Risk Assessment Criteria

Food premises are assessed each year to determine what risk category they fall into.  The main purpose of this risk assessment is to determine the number of times the premise must be inspected by a Public Health Inspector each year.

High Risk

Premises which prepare hazardous foods and meet at least one of the following criteria:

1.                  Serve a high-risk population based on age or medical condition.

2.                  Use processes involving MANY preparation steps and foods frequently implicated as the cause of food-borne illnesses.

Examples:         Nursing Homes, homes for the aged, hospitals, residential facilities, full menu day nurseries, full menu restaurants and large catering operations

Medium Risk

Premises which meet one or more of the following criteria:

1.                  Prepare hazardous foods without meeting criteria for high risk

2.                  Prepare non- hazardous foods, which are subject to extensive handling or are prepared in high volume

Examples:         Fast food restaurants, submarine shops, pizza shops, bakeries

Low Risk

Premises which do not prepare hazardous foods but meet one or more of the following criteria:

1.      Serve pre-packaged hazardous food.

2.      Prepare and/or serve non hazardous foods, without meeting the criteria for medium risk

3.      A food storage facility.

Examples:         Food stores, food banks, catering vehicles, milk depot and bars