Don’t let the sun stop common sense

There is nothing quite so special as a good British Summer. It is the season for BBQ’s, summer fayres and outdoor living. Whilst this is a great time to have fun, we can’t put away our Safety hats, just because the sun is shining.

If you’re planning a summer event, make sure that any attractions you’re offering are run by responsible persons and that risk assessments have been carried out. The HSE produce a useful guide to help people organising events, http://www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/

With Summer outdoor events, comes food – BBQ’s and the accompanying salads. Also, with Summer, comes a spike in cases of food poisoning. Typical causes of food poisoning from BBQ’s include:

• Cross contamination, the same tongs used for both raw and cooked food or not washing hands after handling raw meat
• Not cooking food all the way through
• Leaving food at ambient for long periods of time
• Not washing salads thoroughly in clean water

So, make sure you or your staff are taking steps to address these key areas. It is highly recommended that any staff cooking on a BBQ hold a minimum of a Level 2 Food Safety certificate – if you need additional staff trained at short notice, please get in touch and I’ll do my best to help.
But it isn’t just food safety which presents a summer threat; on the 1^st of July 2018, a 3-year-old child tragically died after being thrown from a bouncy castle that exploded. This is not the first bouncy castle death, with two people recently being sentenced to 3 years in prison each following the death of a 7-year-old girl two years ago. In this case the bouncy castle tore free from it’s moorings and tumbled 300 metres with the child still inside the inflatable. What seems like innocent fun can go horribly wrong if simple Health & Safety measures aren’t taken.

And don’t forget your outside event staff, you also need to keep them safe from exposure to heat and sunshine. Consider:

• Encourage staff to wear sun cream
• Ensure that they keep covered, maybe you can provide sun hats or caps
• Ensure they take regular breaks in shaded areas
• Ensure that they keep well hydrated by drinking water and make sure water is easily available to them

As long as we continue to consider the food safety and health & safety risks associated with events, we can get on and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

I do hope everyone has a wonderful Summer and if I can be of any assistance offering Food Safety training, consultancy advice or Health & Safety training, do contact me.