Bestaff’s Health and Safety objective is to prevent harm to employees while at work and to other people in the vicinity of a workplace. You must not endanger yourself or others and you must take all practicable steps to ensure your health and safety and that of others around you.

Your health and safety responsibilities include following the instructions of your supervisor, reporting hazards, using any protective equipment or clothing provided, reporting work-related injuries and ill health and not undertaking work that is unsafe.

In an emergency our clients will have an evacuation procedure that sets out:
• what to do if a fire is discovered. Location and use of fire extinguishers.
• what to do if the fire alarms sound or you are warned of a fire
• how to get out of the building in an emergency
• what the fire alarm signal is

Raise the alarm, notify your manager
Evacuate people from the area
Contain and extinguish the fire if it is safe to do so otherwise retreat to a safe distance
Activate any emergency shut down systems
Call emergency services (dial 111)

Danger: Check for the safety of yourself, the casualty and bystanders
Response: Check for response, tap the casualty, gently shake and shout
Send for Help: Phone 111 and ask for an ambulance
Airway: Open airway, tilt head back
Breathing: If not breathing normally start CPR
CPR: Start CPR, 30 chest compressions, two breaths
Defibrillate: If you have a defibrillator and been trained in its use, attach an AED and follow the machine prompts

Keep your workplace SAFE by following this simple mnemonic:
Stop Look at the work, activities, equipment and substances
Assess Does the work present any hazards that can cause harm? Are they significant hazards? A significant hazard is a hazard that is an actual or potential cause or source of serious harm. Are controls sufficient?
Fix Correct any hazards. Once hazards are identified you must eliminate, isolate or minimise the hazard
Our clients will have procedures to control risks: know what they are and follow the steps taken to minimise the likelihood of harm occurring from these hazards
know where to find, how to use and how to maintain safety clothing and equipment (if you are working in a kitchen for example)
Report injuries and accidents
Evaluate Continue to monitor the hazard and controls. Are the controls effective?

Housekeeping /Cleanup • Hazardous substances in cleaning products •Draining or disposing of used oil • Blood or discarded needles (sharps) Biological waste
Food Service/Kitchen • Wet & Slippery floors • Deep fry equipment • Hot cooking equipment and oil • Sharp objects used in food preparation
Retail/Sales • Violent crimes • Heavy lifting
Storage/Receival • Lifting, carrying, pushing & pulling
Work Environment• Noise

You must report all accidents (including near misses) at work. This information is recorded in an accident register. The accident register also includes an accident investigation portion to find out what happened, what the causes were and what can be done to prevent it occurring in future.

Stress and fatigue also have potential to cause harm. You should, therefore, monitor yourself and other employees’ health in terms of both physical and mental wellbeing. Take your breaks. Don’t work under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Food may be contaminated and customers made ill if staff do not apply safe working practices.

Health and sickness. Food can be contaminated by people who are unwell or who are carrying organisms in or on their body. Harmful microbes can be transmitted through a sick person’s faeces, vomit and in some cases body fluids.

You must not work if you have vomited or had diarrhoea within the previous 24-48 hour period or if you suspect you have Hepatitis A.

Hand Hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent harmful microbes getting onto food. Harmful microbes can be passed onto food by either touching food directly or by touching other things that the food comes into contact with (benches, knives, plates, etc.).

Step 1: Clean under each fingernail using warm running water, soap and a nail brush.

Step 2: Wash hands with warm running water and soap, rubbing vigoursly (front, back and between fingers for 30s)

Step 3: Dry hands thoroughly (front, back and between fingers) by using:
Single-use cloth (roller) towel. Single-use paper towel (rub hands on two paper towels). Air blower (rub hands while air blower is operating)

Gloves are not a substitute for hand washing. Gloves just like hands can transfer microbes from raw food, equipment and surfaces to ready-to-eat food. Gloves need to be changed between tasks (e.g. after handling uncooked food and before handling ready-to-eat foods etc.

To enable good hand hygiene fingernails should be kept short. Hand jewellery should not be worn.

Customers can become sick if they eat food that has been contaminated with harmful microbes carried by dirty food handlers. If you enter a food preparation area you must wear appropriate clothing.

Personal conduct: Avoid touching your nose, mouth, hair and skin during food preparation. Do not spit, sneeze or cough over food. Use disposable tissues to blow your nose and wash hands afterwards. Do not smoke or eat food in food preparation areas.

Cuts and sores: If a cut or sore is weeping or infected you must not handle food. Cuts and sores must be covered with a sticking plaster to stop microbes from the wound contaminating food. Use a disposable glove to cover sticking plasters if they are on the hand.

Cleaning removes dirt and grease. Sanitizing kills harmful microbes on surfaces. Unclean premises enable microbes to grow. Dirty premises attract pests.

Equipment and surfaces that come into direct contact with food are cleaned and sanitised (chopping boards, plates, utensils). Other items that may contaminate food indirectly are also cleaned and sanitised (door handles, taps, basins).

Follow manufacturers instructions when using chemicals and cleaning equipment. Protect food when cleaning and sanitizing. “Clean as you go”. Where possible let items air dry. Change cloths daily or more frequently if needed. Don’t mix used towels with in-use towels, put them in the laundry.

