Category: News Item

With the opportunities to conduct the standard visits to Training Centres delivering the REHIS Community courses being restricted at present, the Training Advisers role has had to adapt to doing some virtual audits.

A high proportion of courses currently registered are being delivered via the “Zoom” platform. Not having the face to face usual interaction with their candidates has given REHIS course Presenters “food for thought” in terms of how to deliver a syllabus, make it interesting, relevant and meaningful using a virtual platform. The Training Advisers have been impressed so far with the way in which the Presenters have adapted, by delivering the sessions over more frequent but shorter times (still in compliance with the minimum hours) and using a full range of resources e.g. video, PowerPoint etc.

One resource being used very effectively is “Google Classroom” – a virtual classroom which can host a myriad of resources e.g. syllabi, notes, exercises etc. This resource is particularly useful with the Intermediate and Advanced courses where candidates can visit the classroom virtually, for self-study, revision or to submit course work.

When it comes to the exam, the expected standards are still being adhered to with live invigilation through web cameras. We commend the Training Centres at their ability to adapt, yet maintain effective and quality assured courses.

On 9 October the Scottish Government published legislation to introduce temporary restrictions to help reduce the spread of the virus. The Regulations partially came into force at 6pm on Friday, 9 October and fully came into force on Saturday, 10 October.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Additional Temporary Measures) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 imposed a variety of restrictions (detailed below) for Nationwide and also additional ones for the central belt. 

The Scottish Government has designated Environmental Health Officers to define and enforce the legislation by providing guidance to businesses and monitoring compliance with the new restrictions. 

There has been some perceived frustration about lack of clarity over the exemptions of cafes – which are being allowed to stay open even in the central belt during the day as long as they don’t serve alcohol. The Regulations define a café as “An establishment whose primary business activity, in the ordinary course of its business, is the sale of non-alcoholic drinks, snacks or light meals.”

The Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on 9 October stated that “I think business owners will know whether their establishment fits that definition or not. But any doubts or questions that any have should be discussed with local environmental health authorities.” 

In addition, during an interview with BBC Scotland the radio host asked Professor Jason Leitch, the Scottish Government’s National Clinical Director what the difference was between a café and a restaurant and to which he responsed "Local authorities will have to make those judgements of course, and environmental health officers are one of the ways of making that judgement.”

Therefore, to deal with enquiries Local Authorities in the central belt have set up dedicated email accounts for premises seeking clarification about whether they can continue to operate as a licensed café and also have been involved with enforcing compliance requiring restaurants to close. 

The new restrictions 

Nationwide (excepting central belt areas):

• Hospitality (food and drink): all premises may only open indoors between 6am and 6pm, with no sales of alcohol
• Hospitality (food and drink): premises may open outdoors until 10pm, with sales of alcohol (where licensed)
• Takeaways (including from pubs and restaurants) can continue
• Evening meals may be served in accommodation for residents only but no alcohol can be served
• Current meeting rules, maximum of six people from two households, continue to apply
• Specific life events, such as weddings and funerals, may continue with alcohol being served, with current meeting rules for these events (20 person limit in regulated premises only)

Central belt area focusing on five health board areas (Ayrshire & Arran; Forth Valley; Greater Glasgow & Clyde; Lanarkshire; Lothian):

• Licensed restaurant premises will be required to close, with the exception of takeaway services
• Cafés (unlicensed and licensed premises) will be able to open between 6am and 6pm provide a food and non-alcohol beverage service
• Takeaways (including from pubs and restaurants) can continue
• Evening meals may be served in accommodation for residents only but no alcohol can be served
• Specific life events, such as weddings and funerals, may continue with alcohol, with current meeting rules for these events (20 person limit in regulated premises only)
• No group exercise classes for indoor gyms and sports courts, pools with an exemption for under 18s
• No adult (18+) contact sports or training, except professional sports, indoor or outdoor
• No outdoor live events
• Snooker/pool halls, indoor bowling, casinos and bingo halls are to close
• Public transport use should be minimised as much as possible, such as for education and work, where it cannot be done from home
• Current meeting rules, maximum of six people from two households, continue to apply

The Institute are saddened to hear of the passing of George Brechin, OBE. Mr Brechin was a great supporter of the Institute and was known to many.

Mr Brechin was a Board member at the Health & Safety Executive, the Chair of the HSE’s board has paid tribute here and also a Board member of Food Standards Scotland, Chair of the FSS board has paid tribute here.

