The following information is provided
in response to some of the questions you will undoubtedly have,
however if you have any other questions please contact the
environmental health staff at your local district or borough
council.
Why the change in legislation?
Over the past ten years more and more
food hygiene legislation has been introduced to ensure the
continued control of the risks presented by an ever changing food
industry. This has resulted in more than fifteen separate pieces of
legislation, making it difficult for businesses to be clear on what
they need to do in order to comply with the law. A number of these
pieces of legislation are also now outdated.
How do I get an SFBB pack?
You can either:
How much does the pack cost?
The packs are to be provided free of
charge, although the implementation will require your time to
complete each section.
How long will it take me to implement
the system?
It is suggested that each of the five
sections should take one hour to work through and set up, it is
suggested that food businesses complete one section per week.
What happens once I have implemented
the system?
Once you have implemented the system,
you need to ensure that it is adhered to by you and your employees.
Making a daily record will normally take around a minute a day. You
should then review your diary every 4 weeks and when operations
change, such as style of cooking or use of new equipment, etc.
Will this take up a lot of time and
require me to keep lots of records?
With SFBB, filling out the
diary is the only daily record you will need to complete. You don’t
need to keep lots of records. Once you have worked through the safe
methods, you will have a record of what your business does to make
sure the food is safe to eat. This will only need to be amended if
you change the way your food business operates. The SFBB
records should take no more than around a minute a day to
complete.
Currently I write down the
temperatures of fridges every day, do I need to keep doing
this?
Keeping a written record of fridge
temperatures is good practice, and helps to highlight when a
problem arises. SFBB still requires you to monitor fridge
temperatures, but you would only need to record problems that have
arisen and what you have done to correct them. If you want to
continue writing down the fridge temperatures and cooking
temperatures daily then you can.
Will SFBB be right for me?
The FSA worked with small caterers,
food safety officers, national trade bodies and experts in food
safety management to develop SFBB into a simple pack for
small catering businesses. During this time small caterers have
used SFBB to help provide them with information to allow
them to develop safe working methods, which together with record
keeping in the form of a daily diary, builds into a food safety
management system specific to their business.
Do I have to use SFBB and what about
those businesses that won’t be using it?
SFBB is an easy way for small
businesses to have a documented food safety management system. We
want to acknowledge businesses that have successfully implemented
this pioneering scheme and we will publish details of those
businesses that have done where those businesses agree. Businesses
that do not use SFBB can use an alternative food safety
management system but they will have to demonstrate that it
complies with the new laws.
I already have a system in place - do
I have to change to SFBB?
No. Some premises may already have a
documented food safety system in place which has either been
provided by their parent company, or has been developed in-house.
If you already have one of these systems then it may mean that you
already comply with the new requirements. You are however advised
to speak to your company or contact us for further advice.
My premises are approved and I have a
documented HACCP in place - does SFBB replace this?
No. SFBB is not suitable for
food manufacturers and you should continue to follow your existing
HACCP food safety management system as required by your
approval.
Will the pack be available in other
languages?
The Food Standards Agency is working
on producing SFBB packs for a range of cuisines, including
Indian, Thai and Chinese, but these will be produced in English. In
Suffolk we are also planning workshops and coaching that are
tailored for Chinese, Bengali and Turkish speaking food
businesses.
I am not a caterer - will there be
packs for other small businesses like me?
Yes. There will be SFBB packs
tailored for sandwich production and small retailers.
Is there a deadline for me to
implement SFBB?
Although the new regulations come into
force on the January 1st 2006, sufficient time will be
allowed for all food businesses to comply.
What happens if I don’t implement
SFBB?
The new regulations require you to
implement a documented food safety system. SFBB has been
developed to assist food businesses in complying with this new
requirement. Ultimately, if you choose not to use SFBB and
do not implement and maintain any other suitable system, legal
action may be taken against you in line with your Council’s
enforcement policy. In view of the free workshops and coaching that
is being offered we hope that such legal action will not be
necessary.
Where can I get more information
about the new regulations?
You can: