Food Standard Scotland’s guidance on COVID-19 for food businesses was first published in April 2020, and has been continually updated since then to take account of new evidence, changes to public health advice and the introduction of mandatory mitigation measures needed to control the spread of the virus.
With the arrival of the new Omicron variant, businesses should strengthen compliance with current protection measures and make an extra effort to do so from now through the festive period and beyond.
Since movement beyond level 0, food businesses have been following a baseline set of mitigation measures that was retained across all sectors. With the arrival of the new variant, food businesses are being referred to the updated Scottish Government’s general safer workplaces guidance which aims to further support businesses in controlling the risks of COVID-19. This guidance is for all businesses and workplaces and provides advice on measures that should be taken to reduce risk and create a safe environment for customers and staff.
To assist food businesses in translating the measures in the Scottish Government safer workplaces guidance, FSS has produced a risk assessment tool which will support FBOs in identifying and documenting the actions they need to take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, whilst maintaining an effective Food Safety Management System (FSMS). The tool provides a way of allowing all FBOs to document the measures they have taken, and demonstrate that these are being maintained on an on-going basis to ensure their staff and customers are protected from the risks of COVID-19.
FSS has also produced guidance for FBOs on the investigation of COVID-19 outbreaks. This has been developed in collaboration with Public Health Scotland (PHS) which aims to help food businesses understand how decisions will be taken when an outbreak of COVID-19 is identified in their workforce. This guidance is split into two main sections which describes what FBOs are expected to know in relation to controlling COVID-19 in the workplace, and how to prepare for an IMT.
This guidance package is essential for all food businesses operating throughout the current stage of the pandemic. Using the resources supplied by FSS and Scottish Government will also support FBOs in engaging with their employees on the management of COVID-19 risks to ensure a safe working environment, in accordance with the joint statement on ‘fair work expectations during the transition out of lockdown’ signed by The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work & Culture, CoSLA, the Institute of Directors and Scottish Council for Development & Industry, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and the STUC. All employers are asked to reflect on and act in accordance with the Statement as the economy re-opens and to help progress the ambition shared by the Scottish Government and the Fair Work Convention for Scotland to become a Fair Work Nation.
It is important to note that this guidance package will continue to be reviewed regularly in line with Scottish Government’s review of COVID-19 restrictions, as well as emerging evidence and any further changes to public health advice.
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