20 October 2015 | Comments
BED AND BREAKFAST ESTABLISHMENTS
With the growth of tourism on St Helena there may be those wishing to offer a Bed and Breakfast service. The B&B as it is called, is a small lodging establishment – normally a private or family home – that offers overnight accommodation, including breakfast (but usually does not offer other meals).
For the next few weeks, the Enviromental Health Section will be providing guidance on the food safety and health and safety requirements that apply to B&Bs.
Food Safety
The main legislation affecting the establishment of a B&B is the Food Hygiene Regulations. The new regulations will soon be introduced, under which a number of specific regulations are made to apply to all food premises.
What is a Food Premises?
A Food Premises is any premises used as a food business, including bake houses and private dwellings used to prepare food for sale.
Food Premises Registration
Registration as a food premises with the Environmental Health Section is a legal requirement. Registration forms are available from the Environmental Health Section and failure to register is an offence. Routine food hygiene inspections can be carried out at any reasonable time with notice by an officer from this Section, and they can inspect without prior notification when investigating complaints.
Inspection Topics
When visiting a premises the main food hygiene requirements and topics that the inspecting officer may wish to discuss and will be assessing during a routine food hygiene inspection are:
- Size of the kitchen/production area
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Equipment
- Surfaces – size and intended use
- Cleaning
- Waste
- Pest control
A more in depth description is given below:
Structure
Floors, walls, ceilings, doors and windows must be in good condition. They must be able to be cleaned and disinfected.
Lighting and Ventilation
Should be provided in all parts of the premises, and can be either natural or artificial. The type of ventilation will depend on the size and activity of the kitchen. For small premises with low heat production, opening windows or doors may be used. If this is the case, proofing against the entry of insects may need to be considered.
Equipment
All equipment that you use must be kept clean and maintained in a good condition. Equipment must be suitable for the intended purpose.
Cleaning facilities
There must be facilities for washing food and equipment. These must be kept clean and have a continuous supply of hot and cold water.
Refuse Disposal
Food waste and other refuse must not be allowed to accumulate in any kitchen. The containers used for food waste must be easy to clean and disinfect and must be kept in good condition. Any refuse container used for storage of waste awaiting collection must have a lid and be made of a durable material that can be easily cleaned and disinfected.
Pest Control
You must take steps to prevent and control entry of pests onto your premises. Pests include mice, rats, birds and insects (eg. cockroaches).
More on B&B requirements next week.
SHG
20 October 2015
Comments