Posted By sian Hi This may sound like a strange request, Some of our students are bringing in a chocolate fountain this Friday for children in need, to dip marshmallows, fruit etc into. And I have been asked to do a risk assessment, anyone have any ideas they can throw at me.. sian

Posted By Julian Wilkinson I was inquisitive, so I had a mooch about on the net, there is loads of info on it, 'double dipping' is a big issue!! :-) Enjoy: Health, Hygiene and Safety issues We all tend to agree Health and Hygiene issues can "go a little too far at times". When "we" were young, we played in the dirt and it never did us much harm. Is today any different from the past? Unfortunately YES and NO! A Chocolate Fountain business is a catering business. One is dealing with food (fresh fruit produce, pastries, confectionery and so forth), chocolate and the general public. It is a fact that when people are 'having a good time' (usually when alcohol is present) the general public's sense of reasoning and thinking logically seems to disappear. This is the gory page and not for the squeemish! In an ever growing litigation world we live in and the ever changing health and fitness environment we inhabit, we as Chocolate Fountain people need to preserve the saftey and wellbeing of out clients and their guests. However small the potential risk is, it still needs to be addressed, resolved and not swept under the carpet as insignificant because it might affect 'my business'. The main concerns for all Chocolate Fountain companies are: Double dipping Man-management of the fountain Safety aspects of running the Chocolate Fountain Double dipping Double dipping is a situation where a guest standing at the fountain edge picks up a skewer, selects and skewers an item to dip, places the dip into the fountain, withdraws the chocolate covered dip, eats the dip THEN selects another dip using the same skewer and once again places it back into the fountain. MANY Chocolate Fountain companies will 'swear blind' they do not allow Double dipping, but when asked what safety precautions are in place to avoid Double dipping, unfortuantely the answers tend to be rather evasive, oblique or darn-right vague! The potential for contracting or passing on a contagious saliva disease is there - as a guest has placed a skewer in his/her mouth and then back into the fountain. Saliva will be present on the used skewer and can thus potentially infect the Chocolate Fountain. The amount of saliva is dependent on the actual guest; their state of mind and demeanour (sober, slightly intoxicated or quite drunk), their eating behaviour and methods (do they eat with their mouth wide open, slightly open or closed, how much saliva do they produce?)... there is a potential risk. There are fifteen (15) diseases contagious from saliva: Bacterial meningitis Chronic Hepatitis B Cold sores Common Cold Cytomegalovirus Epstein-Barr virus Flu Hepatitis B Meningitis Molluscum contagiosum Mononucleosis Polio Upper Respiratory Infection Given any function where there are say, 100 guests in attendance, what is the percentage chance that one guest will have one of the disease on the above list? One can argue either way that the chances are slim or there is a great threat of catching, say a cold sore, a cold or something greater? All Chocolate Fountain Association members sign an agreement where they will monitor double dipping and advocate "One dip, one stick" to each guest. We advocate a fresh skewer be used EVERY time a guest wishes to use the fountain. Chocolate Fountain Members are given help and advice on this matter. Man-management of the Chocolate Fountain The Association advocates as far as possible and where possible the Chocolate Fountain company's personnel are in attendence at the fountain's side throughout the event. A Chocolate Fountain is just about every child (and adult's) Willy Wonka fantasy. The temptation to stick one's finger into the fountain is almost irrisistable! Without a reasonably strict health regime or policy, things can quickly get out-of-hand. Who's to say one of the guests at a function has just been to the toilet, not washed his/her hands, walks past the Chocolate Fountain and slips his/her fingers into the Chocolate Fountain? The chances of this happening are not slim but a reality unless eagle-eyed catering eyes are watching the fountain and the guests at all times when the fountain is 'open'. Safety aspects of running the Chocolate Fountain Safety is almost the buzz word of this decade. For Chocolate Fountain companies, hazards and safety-compliance comes in all shapes and forms, for example (not an exhaustive list): Electrical PAT testing of equipment wires safely out of the way (guard against tripping) cables 'gaffer-taped' down RCD safety boxes HACCP The latest Governemt requirement by all catering companies Man-mangement of guests Safeguarding mishaps Teaching, helping and guiding guests for a safe and enjoyable time at the Chocolate Fountain Health and safety at times can go too far and restrict the enjoyment and fun of having a Chocolate Fountain. For any organizer or booker of a Chocolate Fountain, should satisy themselves the Chocolate Fountain company they select is 'up to the job' and will provide a safe, reliable and 'good' environment for all guests attending the function

Posted By Ali Too much sugar ??? Ok then, what about burning your hand or mouth with molten chocolate ! Ali

Posted By Julian Wilkinson lol! classic

Posted By Jimmy R How to give H&S a bad name! Apart from taking some simple steps such as correct sighting, suitable waste bins for used skewers and a quick electrical visual check I would go back to whoever asked for the assessment and tell them one is not required for such a simple activity.

Posted By Tabs I had a choco-fest last Christmas with such a fountain ... it was fantastic. Double-dipped all day I have to say. But then I had kissed most of the group too and drunk from the same bottles (classy party, eh?). There really are a lot of ways to catch lurgies over Christmas, that the choco-fountain pales into insignificance really. Just thinking about dipping fingers, is it likely that the coating process would allow any contamination backwards to the chocolate? I don't think so - it would coat and contain. Geraldine's trip into the chocolate curtain was hilarious - but apparently it was custard for the actual filming (good job I say, far too much waste for it to be chocolate). Something to do with the look of it...

Posted By Tom100 So "double dipping" is a health hazard. Undoubtedly so... but how big a hazard? What figures are there to show just how risky it is? Where should it sit in my hierarchy of things to be very frightened of today? I am betting statistically about on a par with getting out of bed in the morning, but am prepared to be enlightened.