Usually, the EHO will turn up unannounced, so making sure your business is compliant and prepared is key. There are three main areas an EHO will inspect a business in to check food hygiene law is being complied with and that your food is safe to eat.

• Food hygiene
  • How hygienically is the food handled?
  • How safe is the food preparation, cooking and reheating, cooling and storage?
• Structure
  • Is the premises in good repair?
  • First impressions count and cleanliness is key, along with good maintenance and repair, a safe layout, good lighting, ventilation and pest control
• Food safety management
  • Confidence in management is important
  • You’ll need to demonstrate robust procedures to keep food safe

Use the below questions to check whether you’re ready for the EHO to come knocking.

• Food safety management & paperwork
  • Do you have a food safety system in place like HACCP or SFBB?
  • Is everything up to date?
  • Are all foods that you prepare covered?
  • Is everything organised and easily available?
  • Are records honest and accurate?
  • Are you recording corrective actions?
  • Have you considered online food safety management?
  • Do you use food probes and keep them clean and calibrated?
  • Are staff fully trained?
• Structure and cleaning
  • Do you have a cleaning schedule?
  • Are staff instructed and trained in the use of chemicals and cleaning standards?
  • Do disinfection products meet BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697?
  • Do all staff know and follow the contact times for disinfectants and sanitiser?
  • Are chemicals correctly labelled and stored away from food?
  • Do you regularly clean behind equipment?
  • Do you carry out planned preventative maintenance?
  • Does the layout keep clean and unclean tasks and materials apart?
• Cross-contamination controls
  • Are high-risk ready to eat foods and raw foods separated?
  • Do you have colour-coded boards?
  • Do you wash salad, vegetables and fruit?
  • Do you have disposable cloths or blue paper towels?
• Temperature control
  • Do you cook and hold food at the correct temperature?
  • Do you know the temperatures your fridges and freezers need to be at?
  • Do you thaw high risk foods in the refrigerator?
• Personal hygiene
  • Do you have separate basins for hand-washing?
  • Is there anti-bacterial liquid soap?
  • Are staff washing their hands effectively?
  • Do workers change into clean, protective clothing before work?
  • Do you have a first aid kit with blue waterproof plasters?
  • Do staff keep their hair back and/or wear a hair net or hat?
• Allergen controls
  • Do you have supplier approval procedures?
  • Do you have an up-to-date allergen matrix?
  • Are staff trained in your allergy procedures?
• Record keeping
  • Do you record fridge/freezer temperatures?
  • Do you keep records at Critical Control Points?
  • Do you have a food due diligence if required?
  • Do you do internal audits/inspections?
• Pest control
  • Do you check your premises regularly for pests?
  • Do you have a pest control contract in place?
  • Do you have fly screens on open windows and doors?
  • Do you regularly remove food waste?
  • Are external bin areas clean with lids on bins?
• Storage
  • Do you have a dry, clean and tidy storage areas?
  • Are foods labelled?
  • Do you have good stock rotation procedures?
  • Are goods clear of the wall and off the floor?
  • Are allergen ingredients stored in sealed containers?
  • Are foods covered?