Right Directions launches food safety manual

Health and safety and quality management expert, Right Directions, has launched a Food Safety Manual, making the task of managing onsite food and beverage simpler for leisure operators.

The comprehensive document, which advises on everything from food safety and the law to the specifics of thawing frozen food, has been assured by Environmental Health Officers (EHO) at South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) under its Primary Authority partnership with Right Directions.

This government legislation makes it easier for businesses that operate in more than one local authority area by enabling them to seek regulatory advice from a single source, in this case Right Directions. The regulated advice can then be applied to all their facilities, no matter where they are located; so facilities anywhere in the country can now implement the manual to guide their food safety operations with confidence.

Gill Twell is Head of Development at Right Directions, which also delivers Sport England’s Quest quality scheme, ukactive’s Code of Practice, the Activity Alliance’s IFI Mark and accreditation for the Swim England’s Learn to Swim Pathway.  She says:  “Food and beverage is an area where leisure operators have traditionally fallen down. Sport England’s National Benchmarking Service 2017 report ranks value for money of food and drink at the bottom of the satisfaction scores, despite it typically being the main source of secondary income in NBS facilities. So raising standards and adding consistency to what customers can expect should be a priority.

“With our Food Safety Manual now assured, Right Directions is ideally placed to support operators with compliance in all areas of food health and safety, providing consistent advice that businesses can rely upon.”

Simpler than an off the shelf food manual, Right Directions’ guide has been written specifically for frontline staff and management teams within leisure operations.  It follows the Plan, Do, Check and Act approach of the HSE effective arrangement process which Right Directions’ other health and safety manuals are all moderated on. Thus making it easy for staff to identify the areas they need to implement on a daily basis.

“Much of the information within an off the shelf product wouldn’t be relevant to leisure operators as the manuals have to cover the activities of everyone from a mobile catering van to a five star restaurant,” continues Twell.  “We have written this specifically with the hazards and risks associated with leisure facilities in mind, which includes staff doing multiple roles, who may be a lifeguard on Monday and Tuesday, but catering staff on Wednesday and Thursday.  Being the same format as our other Quality Management System Manuals means they can just pick it up and run with it.”

Whether you’re running a full cafe service or simply vending machines, Right Directions’ Food Safety Manual has it covered with general advice on food safety policies, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), food safety training and food safety and the law.  The manual also includes detailed pointers on hygiene, poisoning and contamination, deliveries and stock control, storage, temperature control and frozen food, as well as offering guidance on cleaning, pest and waste control and food allergens and complaints.