Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Templates, Documents and Guidance.

Keep your Fish and Chip business safe and compliant with our easy-to-use health and safety templates.

Simplify health and safety management in your fish and chip shop, fish and chip restaurant, or chippy with our industry-specific templates. Whether you’re running a busy high street takeaway, managing a sit-in fish and chip restaurant, or operating a traditional seaside chippy, our editable templates help you stay compliant with regulations while protecting staff, customers, and delivery drivers from everyday risks in fast-paced fryer and kitchen environments.

Many templates come pre-filled with detailed, fish and chip shop–specific content — from risk assessments and health and safety policies to fire safety checklists, COSHH documents, accident reports, and staff safety guidance. This makes completion quick, accurate, and stress-free. With our ready-to-use tools, you can focus on serving quality food, running your business efficiently, and keeping customers satisfied while maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance.

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A hand holding a piece-of battered fish in a fish and chip restaurant.

A Safe 'Plaice' to Work: Why Health and Safety Matters in Fish and Chip Shops.

The appeal of a fish and chip shop lies in its familiarity — crispy fish, freshly cooked chips, and a trusted local service. But behind every successful chippy, fish and chip restaurant, or takeaway counter sits something just as important: a strong approach to health and safety. From protecting your staff to meeting compliance requirements, a shop owner’s dedication to safety is what keeps everything running smoothly.

Staff and Customer Safety

Fish and chip shops are fast-paced environments filled with fryers, hot fat and oil, sharp knives, and electrical equipment. The wellbeing of your staff is essential not only to prevent burns, cuts, slips, and falls, but also to build confidence and maintain productivity. At the same time, customer safety must remain a top priority — from keeping service areas clean and allergen information visible, to reducing risks of customers slipping or falling at the counter. A strong safety culture ensures both staff and customers are protected while maintaining trust and satisfaction.

Meeting Legal Duties with Confidence

Health and safety laws are not optional; they are essential obligations for fish and chip shops. Non-compliance can result in fines, enforcement action, prosecution, and even closure. Tools such as risk assessments, fire safety forms, COSHH documentation, and health and safety policies are crucial for demonstrating compliance and managing risks effectively. Keeping documentation accurate and up to date not only fulfils legal duties but also provides peace of mind if an incident does occur.

Protecting Your Reputation

In today’s digital age, one negative incident can harm a fish and chip business overnight. News of poor hygiene, unsafe practices, or customer accidents can spread quickly across social media and review platforms. A strong commitment to health and safety protects your reputation, builds trust with regulars, and encourages repeat business. For sit-in fish and chip restaurants, the expectations of customers are even higher — visible hygiene standards and well-trained staff are part of delivering a positive dining experience.

Proactive Safety Tools

Effective safety management is about prevention, not just reaction. Relevant staff training, clear signage, and up-to-date risk assessments form the foundations of safe daily operations. Health and safety awareness and a culture of accountability ensure hazards are identified and resolved before they escalate. To make this easier, we’ve developed ready-to-use compliance documents tailored specifically for fish and chip shops. These templates give you the tools to maintain the highest standards of safety while focusing on what you do best — serving great food and keeping your customers coming back.

Shop Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Templates
  • Hot cooking equipment in a fish and chip shop.

    Fire Hazards

    Fryers, hot cooking equipment, and electrical systems make fire the most serious risk in fish and chip shops. A small spark, electrical fault, or build-up of grease can quickly escalate into a dangerous blaze. The risk can be reduced through regular cleaning of extraction systems, proper fryer maintenance, and ensuring fire extinguishers and blankets are accessible. Every fish and chip shop should carry out a detailed fire risk assessment and train staff in emergency procedures.

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  • A hand with burns being held under cold water in a sink.

    Burns and Scalds

    Burns are a common hazard in fast-paced kitchens, with fryers, boiling water, hot fat and oil, and hot plates posing serious dangers. Staff in fish and chip shops may be injured when lowering food into fryers, draining chips, or handling hot frying baskets and other utensils. Protective gloves, splash guards, and clear procedures can reduce risks, while staff training in safe fryer use and clear communication when moving hot items is essential to keeping accidents to a minimum.

