Food Allergy Awareness Week is a useful reminder that food allergies are not just a personal issue. They can affect safety, confidence and inclusion at work. It is also a timely opportunity for employers to review how they identify allergen risks, support affected employees and respond if something goes wrong.
Understanding your responsibilities
Employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their workers and to remove or reduce workplace risks, including allergen risks where relevant.
In some cases, a severe allergic reaction may be reportable under RIDDOR, but only where the incident is work-related and meets the relevant reporting threshold.
Employers may be responsible for:
Identifying and implementing reasonable adjustments where an employee’s allergy may amount to a disability. This could include changes to workstations, practices, materials, food arrangements or other steps that reduce the risk of exposure.
Carrying out a workplace risk assessment and developing an allergy management plan to help support employees with allergies.
Ensuring employees are not treated less favourably in the workplace because of their allergies. This includes any form of discrimination or harassment. Ensuring where applicable and practicable, the workplace is clean, tidy with regular vacuuming and damp dusting. The area should be well ventilated, with adequate heating, and with air conditioning, extractor fans and dehumidifiers in working order.
Providing access to occupational health services, if available, for employees with severe allergies affected by their workplace environment.
Back to basics for spreading awareness
- Educate Colleagues: Spread awareness about food allergies and their severity. Encourage understanding and empathy among coworkers.
- Label Food Items: Clearly label any communal food in the workplace kitchen or break room with ingredients to avoid accidental ingestion by someone with allergies.
- Communicate: If you have food allergies, make sure your colleagues are aware of them. Clearly communicate your allergies and their severity.
- Personal Food Storage: Keep your own snacks and meals in sealed containers to prevent cross-contamination.
- Clean Workspaces: Regularly clean shared spaces like tables, countertops, and appliances to remove any allergen traces.
- Allergy-Friendly Options: Provide allergy-friendly options in workplace events or gatherings. This ensures inclusivity for all employees.
- Emergency Plan: Have a clear emergency response plan in place. Colleagues should know the signs of a severe allergic reaction and that suspected anaphylaxis is a medical emergency requiring immediate action, including calling 999.
- Training: Offer training sessions or resources on food allergies and how to respond in case of an emergency.
- Allergy Policy: Establish a clear allergy policy in the workplace to outline procedures for managing food allergies and ensuring everyone’s safety.
- Support: Show support and understanding to colleagues with food allergies. Create a supportive environment where everyone feels safe and included
Looking for a more structured way to record allergy-related risk assessments, actions and employee declarations? AssessNET can help you digitise the process and keep important information accessible and auditable.
Book a demo today
