Health approval

This step is relevant to food, beverage and hospitality, skin penetration and hairdressing businesses.

Food, beverage and hospitality businesses

Food, beverage and hospitality businesses are vital to the community by increasing tourism and boosting the economy. However, there are legislation and codes of practice to follow, specific health and safety training to undertake and approvals to obtain before opening.

We have outlined these below:

Government legislation and food standards code

It is important that you take the time to read the requirements of the Food Act 2008, the Food Regulations 2009 and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Chapter three of the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code outlines the structural requirements your business must meet, as well as highlighting the essential food handling and staff hygiene practices that must be followed to ensure the safe production of food. The City also has a food business guide to summarise relevant requirements for start-up food businesses.

Free food safety training - I'm Alert and FoodSafe

The City of Stirling is providing free food safety training courses. Both training packages provide food handlers with the required skills and knowledge to ensure that food is handled in a safe and hygienic manner. 

I’m Alert

The course contains 20 food safety training modules. Once finished, food handlers can print their Certificate of Completion.

To find out more information or to access the course, please visit the I’m Alert website.

FoodSafe

FoodSafe is an in-house training program developed by Environmental Health Australia to establish and document basic food hygiene practices and train food handlers. Preview the course here.

Being a fully online course, you can log in, in your free time and in the comfort of your home to complete the training. Once you have successfully completed the course, you will receive a certificate.

The FoodSafe Online Food Handler Training Program will help you to understand and implement:

  • Food safety practices and general requirements of Food Safety Standard 3.2.2 Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
  • Allergen control practices to comply with the Food Act 2008 and Standards 1.2.3 of the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Contents
1.  Introduction
    5.  Pest Control
    2.  Personal Hygiene6.  Declaration of Food Allergens
    3.  Food Handling and Storage7.  Healthy Choice
    4.  Cleaning 

    Access the online FoodSafe® Food Handler Training Program free of charge by using the City's unique discount voucher "FSSTLNG383" on the payment page.

    Registration and notification of a new food business

    Once all operational approvals from relevant bodies have been secured, you must by law complete and submit a Food Premises Notification Form to the City prior to starting business operations. When you submit your application, you must supply the following documents and information:

    • Scaled floor plans showing the position of all fixtures and equipment
    • Scaled sectional elevation plans showing the position of all fixtures and equipment
    • Information on all wall, floor and ceiling finishes
    • An indication of hot and cold water supply and wastewater services
    • Location and details of toilet facilities
    • Mechanical exhaust ventilation and grease traps (where applicable)
    • Information on bin storage enclosures and wash down facilities.

    Obtaining a liquor licence

    If your business is planning to serve alcohol, you are required by law to hold and display a section 39 and/or section 40 certificate.

    To obtain a section 39 and/or section 40 certificate an applicant must provide the City with:

    • A written request for a section 39 and/or section 40 certificate, including the name and address of the premises and the name and contact details of the applicant
    • The applicable form(s), available from the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor, with the second page completed:
      • Section 39 certificate of local government (form LLD14)
      • Section 40 certificate of local planning authority (form LLD15).
    • A plan detailing the extent of the licensed area
    • The $100.00 application fee.

    Once received, your application will be assessed in accordance with the legislative and scheme requirements.

    Section 39 certificate applications may require a site visit from an environmental health officer and in some circumstances an application to commence development (development approval) may be required prior to a section 40 certificate being issued. To apply for a Section 39 or Section 40 please click here.

    For more information relating to section 39 and 40 certificates, please phone our Customer Contact Centre. For more information on liquor licence applications, please visit the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor website.

    What happens next?

    Once your application has been assessed by an environmental health officer and is deemed compliant (this will involve a site inspection), your business will be registered with the City, and you will be approved to start operations. You must also submit a food premises notification form within 7 days, when there has been a change of business operator at an existing business premises, or when there is a change in the business name.

    Food premises notification form

    Annual health inspection fees

    All food-based businesses must pay an annual health inspection/registration fee, per calendar year, based upon the inspection frequency assigned to the business. Charitable or community organisations may be exempt from paying inspection fees.

    To enquire about your organisation’s eligibility for an exemption, please provide documentation confirming your charitable or community status and send it to environmentalhealth@stirling.wa.gov.au.

    For more information, see Food safety and inspections.

    Health businesses

    Environmental health issues

    Environmental Health receives a large number of requests in relation to various matters. These are dealt with in order of receipt or in some instances by priority as determined by the City. Environmental health investigations are evidence based and may take time to resolve.

    Anonymous requests or those with insufficient information will only be investigated in exceptional or emergency circumstances. Service requests deemed vexatious will not be pursued.

    If a service request is deemed to be a civil (private) matter (e.g., damage to private property or tenancy disputes), mediation services may assist you to reach a resolution. Mediation and legal advice is available from the Citizens Advice Bureau (08) 9221 5711 or Legal Aid WA (08) 9261 6222. The Magistrates Court (08) 9425 2222 should be contacted for information about civil legal proceedings.

    If there is an environmental health issue that you'd like the city to investigate, submit a health service request form:

    Health hazard request

    Skin penetration and hairdressing premises

    If you are opening a business in skin penetration or hairdressing, you will be required to notify the City prior to commencing. 

    Please find the relevant forms the City require before granting approval below: 

    If you require more information, please contact the Customer Contact Centre on (08) 9205 8555.