown of machinery are just some of the health risks that workers in these fields face every single working day.

For other fields of business, however, the dangers may not be as obvious. Working in an office or a restaurant may seem harmless, but poor ergonomics, food contamination and psychological stress can also cause health problems that can hamper productivity. Because hazards are present in all types of industries, it is essential for companies to provide health and safety training for their workers. This training has to be updated on a regular basis.

 

Why Choose DRM Ltd. and Myelearnsafety for your Online health and Safety Training

Our clients are the life-source of our business. That integrity in client dealings is an undisputable prerequisite for a successful and sustained business relationship. We provide our clients with the highest quality Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety solutions. Our goal is to help our clients solve critical pain points in their Health and Safety compliance. We operate policies of continual improvement for our products, processes and people. To deliver exceptional solutions, services and client experience that exceed client expectations is a must!

“The golden rule for every business person is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place.” Orison Swett Marden

Here at Design Risk Management Ltd. we are focused on meeting our client objectives!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online health and Safety courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

 

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is an illness caused by consuming contaminated food or liquids (e.g. water). It’s not usually serious and most people get better within a few days without treatment. However, some infections spread by food are serious and can be life-threatening. In extreme cases, hospitalisation might be required. Furthermore, some illnesses caused by food poisoning might lead to other health problems, including:

• Meningitis
• Kidney damage
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure
• Arthritis
• Brain and nerve damage

For some people, these health problems can last for weeks or months after recovering from a foodborne illness. For others, they never go away.

 

Infections That Cause Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is usually caused by:

• Campylobacter bacteria – usually found on raw or undercooked meat.
• Salmonella bacteria – often found in raw or undercooked meat, raw eggs, milk, and other dairy products.
• Listeria bacteria – can be found in a pre-packed sandwiches, cooked sliced meats and soft cheeses.
• E.coli bacteria – usually caught after eating undercooked beef.
• Norovirus – spread from person to person, through contaminated food or water.

 

Food Poisoning Symptoms

Food poisoning usually occurs within one to 72 hours of eating contaminated or poisoned food. Symptoms normally last from one to seven days and include one or more of the following:

• abdominal pain,
• diarrhoea,
• vomitting,
• feeling sick,
• fever,
• dehydration,
• collapse.

 

The Most at Risk

Every day thousands of people in Ireland suffer from food poisoning. Many of these will be very ill and some of them will die. Those most at risk include the very young, the elderly, persons who are already ill or recovering, and pregnant women and their unborn babies.

Most cases of food poisoning are the result of people not working properly in the kitchen, ‘taking chances’ and not paying proper attention to the delivery and storage of food. This is why training is important, so that you know what are you doing and are following a safe system when handling or preparing food at all times. That system is HACCP.

 

Common Causes of Food Poisoning

There are many causes of food poisoning, all of which are avoidable. Let’s look at the most common causes:

1. Contamination of food by bacteria and viruses, due to not washing hands frequently, especially after sneezing or visiting the toilet, and in between handling raw meats and ready-to-eat food such as salads.
2. Not heating food sufficiently to kill bacteria.
3. Holding food: keeping it not hot enough (above 63°C) for too long a period, which allows bacteria to grow.
4. Holding food: not cold enough. Not keeping food cold in the refrigerator, allowing bacteria to grow in a warm environment.
5. Contaminating food, which will be not cooked, with bacteria. This is why we keep cooked and raw food separate.
6. People carrying bacteria. This may be in the form of an infected boil or cut. Some people can carry dangerous bacteria without any sign of being ill.

Bacteria are not only living hazard. Viruses are found in shellfish and ourselves, especially living in close quarters. Other hazards include chemicals such as cleaning solutions and objects such as steel wire that can cut someone’s mouth, and our own hair which can easily fall into food and many carry bacteria. Effective instruction and training will prevent food poisoning if the good practices food handlers are thought are implemented in the workplace.

 

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Starting a Food Business from Home

Starting a food business from home can be a rewarding business venture. However, it is only for those committed to maintaining the highest level of hygiene and food safety. Producing food in your home for many people to eat is a serious undertaking. It is not the same as cooking for the family! You will be entering into a highly regulated business area with serious legal obligations. Food business operators are legally responsible for producing food that is safe.

 

Food Hygiene Legislation

Operating a food business from home does not exempt your business from the requirements of the food hygiene legislation (Regulation EC 852/2004). This legislation sets out requirements for:

• Registration of the business with the Health Service Executive (HSE).
• Hygiene rules to be complied with.
• Training.
• Food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical control points) to ensure the production of safe food.
• Traceability systems and recall procedures in the event of unsafe food being placed on the market.

Where food of animal origin, e.g. meat, poultry, eggs, fish, unpasteurised milk, is being processed, you may also need to comply with the legislation setting down specific hygiene rules for foods of animal origin (Regulation 853/2004). In some cases, the business may require approval by the HSE.

You should contact your local HSE office as soon as possible to check if your home is suitable for the intended food business activities. Contact details for local HSE offices are available HERE (Contact details if you’ve made a complaint about a food business and want to follow it up with the local food inspector, or if you need to register your business).

 

Additional Legislation

Compliance with additional legislation may be required depending on the type of product which you intend to make, e.g. labelling, additives, marketing standards for eggs, nutrition and health claims etc.

Full details of all food legislation can be found on FSAI website page Food Legislation.

 

Possible Pitfalls when Operating a Food Business from Home

Starting a food business from home can present specific problems that you should be aware of.

1) Food can become contaminated due to:

• Normal domestic activities – there must be proper segregation of business and domestic food preparation and activities.
• Poor hygiene – not washing hands properly or frequently enough, particularly after using the toilet, handling refuse etc., dirty cloths and tea towels, poor cleaning. practices, dirty equipment/utensils etc.
• Working when ill, particularly when suffering from vomiting/diarrhoea, infected skin wounds, flu, coughing and infections of the mouth, throat, eyes or ears.
• Changing/feeding babies in food preparation areas.
• People or pets entering food preparation areas.
• Facilities being too small.

2) Production of too much food for the size of the area.

3) Insufficient/unsuitable refrigerator space to keep food chilled.

4) Lack of equipment necessary to cool food fast enough after cooking.

5) The type of food being produced or the process involved presents too high a risk to take place safely in a domestic kitchen.

6) Food may be supplied to a vulnerable group, e.g. babies and young children, pregnant women and the elderly.

 

Food Labelling

Food which is prepacked by the manufacturer before being brought for sale at a farmers market or other food stall is subject to the full labelling rules. All of the mandatory information, must then appear on the product label. More information on what is required to be declared on the label is available in FSAI factsheet Food Information for Consumers at Markets Operated by Country Markets Limited. These rules also apply where it is intended to sell your produce in local retail premises.

 

Additional food safety related useful information can be found on FSAI website.

 

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie