Mosman Municipal Council

Environment

• Environmental management
• CEC
• Trees
• Bushland and Biodiversity
• Pests and Weeds
• Gardening
• Coastal and Marine
• Water Management
• Ecologically Sustainable Living
• Atmospheric Environment
• Food Safety
  • Mosman Council's food safety program
  • Legislation and Standards
  • Scores on Doors
  • Management of your food premises
  • Food safety supervisors
  • Requirements for new premises
  • Temporary food stalls
  • Making a complaint
  • Food safety information for businesses
  • Food handler seminars
  • Helpful hints for consumers
• Public Health
• Noise

‘Scores on Doors’ is a system that allows the public to view a scorecard which rates a food business’s compliance with food safety and hygiene requirements. It is being run by the NSW Food Authority in partnership with local councils.

The scorecard is issued by Mosman Council following an inspection by the Environmental Health Officer (EHO). The score is in the form of a grade.

A – Excellent
B – Very Good
C – Acceptable
P – Pending

‘Scores on Doors’ pilot program

Mosman Council has volunteered to take part in a pilot of ‘Scores on Doors’, which will run from 1 July to 31 December 2010.

You can volunteer to participate in the pilot by contacting Mosman Council’s Senior Environment Health Officer, Adrian Finati on 9978 4187.

‘Scores on Doors’ will be a good advertisement for businesses that comply with food safety legislation. Good food hygiene means a good score, and a good score is good for business.

What businesses can participate?

The system will only apply to restaurants, cafés, takeaway shops, bakeries, pubs, clubs and hotels.

How can you participate?

Volunteer businesses sign a written agreement with Mosman Council for the full six (6) months of the pilot.

How will your grade be determined?

Your grade is based on your level of compliance with food safety legislation at the time of your routine unannounced inspection by your local council EHO. Your grade will be generated after assessing your food business against criteria outlined on a standardised assessment report. Points will be accumulated for non-compliance. The lower the number of points the better the grade.

The unannounced inspection will cover (but is not limited to):

• food handling controls — safe receipt, storage, preparation and display of food, temperature control and avoidance of cross contamination
• health and hygiene of food handlers
• cleaning, sanitation and pest control throughout the premises
• design and construction of the premises

What are the grades?

Grade	Points	Definition
A	0-3	Excellent – the top grade means that you have achieved the highest standard of compliance with food safety legislation.
B	4-8	Good – means you have achieved a good level of compliance with food safety legislation.
C	9-15	Acceptable – means you are compliant with food safety legislation. More effort required to meet all requirements with food safety legislation.
P	16+	Pending status – means the food business does not comply with food safety legislation. Follow up action by the EHO is required.

Businesses will be re-inspected within three months of any compliance action being rectified to re-determine the grade.

Displaying your grade

Within seven (7) days of your inspection, Council will issue you with a scorecard that displays the grade you received. Under the agreement signed between you and your council you are obliged to display the scorecard for the whole period of the agreement.

The scorecard for the current grade must be displayed at each public entrance of your business. The scorecard remains the property of NSW Food Authority and Council.

Can you seek review?

Food businesses may seek review of their grade within seven (7) days of receiving the scorecard.

The appeal must be made in writing to Council. In the appeal, the proprietors must specify what non-compliance they wish to appeal, and the mitigating circumstances that may have resulted in the non-compliance.

What should you be doing now?

Look at your last food hygiene inspection report to check that you have taken all of the actions needed to ensure that you meet food safety legislative requirements. If you cannot find your last report, contact Mosman Council and ask for a copy.

Make sure that you and your staff continue to comply fully with all aspects of food safety legislation.

What information will consumers receive?

Information on the NSW Food Authority and Council’s websites will explain what the ‘Scores on Doors’ system is and what the grades A, B, C, and P mean. Customer information cards will be made available for participating businesses to display and distribute.

Where can you find out more information?

For further information on ‘Scores on Doors’, contact Mosman Council’s Senior Environment Health Officer, Adrian Finati on 9978 4187, or the NSW Food Authority:

Website: www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au
Helpline: 1300 552 406
Email: contact@foodauthority.nsw.gov.au