Thoughts on Food Safety Breech

Had my daughters graduation ceremony the other night. It started early, so kids were starving when it finished, after only a quick bite to eat before it. On the way home called in to the local H......y ......s store for a bit of horrid junk food. Terrible service, but............. there was a young worker walking around painting the entire ceiling with an extension roller. Painting behind the counter the entire food preparation area, whilst our food was being prepared. Another woman was taking a lot of photos catching good evidence of the kid painting whilst food was being prepared underneath him. Now I know we should have walked out, but we didn't.

I rang our shire and reported what I consider to be a breech of food safety preparation, and the health inspector rang me back several hours later. Think this man had an attitude issue and have to wonder about his ethics. He said he had been there, spoken to them and they stated they had painted the outside garage door only. His tone to me sounded like he actually believed them, I mentioned there was a woman with photos, and given that was actual proof of it occuring surely they deserved more then the warning he stated he gave them. He asked me again was it in a food preparation area and I told him it was, and I really think he did not believe me.

Now this woman has just actually been elected to the local shire as a Councillor, so I rang her and told her what this health inspector had told me. She had not contacted them as she was going to get the IT guys at her work to assist her to download the photos from her phone. She is going to contact me and inform me how she goes when she reports it.

Sorry this is so long. I was just wondering on your thoughts, do you think just a warning and guidelines they were given is sufficient for them painting above a food preparation area? It did occur at nearly 10 pm, so guess they thought, quite time it may not be noticed. I think it is disgusting and think they should at least have be fined for such a breach.
 
I live in China,

I wish that was the only thing they were doing near my food, as opposed to smoking, using the toilet, spitting on the ground or keeping livestock.

I don't think I would have eaten there had they been painting, but most of the food is coverred, as it is in the warmer when it is being served, were they actually painting out the back, or were they doing it at the counter?

It seems that there are food safety issues as well as OH&S, imagine if someone had of fallen off a ladder and put their hand onto a hot grill or something.
 
Imagine if someone had of fallen off a ladder and put their hand onto a hot grill or something.

Yeah that might have tasted even worse than paint.

I'd stick with it Deena; that kind of behaviour shouldn't be tolerated. I'll be interested to hear what comes of it.
 
For a first offence a warning is probably the usual course of action, particularly as it was their word against yours.

Surely you would not have eaten there if you actually saw food being contaminated?
Marg
 
Yes I am ashamed to say we still ate the food.

No ladder involved, just this boy walking around with the extension handle to the paint roller painting all of the ceiling behind the counter.

Still to hear back from the woman who has the photos, will let you know when I know.
 
OK here goes....sad to say but generally a report like, the result is usually only a 'warning'....if there's a history of unsafe food practices then an expiation may be warranted (i'm a health inspector :eek:). The philosophy of the Councils i've worked for is that its better to educate them than slap them with a fine. Now like i said if it were a 2nd, 3rd or 4th offence then expiations are supported but generally not with something like this. It does concern me that the guys lied about it indicating they probably knew it wasn't the smartest thing to be doing!

We'd get complaints of all sorts like pieces of cleaning scourer in food, parts of an insect/pest baked into goods, blood in ice blocks, claims of a chef placing his own semen in food to be served etc....you name it we've heard it but unless it truley posed a risk to public health (actual risk for eg. is high counts of salmonella or campylobacter in food or high risk foods being left for extended periods of time not under temperature control etc) then education was the preferred action.

A complaint is good because at least that goes on their record so any future complaints may actually result in an expiation.
 
sounds like a franchise hiring backpackers.

no offence geoff.

I won't take offence because I'm sure this would not in any Subway store. At least Subway regulations prohibit it.

Subway has inspectors coming in once a month to ensure all standards are followed. A Subway store which does not follow standards can have its franchise removed.

Subway standards are often a lot more strict than health regulations. We had our local store inspected by ACT Health last week and it passed with flying colours.
 
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