Mr Brechin was also a Chair of the Scottish Teachers’ Pension Board, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and was interim Chief Executive of the State Hospitals Board until 2015.

Mr Brechin will be sadly missed by the Environmental Health community and our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues in all the organisations in which he served. 

On 23 October at the Coronavirus (COVID-19) update the First Minister's announced Scotland’s strategic framework which considers new powers for Environmental Health Officers. 

The five-level framework indicates different levels of protection that might be needed based on different levels of transmission for the virus. It will allow for rapid but proportionate responses on both a local and national basis using a transparent range of measures and options.

The framework states the Scottish Government have used the current period of additional protective measures to review the current fine levels associated with offences under the Health Protection (Coronavirus) Scotland regulations. These will be kept under review as we move to the new protection levels approach and will consider whether it is appropriate to increase the fine level. 

In addition, the Scottish Government are exploring conferring additional enforcement powers on Environmental Health Officers and Trading Standards Officers, building on direction-making powers put in place earlier this year, to support their intelligence-led approach to enforcement. 

The framework will comprise five protection levels. ‘Level 0’ is effectively the same level of protection as the Route Map Phase 3 measures Scotland reached in August and will act as a baseline, with four levels above that designed to apply increasing protection from the virus in areas according to prevalence, the risk to. communities and the need to protect the NHS.

Levels 1, 2 and 3 will be broadly equivalent to the UK Government levels to offer some uniformity with measures south of the border. Levels will be reviewed on a regular basis.

Ongoing financial support is set out in the framework and will be available to businesses which are required to close or which can remain open but will be directly affected by restrictions. The Scottish Government will work with local authorities to ensure grants are made available quickly and efficiently.

In the coming days the Scottish Government will engage with local government, stakeholders, economic groups and other partners, prior to a final version of the strategic framework being debated in parliament on Tuesday (27 October).

Further details on which local authority areas of Scotland will fall under which levels will be announced following discussions with directors of public health and local authorities, taking on board recommendations from the national incident management team, before coming into force on 2 November

Lisa McCann, Service Manager – Environmental Health (Food & Workplace Safety), Fife Council and President of REHIS Council, discusses how both her roles have adapted and how she hopes that positive changes made with hygiene continues into the future.

1.         Describe your work before the pandemic? 

Before the pandemic, I had not long taken up the role of President of the Institute at the 2019 AGM. I was involved in various REHIS Council meetings, Committees and working groups, as well as various forums related to my role as REHIS Council Member with responsibility for Occupational Health & Safety matters. 

Part of the role of President is to work closely with the Chief Executive who is responsible for the day to day running of the Institute, including the office and staff. A significant task that started and continued in to lockdown was the recruitment of a new Chief Executive after Tom Bell announced he would be stepping down from his role at the end of March 2020.  Work was also well underway on the 2020 REHIS Annual forum, which was sadly cancelled due to the restrictions of the pandemic.

In my role as a Service Manager for the Environmental Health (Food & Workplace Safety) Team at Fife Council, I have responsibility for managing a team of Environmental Health Officers, Food Safety Officers, Enforcement Officers and others, undertaking activities related to food safety, health and safety, port health, waste duty of care and communicable diseases.

2.         What have you been doing since the pandemic started? 

Where to start? …In terms of the Institute, I supported the then acting Chief Executive in her work to get the REHIS office working remotely. This included meetings of the REHIS Council, Committees and Working Groups which have all gone virtual. It did not stop there, work is ongoing to help our Approved Training Centres to teach remotely and at present in a blended fashion, where the route map and current restrictions allow. 

There were also difficult decisions to be made in regard to finance. As with all organisations, the Institute has felt the impact of the global pandemic and subsequent restrictions resulting in the sad, difficult decision to place the majority of REHIS staff on furlough.  Staff are in the process of returning to the office in a limited fashion to cover the key activities and tasks of the REHIS office. I would dearly like to thank all of our staff for their hard work, understanding and support in these unprecedented times. 

One piece of positive news was that Jackie McCabe was appointed to the role of Chief Executive as of 1 September 2020 following a successful recruitment campaign.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the Northern Centre’s AGM which was held virtually using MS Teams.  Many thanks to the Northern Centre for the invite to join them, it was a lovely opportunity to engage with members, which has been a rare occurrence in 2020.  All going well, I plan to attend the Southern Centre’s AGM later today. 

