Advice on Egg seller at work

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teddyj
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Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by teddyj »

Hi all.
I would appreciate some advice on an egg seller who visits my work place every week selling eggs.
I am a newly appointed manager in charge of 300 volunteers who work outside on private land. Every week a local person comes onto my employers (private land) and sells eggs to the volunteers, this has been happening for some time and my appointment is to check all H&S compliance issues and I'm sure the regular egg sales fall into my remit!
The chap selling the eggs, brings them ready boxed in re-used supermarket egg boxes. There is no address label on the eggs nor do they have a best before date, I would estimate he sells between 150-200 eggs per week to the volunteers.
I am a little familiar with the "farm gate" sale of eggs but would the fact that the guy is selling on private land make my employer liable if anything untoward were to happen to a volunteer resulting from "bad eggs"? I dont know how many hens the guy keeps as I believe this makes a difference.
Would be very grateful for replies, thank you.

amber66
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by amber66 »

Hello Clairej.
The best people to contact would probably be DEFRA as they would know the law regarding egg selling.
Amber.
teddyj
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by teddyj »

Hi Amber, thank you for your reply. I've read the defra site, but there.s nothing specific about who would be responsible, in regard to private land, so yes, I should really give defra a call, considering that I do have a duty of care to the volunteers.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by lancashire lass »

clairej wrote:I am a little familiar with the "farm gate" sale of eggs but would the fact that the guy is selling on private land make my employer liable if anything untoward were to happen to a volunteer resulting from "bad eggs"? I dont know how many hens the guy keeps as I believe this makes a difference.


If there are more than 50 hens, that comes under DEFRA (or whatever it is called these days) - so work out that each hen lays roughly 1 egg a day over 5 days = 250 eggs so I'd say your seller probably has less than 50 if he is selling 150-200 eggs a week. Then it is perfectly legal for someone to sell his eggs direct to individual customers providing they are made aware the eggs are not commercially graded (however, he would not be allowed to sell to say, a shop or supermarket to sell on) He should be writing on the box or egg with the date of lay, and customers should be told that when refrigerated, the eggs are fine to use within 28 days.

As for whether he has breached H&S, I would say not - providing you inform your volunteers that your organisation are not responsible for the sales or consumption of the eggs. It is up to individuals to decide if the eggs are safe to use (as in make sure eggs are not damaged or cracked, do not float when put into a bowl of water and so on) On the other hand, selling on someone's private property without getting permission first is questionable and perhaps you should go down that route?
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KarenE
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by KarenE »

I would have thought that the liability rests with the seller, but that's worth more research. Could you ask him/her to sell outside the gate?

If they are selling around 150/200 eggs a week that would suggest he has upwards of 20 hens which means he doesn't have to register the flock with DEFRA - of course he may have a larger flock of non laying hens.

Here's a few links:

http://www.downthelane.net/selling-eggs ... n-gate.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.keepingchickensuk.co.uk/sell ... d-to-know/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It seems at least he should be including his name/address & contact details as well as storage advice for the eggs and date of lay/best before, and if using recycled supermarket eggs making sure the identifying labels are removed. It seems you're allowed to sell at the gate, at farmer's markets and door to door (which could cover your situation)

Someone who knows a bit more may be along to answer your question better!
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teddyj
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by teddyj »

Thanks everyone.
So I guess I need to ascertain whether he has a flock of over 50/ or just ask him his defra status if any......then ask him to provide an address and best before/or lay date if his flock is under 50 birds............Then a disclaimer, as you say, to the volunteers who are purchasing the eggs, to say they're buying/consumimg them at their own risk.
I don't really want to stop the selling of the eggs as it's been going on for years....its all very charming and folksy, so don't really want to spoil it for anyone, but as I said we have a duty of care to the volunteers and also to protect the organisation from any potential litigation issues!
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lancashire lass
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by lancashire lass »

clairej wrote:I don't really want to stop the selling of the eggs as it's been going on for years....its all very charming and folksy


perhaps there has been some verbal agreement in the past - it does sound like you just need to talk to some of the volunteers to find out more of when and how it all started, and if you think it is a problem, maybe have a word with him? If you go down the official route first, it might upset some of the volunteers as well as good relations with all concerned - I sell eggs at my place of work but it's all by word of mouth amongst friends and colleagues and not in any way official. I certainly don't advertise it or make it look obvious! And if my customers got ill because of the eggs (and I see no reason why they should other than the eggs were not stored properly after selling them), I doubt any would blame my employer, but I think I would be upset if someone complained for no good reason.
teddyj
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by teddyj »

Thank you Lancashire lass. I'll be as sensitive as possible when I make my enquiries,especially as the person who sells the eggs has moderate learning difficulties.
Like I said I don't want to stop the selling but must make sure the necessary rules are being followed. I do realise that eggs have a natural bloom on the shells and should be washed just before use........but the eggs being sold are the dirtiest (chicken poo) eggs I've ever encountered.....and I used to keep hens myself.
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sandy
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by sandy »

I do know you cannot sell eggs in other boxes they must be plain and dated….some of my eggs are terribly dirty in the winter as if I wash them the goodness goes out of them something to do with the pores.
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Mo
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by Mo »

I think these eggs wouldn't pass official standards on several counts. Reused boxes, dirty eggs.
Not necessarily a problem but if the eggs were also cracked it could lead to a problem, or if hands or other food were contaminated.
Is your employer aware of this? If you turn a blind eye, you are not doing your job. Difficult.
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teddyj
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Re: Advice on Egg seller at work

Post by teddyj »

Hi Mo.
Thank you for your reply.
Yes my employer is aware of it and I can't really turn a blind eye as both my employer and I are questioning it, but it falls into my remit to get to the bottom of it. As long as I have a clear idea of the regulations regarding the sale of eggs, there's no reason it can't continue as long as the regulations are being met in future. I'll just have to meet the chap when he comes selling eggs during the week to ask him the address he is getting the eggs from. That'll be a start!

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