Keeping Records

The following types of records should be kept in a safe place and made available to Inspectors if requested.

Cleaning schedule

To ensure that your premises are maintained in a clean condition, a written cleaning schedule should be drawn up. The schedule should be short, easy to follow and accessible to all relevant staff.

The schedule should clearly specify

• Parts of the structure and items of equipment to be cleaned
• The frequency of cleaning
• The cleaning method and materials to ensure cleaning is carried out safely, including detergents and sanitising agents to be used
• The person responsible for cleaning the work area or equipment,
• A COSHH Assessment should be carried out for all cleaning detergents, disinfectants and sanitising agents
• Finally, a responsible member of staff should check the cleanliness to ensure that the provisions of the cleaning schedule are being observed and verify that cleaning has been satisfactorily completed

Food hygiene training

You should maintain records of all food hygiene and safety courses undertaken by food handlers at the premises. The records should include

• Employee's name 
• Employee's job title, or main duties within your business
• The training undertaken
• The date of training
• The level of training
• Details of the training providers
• Verification of the training by the employee and management
• Copies of any training certificates issued

If you have a number of employees it would be useful to our Officers if you produce summary training sheets verifying what they have been trained in and when.

Food safety management system

The proprietor of a food business should  ensure that

• any steps in the activities of the food business that are critical to ensuring food safety are identified
• adequate safety procedures are identified, implemented, maintained and reviewed on the basis of the following principles:
• Analysis of the potential food hazards in a food business operation
• Identification of the points in those operations where food hazards may occur
• Deciding which of the points identified are critical to ensuring Food Safety, for example, "critical points"
• Identification and implementation of effective control and monitoring procedures at those critical points
• Review of the analysis of food hazards, the critical points and the control and monitoring procedures periodically, and whenever the food business’s operations change

There is no requirement for your food safety management system to be in written, however, relevant staff should be able to answer questions on the details of your system. A written monitoring and review system will demonstrate good practice and due diligence in these matters.

Customer complaint policy

On receipt of a complaint you should make a note of the following information

• The date
• The time
• Relevant contact details for the complainant, for example Name, address, contact telephone number
• Details of their complaint
• Whether there was any injury or illness associated with the complaint
• Details of the member of staff taking the complaint and how it was received
• Whether there are any samples of the food remaining
• Your actions taken to investigate the complaint
• The manager or person responsible investigating the complaint
• Whether the complaint was justified
• The remedial action taken at the time of the complaint
• The remedial action taken by you to prevent future complaints of this nature
• Any amendments or revisions to your food safety management policy

Contact us

Food team
Tel: 020 7525 2000
Fax: 020 7525 5735
food@southwark.gov.uk 
Environment and housing
Chaplin Centre
Thurlow Street
London
SE17 2DG