- wash your hands and work surfaces before, during and after preparing food
- separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from ready-to-eat foods
- cook food to the right internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria
- store your food correctly
- consumers can check food hygiene ratings and food alerts, and businesses can read guidance about running a safe food business on the Food Standards Agency website
Other risks in North Yorkshire
Food supply contamination
Food contamination is when food is spoiled or tainted because it contains bacteria, parasites or a substance that makes it unfit to eat. Eating contaminated food can make you unwell and in more serious cases can lead to you needing hospital treatment.
In most cases, the City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council would expect to receive an alert for any human food contaminations. There is a food incident product recall plan to deal with any large-scale traceability exercises, product recall and investigations into criminal offences as required. We have trading standards and planning services officers who are responsible for checking and enforcing compliance with the Food Standards Agency.
Stay safe when dealing with food
Air pollution
The most common sources of air pollution are:
- gas boilers
- wood burning stoves
- open fires
- gas or oil fired cookers
- portable gas heaters
- solid fuel heaters
- vehicles
- industrial facilities
- forest fires
Stay safe and reduce air pollution in your home
- always have heating appliances installed and serviced by a qualified engineer
- keep chimneys and flues clear and clean
- fit a carbon monoxide alarm near any combustion device
- never block ventilation grills or air vents
- if you smell gas or suspect a leak, call the emergency gas number 0800 111 999
Councils monitor and report on air pollution. Visit our air quality page and the City of York Council's air pollution page to find out more about local air quality, smoke control rules and how to reduce pollution.
Marine pollution
People who access the beaches across North Yorkshire's coastline or who work near the sea could be affected by marine pollution.
As a harbour authority, we have overall responsibility for the safety of marine operations on waters within our jurisdiction and to make sure the environment is safeguarded.
Oil is the biggest pollutant associated with port marine operations. An oil spill could cause significant damage to the environment.
How to help with water pollution
- if an incident occurs, follow the restrictions imposed on fishing or using the beaches
- report any pollution incidents to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency or the Environment Agency
- our harbour pollution team can help you with the rules on waste disposal and reporting pollution in the Scarborough and Whitby harbours - visit our harbour pollution page for details
- for information about private water supplies, bathing waters, and contamination visit our water quality page or the City of York Council's water pollution page
Land movement
Land movement is a natural event which may damage buildings or cause them to collapse. The possibility of land slippage or an earthquake in the North Yorkshire area is relatively low.
When land is not stable it can sink several metres into the ground, taking everything on its surface with it. Sinkholes can be triggered by a variety of things such as:
- heavy rain
- surface flooding
- a burst water mains
There could also be landslides, or rock falls.
In the event of a severe weather warning of saturated ground from the Met Office, we would provide guidance to residents and local businesses.