When operated correctly, items in the dishwasher will be too hot to handle immediately after the rinse cycle.

For items that can’t be put through the dishwasher: pre-clean – remove visible dirt and food residue. Main clean – wash with hot water and correct amount of detergent. Sanitize with food-safe sanitizer and give a final rinse. Allow to air dry or use a single-use drying cloth.

Cloths are single-use whenever possible and thrown away after each task. Reusable cloths need to be thoroughly washed, sanitized and dried between tasks. A freshly clean cloth is always used to wipe surfaces that come into contact with ready-to-eat food. Outside tables etc are cleaned using cloths designated for these tasks only and are not used for other cleaning.

Cleaning equipment is stored in separate area away from food. Cleaning equipment is kept in good repair and not used for other purposes. Cleaning equipment is cleaned and sanitized. Chemicals are clearly labelled. Chemicals are never stored in food containers. Staff are trained how to use chemicals safely.

Provide accurate information on whether a food contains specific allergens or could have traces of an allergen from cross-contact. Food allergies can result in life-threatening reactions often within minutes of eating the food. Customers must be able to make informed choices about the food they, and the people in their care, eat.

If you are told by a customer that they suffer from an allergy, talk to them about what menu items may be appropriate for them to order. If you are not confident that you can produce food for them safely don’t. It is better for them to eat elsewhere than risk an allergic reaction.

Foods that most commonly cause allergic reactions include cereals, shellfish, eggs, fish, milk, nuts, sesame seeds, peanuts, soybeans, sulphites, wheat and bee products such as royal jelly, pollen and propolis. These foods are responsible for over 90 percent of serious reactions.

Be aware of all ingredients used in the food to be served to a customer with a food allergy including what is used to cook the dish (e.g. oil etc.) as well as sauces and garnishes.

If a customer tells you they have a food allergy make sure you note it on the menu order sheet or notify a supervisor. If there is any doubt about whether a food contains even a small amount of an allergen, tell the customer – never guess!

Avoid cross contact with small amounts of an allergen from surfaces, utensils and equipment that has been used to prepare other foods. Ensure clothing is clean and your hands are washed. Prepare food containing different allergens in separate areas using separate equipment and utensils. If this is not possible then thoroughly clean all equipment and utensils to be used before preparing the food. Do not fry food in oil that has previously been used to fry food containing an allergen.

is food that must be kept at certain temperatures (below 5 degrees or above 60 degrees) to minimise the growth of harmful microbes that can be present in the food or to prevent toxins (poisons) forming in the food.

Food that must be kept under temperature control to prevent toxins forming is also considered readily perishable. For example fish needs to be kept chilled from shortly after capture to when it is cooked to minimise the formation of histamine.

Other examples of readily perishable foods include foods containing raw or cooked meat, dairry products, raw and cooked seafood, processed fruits and vegetables (e.g. salads and unpasteurised juices), cooked rice and pasta, processed foods containing eggs, beans, nuts or other protein rich foods (e.g. quiche, and soya bean products). Foods that contain any of the above foods such as sandwiches and quiches.

Food that is not readily perishable has been processed to ensure that harmful microbes are not present in the food or the food can’t support their growth. Canned or bottled food has had harmful microbes destroyed before packaging. Drying, salting and fermenting food creates an environment that does not support the growth of harmful microbes and inhibits bacterial growth (e.g. dried fruits, salted dried meats and fermented dried meats).

Food that is not considered readily perishable may become so when the package is opened or altered in any way (e.g. a can of beef stew once it is opened or custard powder once milk or water is added).

Many raw unprocessed or semi-processed foods are also not readily perishable because they either do not support the growth of foodborne pathogens (e.g. raw whole fruits and vegetables, uncooked rice flour and sugar) or do not contain harmful microbes (e.g. nuts in the shell).

need to be received and rectified or appropriately investigated to help identify and prevent further problems. First understand the cause of the complaint and where a problem is identified decide what action to take. If you can remedy the complaint then do so otherwise refer the complaint to a supervisor.

for unspecified vomiting and diarrhoea. If you have vomited or had an episode of diarrhoea for an unexplained reason (e.g. vomiting because of morning sickness or alcohol poisoning) in the 48 hours before scheduled to start then you must notify us and not work. You may resume food handling duties again after 48 hours of being symptom free but if symptoms persist then seek medical advice and inform the doctor you work as a food handler. Remember to practise food handling techniques especially hand hygiene.

Anyone infected or suspected of being infected by Hepatitis A must be excluded from food handling for at least seven days after onset of symptoms. You must seek medical advice. If you are in close personal contact with a person who has Hepatitis A you must notify us and not handle unwrapped food.

Anyone with skin conditions such as lesions on exposed skin that are weeping or discharging must be excluded from work. An infection of the fingernail bed or a boil on the face even if covered with a dressing may be excluded as a food handler. Infected lesions on non-exposed skin are not impediments to food handling but must be covered.

If you have an infection where your eyes, ears, mouth or throat are discharging or weeping then you must be excluded from food handling until you are better. Persistent cold like symptoms should be referred to a doctor for assessment.

All blood spills should be treated as infected and the affected area cleaned and sanitised.