COVID-19 Food Safety Advice

This page contains a number of useful links to the most up-to-date guidance for businesses who are reopening their doors again after a long closure.

Returning to the normal we all used to know will take time and until the COVID-19 pandemic has passed fully, or at the very least controlled, there will have to be measures in place to protect the workforce and members of the public from COVID-19 infection.

For all businesses consideration will need to be given to a variety of operational systems, procedures and the general infrastructure in the workplace.

Food businesses will have many of the same considerations but also unique ones specific to their business model.

Listed below are some of the key areas that businesses will need to think about. Many of these may be obvious to some duty holders and food business operators and some may not necessarily be so.

You will find useful links to guidance under each subject.

Water management with particular emphasis on legionella controls

  • The disease is fatal in 10% of cases.

  • Symptoms include fever, a non-productive cough and pneumonia, very like those of COVID-19.

  • The groups of people susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease are similar to those most susceptible to serious complications from COVID-19 infection:

    • those with serious underlying health conditions

    • those over 50 years

    • smokers.

  • Legionella bacteria are naturally present in water systems.

  • The closure of buildings due to COVID-19 restrictions will result in bacterial growth in water systems to a level which may cause illness unless they are maintained. Of note, the warmer summer months increases this risk.

Guidance

The following links will help guide you through the compliance process:

Maintenance of equipment that has been left unused or been modified during a long closedown

There are potential challenges when carrying out legal requirements for thorough examination and testing (TE&T) of plant and equipment as a result of additional precautions people need to take to help reduce risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The law for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) remain in place.

The guidance below is to help duty holders (you) ensure that their work plant and equipment remain safe to use. It helps to guide decision-making to see if TE&T requirements can still be met.

Guidance

Safe working environment

Each business will need to translate the latest guidance into the specific actions it needs to take, depending on the nature of the business, including the size and type of business, how it is organised, operated, managed and regulated. The guidance below will give you the latest government advice for a variety of business types.

Guidance

Food businesses reopening after a closure for COVID-19 restrictions

Reopening your business after a period of closure will require some extra checks alongside your ‘normal’ daily opening checks. These will help to make sure that your business can restart safely.

You will need to maintain your basic hygiene standards and recognise the areas where greater attention will be required.

The guidance below will take you to a useful checklist for businesses to follow when reopening after a COVID-19 closure.

Guidance

Food Hygiene and Health