What is a Hygiene Improvement Notice?
A Hygiene Improvement Notice is a legal notice served by an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) to a food business. It's used when a business isn't following food safety laws properly. The notice requires the business to make specific improvements to meet legal standards. It's a way to make sure that food businesses fix any problems that could harm the public's health.
Common misunderstanding: A Hygiene Improvement Notice is just a suggestion or recommendation.
It's not just advice; it's a legal requirement. Ignoring this notice can lead to further legal action, including fines or closure of the business.
Common misunderstanding: Any staff member can receive and respond to a Hygiene Improvement Notice.
It's important that the notice is managed by someone responsible, like the business owner or manager, because it requires action to be taken that complies with legal standards.
When is a Hygiene Improvement Notice served?
A Hygiene Improvement Notice is served when an EHO finds that a food business is not complying with food safety laws. This might be during a routine inspection or following a complaint. The notice is used to formally tell the business what needs to be fixed to meet the required health and safety standards.
Common misunderstanding: A Hygiene Improvement Notice is only given for major health risks.
While major risks can trigger a notice, it can also be issued for smaller, yet still significant, breaches of food safety laws that need correction to prevent potential health issues.
Common misunderstanding: If you fix the issue quickly, the notice is automatically cancelled.
Even if you address the issues, the notice remains in effect until an EHO re-inspects and confirms that all requirements have been met satisfactorily.
What must be included in a Hygiene Improvement Notice?
A Hygiene Improvement Notice must clearly state what the violations are, why they are a problem, what actions the food business must take to comply, and the deadline for these actions (usually not less than 14 days). This ensures that the business knows exactly what is expected and by when.
Common misunderstanding: The notice doesn't need to explain why changes are necessary, just what changes are needed.
The notice must explain both what is wrong and why it's a problem, to help the business understand the importance of compliance and the potential health risks involved.
Common misunderstanding: The timescale for compliance is negotiable.
The deadline set in the notice is legally binding and has been carefully considered to allow enough time for the changes to be made. It's not open to negotiation, and failing to comply within the timeframe can lead to further legal action.