FSA Enforcement Letter (ENF/E/11/004), 5 February 2011
Further to our letter of 22 October (ENF/E/10/042) [see UK News Item: 22 October 2010], I wanted to update you on the work we have taken forward with HSE and LGR on Lord Young’s recommendation on combining food safety and health & safety inspections in local authorities.
The attached joint statement [Given below] is intended to provide further clarification on implementing the recommendation, recognising that most local authorities already combine their food safety and health and safety interventions in food businesses, where this is appropriate. The statement takes into account local authority feedback that the arrangements should build on existing practice and should not result in health and safety interventions in food businesses being undertaken at a greater frequency than is necessary or appropriate.
The statement is also being disseminated by the HSE through their normal arrangements. We will be providing a further update on the other relevant recommendations from Lord Young’s report shortly.
Introduction
Lord Young published his report Common Sense Common Safety on 15 October 2010. His review covered the operation of health and safety laws and the growth of the compensation culture. The Coalition Government has accepted all the recommendations and this statement addresses the specific recommendation on the combining of food safety and health & safety inspections in local authorities.
The statement has been prepared by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) the Food Standards Agency (FSA), and Local Government Regulation (LGR) to promote the local implementation of this recommendation.
This statement will be incorporated into relevant statutory FSA and HSE guidance.
Implementing combined intervention programmes
The overall aim is to reduce the inspection burden on business and introduce local authority efficiencies to help concentrate resources. Combined interventions would only be appropriate where the local authority’s food and health and safety intervention programmes coincide.
In many food businesses health & safety interventions will be targeted on specific priority risks such that combined intervention programmes should not have the effect of increasing the overall number of inspections or reducing levels of protection.
In most local authorities, officers already combine food safety and health & safety interventions where this is appropriate. The practice of planning appropriate joint interventions should be adopted by all local authorities from 1st April 2011.
Competency requirements
The relevant duties and enforcement actions carried out in combined interventions should only be carried out by officers with the necessary competency and training and the required authorisation. See -