In a more Covid specific role, I continue to sit on a number of different groups representing the Institute and Environmental Health, and maintain dialogue with various agencies and organisations. This includes the joint Environmental Health and Trading Standards Covid Expert Panel, Scottish Government Working Groups, PHASS (Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland), HSE and HELA. These all contribute to the collaborative efforts in tackling the Covid pandemic and its impacts. 

These groups give a bridge to my day job. I can safely say, along with many others, that my role as a Service Manager in Environmental Health is nowhere near the same as it was at the start of 2020. Understandably, the focus of the work activity relates to Covid19.  This work continues to evolve as we learn more and move through the Scottish Governments Route Map, and particularly with the recent restrictions announced by the First Minister a couple of days ago on the 22 September.

From the end of February, I have supported and continue to support Fife Council and NHS Fife in their activities to combat Covid through the established forums of Incident Management Teams (IMTs) and associated STAC – Scientific Technical Advisory Cell. This is in addition to work of the working groups, providing advice from an environmental health perspective to various colleagues across the organisations. 

Information for Fife Businesses was published on the Council website and, along with our Trading Standards colleagues, we have undertaken a mix of proactive and reactive interventions with local businesses.

We have provided support for the local NHS Fife Test & Protect Team including through the secondment of Officers. This has proven to be beneficial to both organisations, especially recently due to the reported daily increase in Covid cases. This has resulted in a rapidly increasing workload consisting of NHS led Problem Assessment Groups and/or Incident Management Team Meetings and following up setting referrals. 

Setting referrals are notifications of premises that have been associated with positive cases. When these are received, they are triaged, and officers either follow up remotely or if required with a physical visit. When visiting, officers must follow risk assessments and safe systems of work.

The other work of Environmental Health has not gone away, while some work is currently paused, responding to complaints, concerns and various applications are triaged and actioned accordingly. The upcoming Brexit challenge as the transition period ends at the end of the year is also never far from my mind, and I’m sure this is the same for many others working in Environmental Health.

3.         What are/were the challenges? 

These definitely included technology and the sudden move to home-based working. These have been largely worked through, and the world of virtual meetings is well established with most people and organisations adapting quickly. It now wouldn’t be a meeting if you don’t hear, ‘you are on mute’ and ‘sorry legacy hand’ in a MS Teams meeting.  I have also had very interesting conversations with children of team members and helped celebrate important milestones such as losing teeth and the tooth fairy visiting. I’m sure some just look for an excuse to use their mum’s (or dad’s) laptop, but it does bring some much-needed light hearted moments to the working day.

The major challenge for me is not a new one, but the current pandemic puts a spotlight on it. It is one of resources, and in particular Environmental Health Officers and Food Safety Officers. Before the pandemic, the Institute, the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland and others had been actively looking at solutions. This work is ongoing and will help going forward but unfortunately there is not a 'quick fix'.  It was pleasing to hear the Scottish Government commitment to support local authorities for additional environmental health staff, as referred in the Institute’s statement of 23 September 2020.

4.         Do you think any of these changes will last beyond the pandemic period? 

Changes that I hope will last beyond the pandemic period include the positives that have come out of these unprecedented times.  These include better, quicker collaborative working, improved virtual working and that, for most part, you can work from home. However, for the latter my thoughts is that a more balanced and blended approach is what is needed, to get the benefits of both home working and the work environment,  promoting and maintaining team spirt. 

As an EHO I also hope the improved hand and respiratory hygiene practices stick and become everyday habits for everyone well into the future. 

Tim Lush, Environmental Health Officer at Glasgow City Council, has been working on the Contact Tracing team for NHS Test and Protect. His contribution gives an insight into the role of contact tracing which is becoming more difficult with rise in cases but also increasingly important in combating the pandemic.

1.         Describe your work before the pandemic? 

Before the pandemic is a difficult time to pinpoint, given how the transition was rapid, but gradual.  Before the lockdown I was primarily focusing on food hygiene inspections in the Govanhill area of Glasgow, as well as becoming more involved in the inspection of approved premises.

I recall my last inspection before lockdown was a revisit on 19th March 2020, so four days before lockdown officially commenced.  I remember the date so well because it was Gold Cup Day, and the premises I inspected was described as a ‘sports bar’.  At 11am, this bar could have been any other pub in town at 11pm on a Friday evening.  Even before I entered, I noticed from the outside the condensation forming on the windows.  Inside, there wasn’t even any standing room left, and people pressed up against each other at the bar, waiting for their pint.  I recall holding my breath as I hurried past everyone and straight into the kitchen, and after the inspection asked to exit from the back door to avoid passing the crowd. 

