Meat slicer was being carried up and down stairs at Kod Pirketa

Kod Pirketa on Acton High Street

A restaurant in Acton was blasted by inspectors over fears staff could accidentally chop off their own body parts carrying a meat slicer up and down stairs.

Restaurant Kod Pirketa on the High Street was warned by Ealing Council officers after they inspected the eatery in November last year. The establishment was rated as zero after 5 with the inspectors reporting that urgent improvement was necessary on food and hygiene standards.

The council raised worries that employees could accidentally amputate their own body parts or cut themselves carrying a meat slicing machine up and down the stairs to the restaurant’s basement.

In a report obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the inspector said, “There was no health and safety procedure or staff training in place for staff to carry the slicer up and down the stairs. Staff risk deep cuts of amputations from contact with blades or other machinery parts.

“As an employer you are required by law to protect your employees from harm, carry out and maintain a risk assessment for controlling health and safety risks caused by hazards in the workplace.”

A raw meat mincer was also inspected by the environmental health officer, who noted there was a build-up of old meat where the machine had not been cleaned properly.

The meat slicer in particular also had a “thick” build-up of food, showing it had not been cleaned in a while.

The inspector ordered the restaurant to make sure both machines were properly cleaned after each use.

During the council’s visit, the inspector also discovered that there was no soap or paper towels by the sink, forcing them to ask for soap before they could begin the inspection.

When approached for comment by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Kod Pirketa said an inspector from Ealing Council had visited the restaurant last week to see whether the restaurant’s hygiene levels had improved.

Restaurant owner Deyan Stojanov said the meat slicer was taken to the basement due to refurbishment of one part of the kitchen.

He added that the slicer had since been moved to the kitchen along with other improvements requested by inspectors.

Mr Stojanov admitted the machine was used the day before the inspection and had not been cleaned properly.

He added that restaurant staff were also trained by him.

Lisa Haseldine - Local Democracy Reporter

February 7, 2022