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94
Environmental Health
Food Hygiene
Due to the rapid changeover of staff in the food industry it is essential to make frequent inspections
of all food premises if hygiene standards are to be maintained at a level which will safeguard
public health. It is discouraging to find that improvements in cleanliness achieved after considerable
effort by the Public Health Inspector quickly deteriorate when the frequency of his inspections
decrease.
Every endeavour is made to educate managements into setting a good standard and ensuring
that their cleaning and operating routines are properly organised and supervised.
Particular problems in the maintenance of hygiene were experienced at two hospitals within
the Borough and the subsequent isolation of a food poisoning organism amongst patients and staff
in one of the hospitals emphasised the need for general improvement in food handling and preparation.
Hygiene at hospitals as with other Crown premises is not the statutory responsibility of this department,
but I am happy to report that the closest possible co-operation exists between the authorities
concerned and this Department.
Legal Proceedings
A prosecution was taken against a restaurant proprietor involving two summonses under the
Food and Drugs Act, 1955 for being in possession of unfit food and five summonses for contraventions
of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960. Fines of £53 with £14 14s. costs were imposed.
A fine of £5 with £3 costs was imposed on the owner of a restaurant for permitting a member
of his staff to smoke. The employee concerned left the area and the summons against him could
not be served.
A prosecution involving 8 summonses under the Food Hygiene (Markets, Stalls and Delivery
Vehicles) Regulations, 1966 against the owner of food sales vehicle was successful, a fine of £16 with
£5 costs being imposed.
A case against the owner of a restaurant was dismissed on technical grounds and improvements
effected to the premises following the unsuccessful legal action avoided the need for further proceedings.
At the end of the year proceedings for contraventions of the Food Hygiene Regulations were
pending against the owners of a restaurant, a bakehouse and a butcher's shop.
New Premises
The perusal of plans submitted for building regulation approval continues to provide an ideal
means for obtaining properly designed and constructed food premises. An advisory leaflet has been
prepared for persons concerned with the design of such premises.
The number of premises concerned with the supply of cooked food for consumption off the
premises is increasing, and if these do not involve consumption of food on the premises, registration
in accordance with Section 16 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955 is required. Registration has proved
invaluable in ensuring that only structurally suited premises are used for this purpose. One such
premises opened during the year in spite of the fact that the owner was informed the registration
would not be recommended due to the inadequate size of the food preparation area. Registration
was subsequently refused by the Council, and legal proceedings are pending.
Food Hygiene Education and Publicity
Leaflets on Food Hygiene were prepared during the year in Chinese and Spanish to meet the
special needs of certain establishments within the Borough and the emphasis continues to be placed
on "on the spot" education. To this end the use of the Oxoid sausage technique for checking the
effectiveness of equipment and utensil cleaning proves particularly invaluable, as by this means it is
possible to demonstrate the elementary bacteriological principles involved in good hygiene. During
the year 40 swabs were taken from premises.