2.         What have you been doing since the pandemic started? 

The first few months post-lockdown were all a blur.  Apart from listening to the radio for news of a potential vaccine, therapeutics, testing capacity, antibody test developments or latest in job retention efforts, work was limited due to the mass lockdown of pubs and restaurants.  There were service requests to be resolved with phone calls, or intelligence being received which I was able to feed into our database.  

Work on a PPE prioritisation programme started once the dust had settled. The idea was to allocate council PPE to different services, based on their risk.  This was at a time where face masks and hand sanitiser were at a premium, with shops limiting how much you could buy, so such a programme was essential.  We managed to achieve this through an excel algorithm, which ensured that those in highest risk jobs were prioritised. 

The call then came for contact tracers, and myself and five others were asked to join the NHS until an initial period ending in September.  

Like any new programme of work there has been a steep learning curve and as the NHS Public Health teams have become more familiar with the work of EHO’s this work has developed.  

Initially, we were contacted by contact tracers, given a case reference number and asked to review a case, with little other information.  Over time, the information shared has developed and this has allowed for more efficient working.  I would find myself on the phone for an hour with a business, verifying what control measures were in place to prevent spread.  During the time I was on the phone, another two cases ‘for review’ would then be sent to me.  For a number of weeks, I was barely finishing before 9pm.  

As cases exponentially rose, more effective means of recording and monitoring relevant data have been implemented.  Most recently, we have been working with the NHS to establish a standard operating procedure, or list of questions, for when a hospitality setting is mentioned and ensuring all those involved in contact tracing receive the appropriate training on the questions to ask.

3.         What are/were the challenges? 

There are inherent challenges with training new staff but this would commonly involve fully trained people training new people.  In this case, the contact tracing system for Covid was new and everyone is learning on the job, while setting up new systems.

The nature of viral infection adds its own challenges, for example, if a person goes for a meal on a Saturday, then develops symptoms on Monday, has a test on Tuesday which returns on Wednesday, then we are already five days down the road by the time a call to that person has been made.

The biggest challenge in Glasgow has been how to handle a mass surge in cases, and this is best done through data analytics, which can then focus our attention.  

While it has been a challenging time, it is interesting to see, and be a part of a new, evolving system.

4.         Do you think any of these changes will last beyond the pandemic period? 

As all involved become more experienced with the systems and more efficient in responses to those receiving a positive result, the process, in relation to establishing and contacting contacts, will be streamlined.

Currently there does not seem an end to the pandemic and I feel, for now, it is just about improving, and everyone becoming efficient with, our procedures in order to limit the spread of the virus.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors have carried out a programme of COVID-secure school spot checks in Scotland regarding the implementation of school reopening guidance.

Since August, a total of 500 schools have been contacted across Scotland to check compliance. To give a representative sample of schools across Scotland, 16 local authorities were selected for the focus of the checks, and a proportionate number of primary schools and secondary schools were selected in each area. In addition, a sample of Additional Support Needs (ASN) schools and independent schools were also contacted. 

Following the initial calls, HSE found around 80% of schools had a good understanding on being COVID-secure. Where levels of compliance were less certain in 100 schools, HSE undertook follow-up site visits.

Using coloured spots to highlight frequency touched points and introducing alternatives to staggered start and stop times were some of the examples of good practice carried out by schools in Scotland to ensure they are COVID-secure.

Harvey Wild, Head of HSE’s Transport and Public Services Unit, said: “In our view the Scottish government’s school reopening guidance was very good quality, and was viewed positively by schools in what can only be described as very challenging circumstances.

“It appeared to be flexible enough to be implemented appropriately in different settings and adapted to local circumstances ensuring most schools we contacted were COVID-secure.

“The majority of schools in Scotland reacted very quickly to implement new measures. For those schools where compliance was less certain, formal spot inspections were carried out by a team of HSE inspectors.

“This enabled the inspectors to go to the schools and see what COVID-secure measures were in place so they could then offer formal advice and guidance where needed.”

All the HSE spot inspections at schools in Scotland were completed by the beginning of October and, based on the inspections undertaken, HSE found no need for any formal interventions requiring improvement. Any areas of concerns were dealt with by verbal advice.

HSE inspectors did find some common areas of concern where schools needed to make changes. This centred around social distancing in staff room areas, cleaning regimes and ventilation in school buildings.

