Central Pest Control · Dublin · Food Safety Compliance

EHO Inspection Checklist for Irish Food Businesses

By Central Pest Control

An EHO (Environmental Health Officer) inspection is a usually unannounced check by an HSE officer, carried out on behalf of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, to verify that a food business is producing safe food and complying with food law. EHOs examine food storage, temperature control, hygiene, allergen management, your HACCP documents and your pest control records, and can issue an improvement notice or, in serious cases, a closure order.

What is an EHO inspection?

Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) are employed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and enforce food safety law on behalf of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). An inspection is usually unannounced and assesses whether your business is producing safe food and complying with legal requirements. The outcome can range from advice to a formal enforcement order, so being inspection-ready at all times matters.

What do Environmental Health Officers check?

EHO inspections focus on a consistent set of areas. The officer will observe your operation, examine records and talk to staff. The main areas are:

• 1
  Structure, cleaning and maintenance of the premises
• 2
  Temperature control

  Fridges, freezers, hot holding, cooking and cooling

• 3
  Cross-contamination controls

  Separating raw and ready-to-eat food

• 4
  Allergen management and accurate allergen information
• 5
  Personal hygiene, handwashing and staff training
• 6
  Your HACCP food safety management system and records
• 7
  Pest control

  Proofing, monitoring and documented records

• 8
  Traceability, labelling and waste management

EHO inspection checklist for Irish food businesses

Use this checklist to prepare. For each area, know what the EHO checks and have the records ready to show.

What are the food safety pest control requirements?

Food law requires you to prevent pests getting in and to control any that do. Under HACCP, pest control is a prerequisite programme, and it is one of the areas EHOs check most closely, because pest evidence is a serious food-safety risk. Missing or out-of-date pest control records are a common inspection failing.

• 1
  Proofing

  Sealing gaps, protecting doors, windows and vents against entry

• 2
  Monitoring

  Rodent bait stations and insect monitoring devices, checked regularly

• 3
  Professional inspections

  Scheduled visits by a licensed provider

• 4
  Records

  Dated visit reports, monitoring data and actions taken, kept on site

• 5
  Prompt action

  Any sign of pest activity investigated and dealt with immediately

What powers does an EHO have?

EHOs have legal powers to enter and inspect premises, take samples and photographs, and require records. Where they find problems, they can take graduated enforcement action:

Closure orders and prohibition orders are published on the FSAI website each month, which makes non-compliance a reputational risk as well as a legal one.

What happens if you fail an EHO inspection?

For less serious problems, you will usually receive advice or an improvement notice with a deadline to put things right, followed by a re-inspection. For a grave and immediate risk to health, an EHO can serve a closure order that shuts all or part of the business until the danger is removed. Acting quickly, and keeping your records in order, is the best way to avoid escalation.

How to prepare for an EHO inspection

• ✓Keep your HACCP file current, complete and easy to find.
• ✓Keep temperature, cleaning and pest control records up to date every day.
• ✓Make sure a pest control contract is in place with recent visit reports.
• ✓Train your staff and keep their training records.
• ✓Walk your premises as an EHO would: proofing, hygiene, storage and cross-contamination.

Pest control for EHO compliance

Pest control is one of the areas EHOs scrutinise most, and one of the easiest to get right with the correct provider. Central Pest Control provides HACCP-compliant Integrated Pest Management contracts, with the proofing, monitoring and audit-ready records that satisfy an Environmental Health Officer, for restaurants, hotels and food businesses across Dublin.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the EHO inspection process?

  An Environmental Health Officer arrives, usually unannounced, and observes how food is stored, prepared, cooked, cooled and served. They examine your records, including HACCP, temperature and pest control, talk to staff, and then advise, issue an improvement notice, or in serious cases serve a closure order.
• Do EHOs give notice before an inspection?

  Usually not. Food inspections are generally unannounced, so your food safety management system, records and pest control need to be inspection-ready at all times, not just when you expect a visit.
• What is a closure order?

  A closure order requires the immediate closure of all or part of a food business where there is a grave and immediate danger to public health. Closure orders are published on the FSAI website each month and remain until the danger is removed.
• How often are food businesses inspected?

  Inspections are risk-based, so higher-risk businesses are inspected more often. There is no fixed schedule, and inspections are usually unannounced, which is why continuous compliance matters.
• What pest control records do I need for an EHO inspection?

  You need evidence of an effective pest control programme: a contract with a licensed provider, dated visit reports, monitoring records, proofing recommendations and a record of any action taken on pest activity. Missing pest control records are a common inspection failing.