Is food safety and hygiene relevant to my business?

Written by Julie Taylor, Health and Safety Consultant, SafeWorkforce

The simple answer to this question is yes.

Food Safety and Hygiene (FSH) legislation is, of course, aimed at businesses who handle food for end users directly. And while traditional FSH training is a legal requirement for those who prepare, serve or store food for customers, it doesn’t mean other sectors are off the hook completely.

Even if your business doesn’t handle food directly, FSH still plays an essential role in supporting the health and wellbeing of your team. If you operate in a non-food industry and have a central workspace or office, chances are you offer kitchen or canteen facilities. And it’s in those shared eating areas that small hygiene lapses can quietly become big problems.

What the law says

While you may consider that FSH legislation doesn’t apply to you, but the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 apply to all businesses, and section 9 (1) and (3) state:

• (1) Every workplace and the furniture, furnishings and fittings therein shall be kept sufficiently clean.
• (3) So far as is reasonably practicable, waste materials shall not be allowed to accumulate in a workplace except in suitable receptacles.

Section 25 (2)(b) of the same regulation states:

• (b)include suitable facilities to eat meals where food eaten in the workplace would otherwise be likely to become contaminated.

Also, in its Welfare at Work leaflet (INDG293 rev1), the Health and Safety Executive reminds employers:

“There should be a suitable seating area for workers to use during breaks – it needs to be clean and located where food will not get contaminated. There should be washing facilities nearby, and a means of heating food or water for hot drinks. You must maintain good hygiene standards.”

So, if your canteen or kitchen area is seen as a place where food contamination is likely, your business could be breaching hygiene regulations and not even realise it.

Why small businesses should care about FSH

If hygiene in your canteen or break areas slips, the cost can show up fast:

• Frequent staff sickness: Upset stomachs, diarrhoea, and other illnesses may be linked to poor hygiene in shared eating areas.
• Contamination risks: One person not washing hands or entering in dusty boots can contaminate surfaces used by everyone.
• Business impact: Sick days add up, lowering productivity, increasing costs, and affecting team morale.

It only takes one person bringing bacteria in on their hands, clothes or shoes to spread contamination across shared surfaces. Hygiene in eating areas is not optional, it’s a frontline defence against illness.

Everyday hygiene risks you might be missing

A number of everyday hygiene issues are often seen in workplace canteens, or break areas, issues that often go unnoticed but can carry serious consequences.

Examples included:

• Tables, sinks, and worktops left uncleaned after use
• Spilled milk remaining on surfaces
• Teabags and food scraps landing on the floor instead of in the bin
• Staff skipping handwashing before eating or after using the toilet
• Dust-covered boots and overalls being worn into eating areas

These behaviours are surprisingly common in non-food businesses, where food safety isn’t always front of mind. But just because they’re “normal,” doesn’t mean they’re safe.

Are you serving food without realising?

There are other areas you might not think about, but they still count. Take a moment to consider what you’re actually providing to your team or visitors:

• Do you provide milk for staff to use in tea or coffee?
• Is that same milk offered to visitors or guests?
• Do you host meetings where lunch is provided?

If the answer to any of these is yes, then you’re supplying food to end users, and FSH regulations apply. That includes how food is stored, handled, and served.

Milk, for example, is a key item to be aware of. It’s one of the UK’s 14 major allergens. If it’s not stored correctly or if procedures aren’t in place to keep it safe, you could be risking more than just a spoiled brew.

It’s time to ask: “Do we have proper checks and procedures in place for the food we provide, even if it’s just a splash of milk or a tray of sandwiches for a meeting?”

Even simple offerings can carry serious responsibilities.

Quick wins for boosting hygiene standards

We’re not suggesting that every non-food business delivers full FSH training to its team. But we are recommending small, practical steps that make a real difference.

Promote good hygiene it where it counts

A simple handwashing poster in the canteen or toilets serves as a daily reminder of personal hygiene, no training session required.

Stay informed

Spending just a few minutes checking the Food Standards Agency website for recalls and updates can help protect your staff. Print off relevant info and pop it on the noticeboard or in the break area. It’s quick, easy, and shows you’re taking hygiene seriously.

These tiny actions could help cut down foodborne illness and reduce absenteeism, without adding hours to anyone’s day.

A clean break area isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a regulatory requirement. Let’s make hygiene visible, practical, and easy to act on.

When in doubt, ask an expert

If you’re ever unsure about what applies to your business, don’t guess, ask. Food hygiene and workplace safety standards can be complex, but support is always available.

That’s exactly what SafeWorkforce is here for.

Whether it’s guidance, documentation, or just a quick question, we’re ready to help you make your workplace the safest it can be.