For ventilation, most schools were relying on windows and doors being open for long periods of time and HSE’s feeling was that schools/local authorities may need to conduct a simple risk assessment of fresh air in schools. In light of this the Scottish Government developed further guidance to assist schools – see www.gov.scot

Harvey Wild added: “While highlighting some areas of concern to schools, our inspectors also found some novel and new examples of good practice.

“Regarding social distancing, one primary school had considered replacing the two metre lines to separate teachers from pupils with a painting of a river, to help pupils understand the concept of not crossing it.

“Another school introduced creative alternatives to staggered start and stop times by using multiple exits at the same time. This prevented parents waiting for long periods of time at the school gate.

“These examples show how well most schools have adopted COVID-secure measures, but there can’t be room for complacency. Ensuring a school has measures in place to manage any COVID risks can only benefit the health of the local community they serve.”

For more details on HSE spot checks and inspections visit www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/spot-inspections.htm 

The Scottish Government will ask parliament to delay new regulations on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms by 12 months due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Legislation due to come into effect in February 2021 meant the standard which currently applies to private rented property and new-builds would have been extended to all homes in Scotland.

Due to the practical difficulties likely to be faced by homeowners seeking to make the necessary changes to their homes, the Scottish Government will now seek to move implementation back to February 2022.

Kevin Stewart, Minister for Local Government and Housing, said:

“Fire safety is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government, and we remain committed to implementing these improved regulations, which will mean everyone will benefit from the same level of protection, whether they own their home or rent from a social or private landlord.

“Given the impact of COVID-19, and the difficulties this is likely to create for people seeking to install new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, we have listened to concerns and decided to ask the Scottish Parliament to delay implementation.

“If this delay is approved, we will continue to work with partners to spread awareness of the changes before the new deadline. Our focus will be on supporting householders to ensure satisfactory fire alarms are installed so we can improve the safety of their homes.”

The legal duty on complying with the legislation will rest with local authorities and not with individual householders.

Under the new legislation all home owners and landlords must ensure they have a ceiling-mounted smoke alarms in their living room, hallways and landings.

All kitchens must have a heat alarm and, crucially, the system must be interlinked, either through fixed wiring or a wireless system. This means if one alarm is activated it will trigger the others. 

There must also be a carbon monoxide alarm fitted where there are fixed combustion appliances. 

The Scottish Government will ask parliament to delay new regulations on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms by 12 months due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Legislation due to come into effect in February 2021 meant the standard which currently applies to private rented property and new-builds would have been extended to all homes in Scotland.

Due to the practical difficulties likely to be faced by homeowners seeking to make the necessary changes to their homes, the Scottish Government will now seek to move implementation back to February 2022.

Kevin Stewart, Minister for Local Government and Housing, said:

“Fire safety is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government, and we remain committed to implementing these improved regulations, which will mean everyone will benefit from the same level of protection, whether they own their home or rent from a social or private landlord.

“Given the impact of COVID-19, and the difficulties this is likely to create for people seeking to install new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, we have listened to concerns and decided to ask the Scottish Parliament to delay implementation.

“If this delay is approved, we will continue to work with partners to spread awareness of the changes before the new deadline. Our focus will be on supporting householders to ensure satisfactory fire alarms are installed so we can improve the safety of their homes.”

The legal duty on complying with the legislation will rest with local authorities and not with individual householders.

Under the new legislation all home owners and landlords must ensure they have a ceiling-mounted smoke alarms in their living room, hallways and landings.

All kitchens must have a heat alarm and, crucially, the system must be interlinked, either through fixed wiring or a wireless system. This means if one alarm is activated it will trigger the others. 

There must also be a carbon monoxide alarm fitted where there are fixed combustion appliances. 

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has opened a public consultation on its proposals for its new strategy for 2021-26.

The draft strategy is titled ‘Protecting Scotland in a Changing Food Environment’, and identifies FSS’s proposed key priorities for the next five years.

The proposals in the strategy sets out how FSS would intend to deliver these priorities, taking account of the external factors that will have an influence on its future role in the food and public health landscape, including EU Exit and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The consultation runs until Friday 18 December 2020 and seeks views on FSS’s ambition for Scotland’s food environment and its proposed approach for delivering the new strategy, focussing on five aspirational outcomes:

·       Food is Safe and Authentic

·       Consumers in Scotland have Healthier Diets

·       Responsible Food Businesses are Enabled to Thrive

·       Consumers in Scotland are Empowered to Make Positive Choices about Food

·       FSS is a Trusted Organisation

Representatives from Government, local authorities, the food and drink industry, research and academia, as well as members of the public, are all being encouraged to have their say on Scotland’s food future by taking part in the consultation, and providing feedback on FSS’s goals over the next five years.

