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the fact that the law does not require him to have a sufficient and suitable supply of
hot and cold water for personal cleanliness; he may have a clean stall and utensils
but his hands, during the course of the day, become contaminated by the handling
of money and by normal street dust and sometimes also in the handling of his goods.
He was also placed under an additional disadvantage having regard to the fact that,
although premises must have a sanitary convenience, stall-holders and other street
traders must rely in practically all cases upon public conveniences.
Public Health Authorities advocate the washing of hands after using the toilet,
but in the case of out-door food handlers there were no facilities readily available to
them for this purpose. It was doubtful whether, after using the toilet in a public
convenience, a food handler would spend a further fee in order to wash his hands.
In order to encourage greater cleanliness among such food handlers, and as a
means of giving publicity to the need for greater personal hygiene, a scheme was
adopted in principle, whereby outside food handlers could be enabled to use, free of
charge, the washing facilities available in public conveniences. By the adoption of
this scheme it was considered that a most favourable impression upon food handlers
and upon the public would result, and the Sanitary Inspectors would be in a better
position to enforce personal cleanliness when making an inspection of stalls, barrows,
ice-cream tricycles, etc. The use of public conveniences by food handlers would also
form part of the education in personal hygiene and the hygienic handling of food.
Food and Drugs Act, 1938—Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1926/1943.
Sampling of Food, including Milk.
Prosecutions.