EHO inspection checklist
Free PDF, no sign-upWhat an Environmental Health Officer usually looks at during a food hygiene inspection, so you can check it yourself first. Print it, or run it on your phone.
Your food hygiene rating looks at three things: how hygienically food is handled, the condition of the premises, and how you manage food safety, including your records. In Scotland, inspections give a Pass or Improvement Required result.
Marigold Kitchen, 14 Call Lane, Leeds LS1 6DT
Prepared by Daniel Reid
Food handling
Yes / No / Action
- Raw and ready-to-eat food kept apart in storage and prep
- Fridges at 8 °C or below (aim for 5 °C), freezers at −18 °C or colder
- Food cooked or reheated until steaming hot all the way through
- Hot food held at 63 °C or above
- Food cooled and in the fridge within 90 minutes
- Food covered, labelled and dated
- Nothing past its use-by date
- Separate boards and utensils for raw and ready-to-eat food
- Allergen information accurate and easy for staff to find
Premises
Yes / No / Action
- Walls, floors and ceilings clean and in good repair
- Handwash basins with hot water, soap and paper towels, used only for handwashing
- Separate sink for food or equipment
- Good lighting and ventilation
- No signs of pests, gaps sealed, pest control visits recorded
- Bins lidded, emptied and clean
- Toilets clean and not opening straight into food rooms
Management and records
Yes / No / Action
- Written food safety procedures (SFBB, CookSafe or your own HACCP plan)
- Temperature records up to date
- Cleaning schedule followed and signed
- Opening and closing checks and daily sign-offs
- Problems and corrective actions written down
- Staff food hygiene training recorded
- Allergen matrix up to date
- Delivery checks recorded
- Pest control reports kept
People
Yes / No / Action
- Clean work clothes, hair tied back
- Hands washed before handling food and after breaks
- Staff with vomiting or diarrhoea stay off work until 48 hours after symptoms stop
- No smoking or eating in food areas
This checklist helps you prepare. It can’t promise an inspection result or a hygiene rating.
How to use it
- 1 Inspections are usually unannounced, so run this checklist every month, not only when you expect a visit.
- 2 Walk through the kitchen, the stores and front of house, and answer Yes or No to every item.
- 3 Fix every No and note what you did in the Action column.
- 4 Keep each completed checklist with your food safety records, so you can show what you checked and when.
Paper or phone
| Paper or phone | Paper | Staff Checklist |
|---|---|---|
| Who checked and when | initials and a date | name and exact time |
| A No answer | a note in the Action column | a note and a photo, and the manager is alerted |
| Records on inspection day | find the folder | one PDF with every record |
Frequently asked questions
What does an EHO look for?
Three things: how hygienically food is handled, the condition of the premises, and how you manage food safety, including your records. This checklist follows those three areas and adds personal hygiene.
How often are food hygiene inspections?
It depends on the risk your business poses. Higher-risk businesses can be inspected every 6 months, lower-risk ones much less often. Visits are usually unannounced.
Which records does an EHO usually ask to see?
Usually your written food safety procedures, temperature records, cleaning schedule, opening and closing checks, corrective actions, staff training records, allergen information, delivery checks and pest control reports.
Keep your inspection records on your phone
Daily checks with names and times, problems and corrective actions together, and one PDF to show your EHO.