Vulnerable age

All ages

Related hazards

Hot surfaces, Fire, Electrical hazards

Multiple locations

Secondary hazards

A) Kitchen sink and shelf

DESCRIPTION OF HAZARDS

Rear elevation

Cooker socket

Twin socket

Kitchen table

Dwelling:

2 bedroomed 1960s purpose-built flat

Background: This is a second floor, 2 bedroomed flat in a block with balcony access built in the

late 1960s. The kitchen is located behind a small private balcony.

Kitchen amenities: The small kitchen measures 2.4 wide by 2.2 metres in depth. A Belfast sink,

that is cracked, chipped and crazed, is supported by wall brackets and metal front legs, is

positioned under the centre of the window. The sink is supplied with hot and cold water and has

worn and scoured wooden drainers on either side. Located adjacent to the left hand draining board

is a freestanding electric cooker. The space for the refrigerator is located in the opposite corner.

There is a worktop high 300mm deep shelf along one side wall and a low kitchen table. A 1000mm

wide wall unit on the other side wall is the only storage unit provided.

LIST OF RELEVANT MATTERS

LIKELIHOOD & OUTCOMES

A

A

a

Food storage facilities

-

l

Disrepair to cooking facilities

-

b

Impervious surfaces

3

m

Space for cooking facilities

-

c

Disrepair to storage facilities

-

n

Kitchen floor

-

d

Space for fridge and freezer

-

o

Walls and ceilings

-

e

Power sockets

2

p

Impervious finishes

1

f

Sink provision

-

q

Defective seal

-

g

Drainer to sink

3

r

Kitchen lighting

-

h

Kitchen worktops

2

s

Ventilation

-

I

Disrepair

3

j

Provision for cooking

-

Key

3

Seriously defective 1 Not satisfactory

k

Size of cooking facilities

-

2

Defective

- Satisfactory/NA

Yes

Yes

HHSRS VERSION 2

SEPTEMBER 2004

HHSRS VERSION 2

FOOD SAFETY

No

No

IMPROVE

Justification

NEW RATING

Av: Nos

Likelihood to

1 in 3,200

Outcomes to

0.0

2.2 21.5 76.3 %

Improving the facilities for the preparation of food and the amount of storage could be

achieved by removing the wall cabinet and resiting the cooker near the middle of the

adjacent side wall and installing fitted kitchen units with worktops either side. The sink

and drainers could also be replaced with a modern sink fitted above a new sink unit

providing further storage cupboards below the sink and drainer. This would reduce the

rating to average.

Improved

A B C D E F G H

I

J

Average likelihood, outcomes and HHSRS score for hazards associated with food safety

for all persons in 1946-79 dwellings not in multiple occupation, 1997-99

Score

2

HHSRS VERSION 2

SEPTEMBER 2004

HEALTH AND SAFETY RATING SYSTEM SCORES

1946-79 Purpose-built Flat

LIKELIHOOD

1 in

10

Low

High

Average: 5,730

Example

10

< 4200 2400 1300 750 420 240 130

75

42

24

13

7.5

4

2.5

1.5 >

Justification

OUTCOMES

Class I

Class II

Class III

Class IV

Justification

RATING

The only impervious work surface at normal worktop height is given by the narrow shelf

along the right hand wall of the kitchen. Given the inconvience of preparing food on this

shelf or on the low kitchen table, it is likely that one of the large worn wooden drainers

will be used for this purpose and, with its badly worn surface, this could lead to the

cross-contamination of cooked and uncooked foods. The lack of proper worktops is

further exacerbated by the general lack of storage space in this kitchen.

%

Average: 0.0

0.0

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 2.0

2.2

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 22.0

21.5

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 76.0

76.3

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

0.0

2.2

21.5

76.3

Although the size of the kitchen and poor facilities increases the risk of food poisoning

occuring in this dwelling, the health outcomes from any such illness are likely to remain

average.

Average: 2

A B C

E F G H

I

J

D+

941

Score

RATING SCORES AFTER IMPROVEMENT