There are real dangers involved in dealing with food, animals, plants and cooking equipment. Sensible precautions should always be taken. Most of these are common sense. Each school or Local Education Authority will have its own health and safety policy, but these guidelines are a reminder of the particular issues associated with food.

General health and safety guidelines

• Make sure there is direct adult supervision of activities involving food, animals or plants.
  
• Discuss health and safety issues with pupils and any adult helpers.
  
• Adult supervisors should provide good examples of safe behaviour and not take short cuts.
  
• Make sure you have a first aid kit and someone who knows how to use it.
  
• Make sure everyone washes their hands properly.
  
• Ensure that your school's insurance covers your activities.

Food and cooking

• Wipe down surfaces with multi-purpose cleaner and clean cloths.
  
• Store dry foods in a separate, clean, dry cupboard. Keep food that needs refrigeration in the fridge. Keep food for eating separate from foodstuffs used in science.
  
• Check use-by dates.
  
• Wash or peel fresh fruit and vegetables.
  
• Make space for food work. Remove bags, coats, books and chairs from the area.
  
• Wear aprons, tie hair back, and roll up sleeves. Remove jewellery from hands and cover cuts with (ideally blue) waterproof dressings.
  
• Avoid sneezing and coughing over food, or touching hair, eyes or mouth while cooking.
  
• Keep raw and cooked foods separate and use separate chopping boards and utensils.
  
• Don't let children share utensils or portions of food.
  
• Be aware of food allergies.
  
• Do not take part in food work if you have a cough, cold or stomach upset.
  
• Ensure that all equipment is safe and be careful with hot pans, steam, sharp knives and electrical equipment.
  
• Ensure cooked food is cooked through.
  
• If you are setting up a new food enterprise such as a tuck shop or breakfast club you should inform your local environmental health department.

On the farm

• Only eat in designated areas.
  
• Wear sturdy shoes or wellington boots.
  
• Cover cuts and grazes with a waterproof dressing.
  
• Don't kiss animals.
  
• Wash hands after touching animals, before eating and again before you leave the farm.
  
• Do not suck hands, pens, pencils etc.
  
• Do not taste animal food.
  
• Clean or change footwear after leaving.
  
• Do not pick up tools unless permitted to.
  
• Do not climb on walls.
  
• Approach animals quietly. Do not touch them without permission.
  
• Listen carefully.
  
• If a member of the group has sickness or diarrhoea after the visit, advise their parent/guardian to visit the doctor and explain they recently visited a farm.
  
• Women who are pregnant or may be pregnant should avoid contact with pregnant ewes or lambs.
  
• Be aware of hayfever and asthma as pollen and dust may aggravate these conditions.

Growing

• Provide protective gloves and aprons.
  
• Wash pots or containers in hot water and washing up liquid and dry them.
  
• Make sure that soil and compost is not spilt in other areas of the classroom.
  
• Make sure that you do not use plants that are known allergens or are poisonous (see box).
  
• If you use them, make sure that chemicals such as fertilizers, weedkillers and pesticides are stored in a locked cupboard and only handled under supervision.
  
• Wash hands thoroughly after handling plants and growing materials.

Common poisonous plants Black Bryony Black Nightshade Caster Oil seeds Cuckoo Pint Deadly Nightshade Giant Hogweed Hemlock Henbane Holly Laburnum Mountain Ash seeds Privet Ragwort Red kidney beans (except when cooked) Spindle-tree Tomato (except fruits) White Bryony Woody nightshade. Yew

More Information British Nutrition Foundation has produced a number of cards, posters and power point presentations on food safety issues. Visit www.nutrition.org.uk (see: education and teacher centre section), or call 020 7404 6504. Chartered Institute of Environmental Health provides a list of colleges which provide courses in health and safety and food hygiene. Visit www.cieh.org, or call 020 7928 6006. The Food and Drink Federation's Foodlink programme produces a range of posters and leaflets on food safety and supports National Food Safety Week. Visit www.foodlink.org.uk, email foodlink@fdf.org.uk, or call 020 7379 0481. The Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene provides details of local training centres for food hygiene. Visit www.riphh.org.uk, or call 020 7580 2731.