Legal Q&A - with Venners
The right way to put out a small fire
Q We had a small fire in our kitchen last week and the chef managed to extinguish it using the fire extinguisher. I told him that as it was small and on top of the gas ring he should have used the fire blanket first. What do you think?
A It depends on what was actually burning - if it was hot oils then a fire blanket or a wet chemical extinguisher works best. Remember, if you don't have oxygen, fuel or ignition (the fire triangle) you can't have a fire. By using the blanket you are trying to eliminate the air/oxygen which can be very effective with small fires.
In any event the chef did what he thought was right and got the fire out but it could have been a disaster if it was an oil fire and he had tired to use a water-based fire extinguisher. Fire training for staff is all important.
Are nuts in bowls a food safety risk?
Q I have just finished a job as relief manager in a pub while the licensee was on holidays. The pub sells peanuts in bowls having dispersed them from a large jar. Is this acceptable and are any there any regulations that should be considered?
A Guidelines and regulations are not so hard and fast, but you do have a responsibility to your customers.
The thing that concerns me most is the number of hands going into that bowl. If the nuts are sold to individuals and the bowls are personal this is best for both hygiene and profit. But if the bowls are made widely available to the public there is real cause for concern: (a) it is very likely that at least some hands are dirty and these could potentially contaminate the nuts for everyone and (b) there is little to no profit apart from the occasionally thirstier customer in it for the pub.
Must I offer baby-changing facilities?
Q At present we are starting to see more families in the pub but we don't have any baby-changing facilities as we have very little room to put them in. This has led to a couple of guests changing their child on a mat on the floor though thankfully most have been able to do this outside given the good weather of late. What should I be doing?
A From everybody's point of view the area in which this necessary task is done needs to be discreet.
If you wish to cater to families I suggest you talk to some suppliers about facility options, they may surprise you.
You should ensure that the items in need of disposing are disposed of appropriately - either bagged and put outside into your waste bins immediately (which most reasonable customers will do) or bagged and put into specifically designed bins should you choose to go down that path. Of course you should provide adequate hand-washing facilities for all.
