Environmental Health Officer (food)

Full Vacancy Description

Job Description      Environmental Health Officer Food, Health and Safety

Purpose:

To work within a professional environmental health team involved in discharging the  Council’s statutory duties and functions in relation to Food and Health and Safety.

To provide and participate in the provision of a highly customer focused response to requests for the Environmental Health (Food, Health and Safety) Services.  To engage in the inspection and regulation of lower risk food premises.

The   work will involve taking a lead role in the inspection and full regulation of low and medium risk food businesses, dealing with infectious diseases and dealing with food safety concerns from the public.

The work will involve taking a lead role in the inspection and regulation of higher risk food businesses, dealing with infectious diseases and dealing with serious food safety concerns from the public.

To enforce legislation which exists to protect public and environmental health, and to provide support, guidance and advice to the public, industry and commerce, so as to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents, and to support a safe and fair trading environment in which industry and commerce can flourish.

To respond to public requests for advice and reports of concerns in a timely and effective way and provide an evidence trail associated with interventions which will allow a qualitative review of action undertaken.

To facilitate the effective understanding of food safety and hygiene issues to businesses using a communication style to suit the person and the situation.

To be able to provide advice and coaching to food businesses.

To use a variety of communication techniques to ensure that business customers are given every opportunity to take full ownership of their responsibilities and achieve full compliance.

To be able to confirm or gather required information by using active listening and effective questioning techniques.

To conduct detailed inspections and surveys within high risk businesses and domestic premises, to determine standards, secure improvements and ensure compliance with legal requirements, so as to safeguard public health, safety and welfare. 

To be able to manage challenging and difficult situations in an objective manner.

To be able to implement requirements of legislation within an established policy framework.  To be able to formulate communications which satisfy the requirements of

The Food Law Code of Practice and associated Guidance. To be able to deliver advice guidance and written reports, including written warnings, which are accurate and consider the requirements of applicable legislation.

To be able to correctly identify when follow up action is required and what action is required to achieve compliance.

To implement existing legislation and take formal action with respect to the service of

Hygiene Improvement Notices. 

To know how to draft, serve and withdraw notices and orders. To have knowledge and understanding of imminent risk to health.

To interpret new and existing legislation using professional judgement, and to determine appropriate courses of action when non-compliance with legislation or risks to public health are identified.  Actions will range from the provision of advice, guidance and written reports, the service of a variety of legal notices and sanctions, to the preparation of reports for legal proceedings. This will also include the use of emergency prohibition procedures.

To investigate allocated service requests and submit findings to the relevant officer. 

To conduct an investigation to assess compliance with relevant legislation in accordance with applicable legal requirements, codes of practice , policies and procedures, considering where relevant business type, products present and processes being used, the issue being investigated including relevant time limits, the information required and how it can be obtained.

The preparation of an investigation file or record as a part of a reactive investigation.

Includes the preparation of witness statements and participating in the interviewing of suspects.

To use statutory powers to investigate complex service requests, officer identified contraventions, and statutory notifications from Government Agencies. To identify breaches of legislation, non-compliance with statutory codes of practice, and risks to public health. To make incident reports to the FSA in conjunction with lead Food officers.

To be responsible for and have the discretion to initiate investigations to detect and rectify serious breaches of a wide range of legislation.  To interview witnesses, take statements, collect, prepare and collate evidence correctly, thoroughly, professionally and in accordance with Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and departmental procedures. To prepare prosecution reports and to act as a witness in Court on behalf of the Council.

To be able to engage in sampling programmes having received suitable instruction and training. To understand the role of sampling in protecting consumers and assessing business compliance, including limitations of sampling. 

To understand the role of analysts and examiners and the advice they can provide when taking samples.

To determine the need for, and to take and submit formal and informal samples. To be able to seal store and transport samples to a suitable laboratory using the appropriate procedure ensuring that the integrity and continuity of the sample is maintained.

To understand the range of potential enforcement and informal action following a sample being taken and where they would be appropriate.

To interpret and evaluate the analytical and microbiological results and to use statutory powers to safeguard public health and secure continuous improvements in standards.