View report page

faulty construction and maintenance, etc., were served.
The practical application of the new standards to the wide variety of food premises
has presented some difficulty, especially where business and domestic activities are
combined. The occupier of a small shop may apply to the local authority for a certificate
exempting his premises from certain requirements because of restricted accommodation or
other special circumstances. No such applications were received during the year.
Taken by and large, food traders in the Borough have responded well in complying with
the statutory requirements, but it should be realised that the Food Hygiene Regulations
are not who'ly concerned with premises, apparatus and equipment, they also lay down requirements
in respect of the cleanliness of persons engaged in the handling of food and of their
clothing and habits; a most important and unpredictable factor in the campaign for cleaner
food is the worker. Carefully designed and elaborately equipped food premises are not
proof against the careless food handler who fails to observe the elementary principles of
persona] hygiene. It is often said that "one man's meat is another man's poison." In relation
to food handling it could be said that ONE MAN'S POISON MAY BE ANOTHER MAN'S
MEAT. This is the crux of the problem. One employee in a food establishment may by
ignorance, apathy or mere carelessness, jeopardise the health of hundreds of people.
The education of the food handler, especially by advice and demonstration at his or
her place of work, is possibly the greatest single step that can be taken in producing
cleaner food, and in this field the Public Health Inspector has admirable opportunities
for exercising his role as health educator.
Routine visits to the Council's Pleasure Ground, Lea Bridge Road, were made by Public
Health Inspectors during Easter, Whitsun and August Pairs. Pood hawkers' stalls, mobile
canteens, etc., were inspected and registrations checked. It is pleasing to report continued
general improvement in the standard of hygiene practised by food vendors. It
appears that inspections of the Pleasure Ground during Bank Holiday Pairs over the past
years have had the desired effect, both in regard to ensuring that all food vendors are
registered with the Council, and that trading is conducted in a hygienic manner.
Attention is drawn to the statistical section of the report, which gives details in
tabular form of premises and businesses registered and/or licensed under the Food and
Drugs Act, 1955, and associated legislation. Full details are also given of inspections.,
notices, legal proceedings, and improvements effected to business premises as a result
of action taken by the Department.
DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACTS AND ORDERS
The administration of the law relating to diseases of animals is carried out partly
by officers of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food and partly by officers of
County Councils and local sanitary authorities, in Leyton, Public Health Inspectors are
the authorised officers under the various Acts and Orders.
The Diseases of Animals Acts and Orders deal generally with the prevention and
control of outbreaks of scheduled diseases and protection of animals against unnecessary
suffering and in this connection 63 inspections were carried out during the year.
BUSINESS PREMISES
In the Borough there are some 2,406 business premises, made up of factories, industrial
undertakings, food premises - catering establishments, shops, etc., - involving some
3,120 activities including registration and licensing. All these premises are subject to
routine inspection by the Public Health Inspectors to ensure compliance with the provisions
of the Acts, Orders and Regulations controlling them, and for the welfare of those who
(24)