What powers do authorised officers have?
A6 Authorised officers have wide powers. They have the right to enter and inspect food premises at all reasonable hours and can take samples, photographs, and inspect records. They may write to you informally asking you to put right any problems they find. They can detain or seize suspect foods including imported foods. Where breaches of the law are identified that must be put right they can serve Hygiene Improvement Notices. In serious cases they may decide to recommend a prosecution and if the prosecution is successful, the Court may impose prohibitions on processes and the use of premises or equipment, fines and possibly imprisonment of the proprietor. If there is an immediate health risk to customers, inspectors can serve a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice which forbids the use of the premises, processes or equipment. Top of page.
A10. Authorised officers have wide powers. Amongst these is the right to enter and inspect businesses at all reasonable hours and can take samples, photographs, and inspect records. They may write to you informally asking you to put right any problems they find. Where breaches of the law are identified that must be put right they can serve Improvement Notices. In serious cases they may decide to recommend a prosecution. If there is an immediate risk to employees or others, inspectors can serve a Prohibition Notice which forbids the use of the premises, equipment etc.
