Food Safety Inspectors and Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) have the vital task of ensuring all aspects of a site are operating safely and hygienically.  

In this role, you are responsible for investigating anything that goes against health and safety, hygiene, and food safety regulations – collecting evidence and compiling reports in response to any incidents, hazards, or complaints.  

At Klipspringer, we have partnered with EHOs, auditors, and inspectors for over two decades. Drawing on this experience, we have created a guide to finding the right equipment – covering everything from bespoke kits to calibration. 

1. Reference Thermometers

Reference thermometers are perhaps the most popular piece of equipment requested by EHOs, auditors, and inspectors. The right thermometer will be suitable for food contact. It should also be a good fit for a food production environment – waterproof, durable, and compact enough to be carried around by each inspector.

Typically, Food Safety Inspectors and EHOs will request an Infrared Thermometer that can either be inserted inside a food item or held at a distance so as not to spoil the product or expose the user to an extreme temperature.

Klipspringer reference thermometers meet the requirements listed above. They are available as individual units or as part of a Reference Thermometer Kit, complete with a protective carry-case, probe wipes, and a UKAS calibration certificate. Both the thermometers and the kits are held in stock for same-day despatch.

Discover our Reference Thermometer Kits

“We have chosen to equip all of our team with the IRTLC750i Infrared and Folding Probe Thermometer not only because it is small and compact, but it’s also much quicker and safer for our EHOs to use.

The probe can be folded in and out of the unit for a core temperature, whilst the infrared part provides an instant reading without risking cross-contamination from touching different foods.” 

Westminster City Council

2. In-house Thermometer Verification

Once you have found the right thermometers to work with, you will need to verify the accuracy of your equipment. Otherwise, the results of any on-site tests could be called into question.

Depending on the frequency of the inspections you carry out, the verification process may need to be completed on a weekly or even daily basis.

Instead of relying on the time-consuming and unsafe method of checking your thermometers in ice and boiling water, the LazaPort8 provides a quick, safe, and easy way for you to verify both your probe and infrared thermometers to a UKAS traceable standard.

Whilst ice and boiling water will change temperature throughout the testing process, the LazaPort8 will remain consistent. Eliminating an unstable test medium will increase the accuracy of your results, giving you total confidence in the suitability of your equipment.

Learn more about In-house Thermometer Verification

3. Calibration Reference Weights

Calibration weights are another popular choice amongst EHOs, auditors, and inspectors. When manufactured in accordance with approved International Standards (OIML), they can be used for the validation of scales and balances – helping you to ascertain if a site’s weighing equipment is accurate and compliant.

At Klipspringer, we supply a wide range of stainless steel M1 and F1 calibration weights. They can be ordered individually, but are also available in sets, stored inside a protective carry-case. There is even the option to request a bespoke kit that only contains the weights most relevant to your work.

If your report requires it, you can request a calibration certificate alongside your weights. As for the ongoing calibration of your equipment, this can be handled by our in-house Service, Repair, and Calibration Centre.

View our full range of Calibration Reference Weights

4. Food Oil Monitoring

When it comes to inspecting a site that produces fried food, a key area of focus will be the quality and safety of the fryer oil being used. Certain products speed up the rate at which oil changes colour. So, if you rely on Visual Checks, you will find it hard to tell the difference between a safe oil that has been darkened by high salt levels or a type of batter and an unsafe oil that is putting consumers at risk.

In contrast, Food Oil Monitors provide a digital measurement of oil quality in 30 to 60 seconds. Operating under a simple traffic light system, they flash green if the oil is safe to use, amber if the oil will need to be changed soon, and red if the oil is unsuitable for use.

This device will not only speed up any oil checks you conduct, but it will also reduce the risk of any tension or disagreement if you identify an issue with a site’s fryer oil. Instead of discussing the results of a subjective Visual Check, you will have an objective result to include in your report.

Explore the benefits of using a Food Oil Monitor

5. Equipment Calibration

Finally, you need to find the best approach to managing the calibration of your equipment. After all, staying on top of calibrations will help to ensure the accuracy and reliability of any readings taken during your on-site inspections.

Klipspringer’s in-house Service, Repair, and Calibration Centre will provide support in this area. Our qualified technicians are authorised UKAS signatories, and are able to calibrate most major brands and models of instrumentation.

To ensure you are prepared for your upcoming visits and don’t get caught out by calibration deadlines, we offer a free reminder service that will be triggered whenever your instrumentation is due a calibration.

We also offer an industry-leading turnaround time of 2-3 working days, complete with a free returns service. This will prevent you and your team from being without essential equipment for a prolonged period. It will also remove the hassle from this essential part of your role.

Learn more about our Service, Repair, and Calibration Centre

If you have any questions relating to our products or services, the Klipspringer team would be happy to help. Share your details below to arrange a consultation.