What Is a Brown Chopping Board Used For?
A brown chopping board is used for root vegetables and unwashed vegetables — potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, onions and anything that still has soil on it. In the UK colour-coding system, brown...
View ArticlePhysical Contamination of Food: What Is It?
A screw in a steak pie is not bad luck. In UK food law it is an offence, and “it was an accident” is not a defence. Most articles on this subject hand you a definition, list hair and glass and metal,...
View ArticleChemical Contamination of Food: What Is It?
Chemical contamination of food is the unwanted presence of a chemical substance in food at a level that could make it unsafe or unfit to eat. Cleaning products, pesticide residues, heavy metals and...
View ArticleEHO Inspection Checklist (UK)
You came here for a checklist you can print off and tick. I’m going to give you one. But there’s something you need to know first, because it changes what belongs on that list. There is no official EHO...
View ArticleWhat Substances Does COSHH Include
When someone asks me what substances COSHH includes, they are usually picturing the same thing: drums and bottles of harsh chemicals, locked in a cupboard in some factory. That picture is exactly the...
View ArticleThe 5 Steps in a Fire Safety Risk Assessment
There are five steps in a fire safety risk assessment. If you came here for a number, that is your answer, and you can go ahead and tick the box. But please don’t tick it just yet. In my experience...
View ArticleDoes COSHH Cover Asbestos or Lead? No, But…
One of the big question we always get asked is this: does COSHH cover asbestos or lead? No. It doesn’t. COSHH does not cover asbestos, lead, or radioactive substances. Each of those has its own...
View ArticleWorking at Height Training Requirements (UK): Who Needs It & What’s Required
Falls from height are still the single biggest killer at work in Great Britain. In 2024/25 they accounted for 35 of the 124 workers killed in work-related accidents, which is more than a quarter of the...
View ArticleWorking at Height Risk Assessment: The 5 Steps (UK)
Falls from height are still the single biggest killer at work in Great Britain. In 2024/25, 35 of the 124 workers who died in work-related accidents fell from a height, making it the most common cause...
View ArticleWorking at Height Regulations 2005: A Simple UK Guide
Falls from height are the single biggest cause of workplace death in Great Britain. Not machinery. Not vehicles. A fall. That is exactly why the Work at Height Regulations 2005 exist. And here is the...
View ArticleHow To Keep Food Cold When Fridge is Broken
Your fridge has just died. Maybe it happened overnight. Maybe a fuse tripped mid-service. Either way, the clock is ticking and you have got a fridge full of high-risk food that is warming up fast. Here...
View ArticleHACCP Training Online Vs in Person
One of the most common questions I get asked is whether online HACCP training is “really” accepted by Environmental Health Officers. I understand the worry. You want to invest in proper training, not...
View ArticleHACCP Plan: An Example You Can Use (for Restaurants & Kitchens)
Writing a HACCP plan from a blank page is hard. Staring at the seven principles and trying to turn them into something that actually fits your kitchen? That’s where most people get stuck. So we’ve done...
View ArticleWhen Should a HACCP Plan Be Checked & Reviewed
You’ve written your HACCP plan. It’s filed away in the office. Job done, right? Not quite. A HACCP plan isn’t a one-and-done document you tick off and forget. It’s a living system that needs regular...
View ArticleWhat Is a CCP in HACCP
If you’ve ever looked at HACCP and thought “this seems complicated,” you’re not alone. One of the trickiest parts? Understanding what a Critical Control Point (CCP) actually is, and why it matters for...
View ArticleHACCP Certification: How Much Does It Cost?
You’ve heard HACCP mentioned by your EHO. You’ve seen it on job specs. You’ve been told you need it. But what does HACCP certification actually cost? The short answer: it depends whether you’re talking...
View ArticleWhat Is The Most Common Food Allergy
Ask ten people this question and you’ll get ten different answers. Milk? Peanuts? Shellfish? Here’s the thing: the honest answer is, it depends who you’re talking about. A two-year-old and a...
View ArticleWhat Is the Purpose of HACCP In A Food Business
Here’s the uncomfortable truth about food safety in the UK. You cannot test your way to a safe plate of food. If the first time you discover a problem is when a customer is ill, you have already...
View ArticleHow Common Is Airborne Peanut Allergy
If you run a café, a school kitchen, or a care home, you’ve probably had this question land in your lap at least once. A worried parent. A nervous diner. A new team member who’s read something scary...
View ArticleChocolate: The Gift That (Almost) Never Goes Bad
Now onto the star of Easter: chocolate. Whether you’re receiving it, gifting it, or hoarding it like a dragon guarding treasure, you’ll be pleased to know that chocolate is surprisingly...
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