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50
BYEIAWS FOR THE PROTECTION OF FOOD
Considerable work under these Byelaws has been carried out by the
Council's Food Inspectors during the year.
Occupiers of fourteen food premises received written or verbal cautions
referring to inadequate methods for protecting food (sandwiches, cakes,
cheeses, meats, etc.) from contamination when exposed for sale.
The majority of shopkeepers approached have co-operated promptly, and
have fitted glass counter screens or transparent dish covers, but some have
so far adopted only temporary measures such as cellophane covers, etc. It
is hoped that these will soon be replaced by screens of a permanent nature.
One vendor of wet fish has fitted a plate glass window to what was formerly
an open shop in order to protect the fish and other foods from dust and dirt
from the roadway. Snack bars and restaurants and public houses have been
kept under regular observation to ensure that no uncovered food is placed on
counters where it may become contaminated by persons sneezing or coughing.
Food delivery vans have been inspected at every opportunity, and four
firms have been cautioned for unsatisfactory methods of delivery. Suggestions
have been made for improving methods of protecting and handling food, and in
most cases these have been readily adopted.
Frequent inspections and visits to the thirty-four fruit and vegetable
shops in the Borough have resulted in displays outside shops being raised to
a reasonable and safer height from the ground.
A number of occupiers of food premises were found to have omitted to
affix notices inside doors of water-closet compartments, stressing the importance
of employees washing their hands before handling food. In every case this
omission was remedied immediately without the necessity for any further approach.
In this connection it may be stated that requests have been made for the
provision of washing facilities actually in the water-closet compartments at
restaurant kitchens, and these requests have been complied with in nearly every
instance, thus ensuring that hand—washing is not neglected.
Efforts are continuously being made to maintain a uniform standard throughout
the Borough, and it is necessary to regularly carry out work, mainly of an
educational nature, to ensure that food traders and their employees fully appreciate
their shortcomings when handliag, wrapping, displaying, and delivering
food.