Responses will be used to review the current draft. FSS’s aim is that the final version will be framed around a high level vision and a mission statement. It will also outline FSS's purpose, ambition and how it will deliver its priorities to protect the health and well-being of everyone in Scotland. The Strategy will be published in April 2021.

Take part in Food Standards Scotland’s Future Strategy to 2026 public consultation.

FSS have issued precautionary advice on cooking processed chicken products following a link to UK cases of salmonella

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Public Health Scotland (PHS) are reminding consumers to take care when handling and cooking chicken products at home.  

The move comes as both organisations are involved in a multi-agency investigation into a suspected rise in cases of salmonella linked to processed chicken products, which has resulted in two UK product recalls.

Since January 2020, there have been 390 cases of Salmonellosis across the UK, caused by two strains of Salmonella Enteritidis linked to frozen, raw, breaded chicken products – 32 of which have been confirmed in Scotland.

FSS advice is that people do not need to make changes to the food they purchase, but they should always follow good hygiene practices to help reduce the risk of food poisoning when preparing items including chicken nuggets, goujons, dippers, poppers and kievs.

FSS Deputy Chief Executive, Ian McWatt, said:

“While the numbers of cases in Scotland related to this outbreak are relatively low, we felt it important to remind people that they should always check and follow the cooking instructions on food packaging, as different brands of the same product may have different preparation processes.  Cooking food at the right temperature and for the correct length of time will generally ensure that any harmful bacteria are killed.”

Top food hygiene tips include:

·       Always carefully check the advice on food packaging and following the cooking instructions provided

·       If the packaging advises the product should be thawed/defrosted before cooking, follow the instructions

·       Consume or freeze food by its use-by date

·       Wash your hands after touching raw chicken products and before you handle ready-to-eat food

·       Avoid cross-contamination by cleaning any surface, plate or utensil that has been in contact with raw meat

Salmonella is a common bacteria that can cause food poisoning, which can make people ill for up to three weeks.  Salmonella is found in raw meat, undercooked poultry and unpasteurised milk.  Inadequate cooking and cross-contamination in the kitchen during food preparation can lead to salmonella causing diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and stomach pains.

However, the amount of food poisoning that occurs in comparison to the amount of processed chicken eaten is very small.

Young children, the elderly and people whose immune systems are not working properly have a greater risk of becoming severely ill with food poisoning caused by salmonella.

·       Read the FSS guidance on salmonella

·       Symptoms and treatment of salmonella – information from the NHS

The following recalls are potentially linked to this salmonella outbreak:

·       Aldi recalls Roosters Southern Fried Poppin’ Chicken and Roosters Breaded Poppin' Chicken because of the possible presence of salmonella

·       Iceland recalls Chip Shop Curry Chicken Breast Toppers and Southern Fried Chicken Popsters because of the presence of salmonella

On Thursday 15 October the First Minister’s statement announced that from Monday 19 October face coverings must be worn in all communal areas in indoor workplaces, where people mingle or gather (except where exemptions apply such as where measures are in place to keep persons separated).

Face coverings must be worn in all communal areas in indoor workplaces, where people mingle or gather (except where exemptions apply, such as where measures are in place to keep persons separated).

Please find below more details on how this will apply for agriculture, horticulture and rural businesses across Scotland.

This rule only applies indoors, such as communal areas in workplaces that are substantially or fully enclosed, i.e. if the walls and sides create an area that is more than 50% fully enclosed.  People responsible for relevant premises should take reasonable steps to promote compliance with the law, so if you are an owner of the business or employer, you should consider if any of your buildings constitute an indoor environment, and assist users of that space to be aware of their obligation to wear a face covering there, unless an exemption applies.  Exemptions include where measures have been taken to ensure the legally required separation in that area of the workplace, or when a person is undertaking tasks in the course of their employment where the wearing of a face covering would cause a material risk of harm, such as handling large unpredictable livestock.  Please find a link to the published regulations for further information here.  

Face coverings must be worn in staff canteens, except when seated at a table or eating and drinking.

The use of face coverings should already be part of COVID-19 contingency planning measures being undertaken by agricultural, horticulture and rural businesses across Scotland.