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  • Mop and bucket for cleaning floor in fish and chip shop.

    Slips, Trips and Falls

    Wet and greasy floors are a daily reality in chippies, making slips and trips one of the most frequent causes of workplace injuries. Falls can lead to sprains, fractures, and other injuries for both staff and customers. Risks can be controlled with anti-slip flooring, prompt cleaning of spillages, daily cleaning and ensuring staff wear non-slip footwear. Keeping walkways clear and maintaining good housekeeping are also vital for safe operations.

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Benefits of managing health and safety yourself...

  • Improve safety

    Health and safety at work is about preventing accidents, incidents and ill-health by assessing the work environment, the activities within it, and taking appropriate action.

  • Ensure compliance

    Our ready to use templates, many of which are pre-filled, will enable you to quickly increase your compliance to health and safety laws and regulations.

  • Save money

    With health and safety consultants often charging upwards of £400 per day, there is a better way. Take control and save yourself time and money.
Shop Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Templates
Fish and chips on beach from a fish and chip shop.

A Batter Approach: Tackling Compliance Challenges in Fish and Chip Shops

Running a fish and chip shop — whether it’s a busy high street takeaway, a sit-in fish and chip restaurant, or a small local chippy — means juggling countless responsibilities at once. From sourcing fresh ingredients and managing staff to serving customers quickly and keeping fryers running like clockwork, the daily pressures can sometimes push health and safety compliance further down the list than it should be.

For many fish and chip shop owners, finding the time and resources to properly implement and maintain safety measures can feel overwhelming. The focus is often on keeping operations running smoothly and ensuring a steady flow of business, but neglecting compliance can create risks with serious long-term consequences.

At easyhealthandsafety, we take the pressure off fish and chip businesses by providing ready-to-use templates and practical guidance that are affordable, simple to edit, and tailored to the industry. Our pre-filled risk assessments, health and safety policies, fire safety forms, COSHH documents, and staff guidance tools help you protect your team, your customers, and your reputation — so you can focus on what matters most: serving great food and growing your business with confidence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety FAQs

Do fish and chip shops need to complete a risk assessment?

Yes, all fish and chip shops are legally required to complete a risk assessment.

By law, every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to identify workplace hazards and put measures in place to control them. For fish and chip shops, this includes risks from fryers, burns, slips, manual handling, fire, and food hygiene. Our Fish and Chip Shop Risk Assessment Template is pre-filled with the most common industry hazards and controls, making it quick and easy to stay compliant while tailoring it to your shop.

How can I create a risk assessment for my fish and chip shop?

You can create a fish and chip shop risk assessment by using a pre-filled template designed for your industry.

To complete one, identify hazards (such as fryers, burns, slips, fire, chemicals), decide who may be harmed, and record the controls in place. Review and update regularly, especially if your business changes. Writing one from scratch can be time-consuming, which is why our Fish and Chip Shop Risk Assessment Template and Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle include ready-to-use documents with pre-filled content tailored to chippies, saving you time and effort while ensuring legal compliance. A well-prepared risk assessment will also highlight training needs, making it easier to provide staff with the right knowledge to work safely.

Do fish and chip shops need health and safety policy?

Every fish and chip shop with five or more staff must have a written health and safety policy.

This policy sets out your commitment to protecting staff and customers, the responsibilities of managers, and the arrangements you have in place. Even if you have fewer than five staff, having a written policy shows professionalism and helps with compliance. Our editable Health and Safety Policy Template is designed for small food businesses, including fish and chip shops and restaurants, and is included in the Fish and Chip Shop Template Bundle.

What fire safety measures are required in a fish and chip shop?

Fish and chip shops must carry out a fire risk assessment and have controls such as extinguishers, alarms, and emergency procedures.

Fryers, hot cooking equipment, and electrical systems make fire a major risk. Legally, you must complete a Fire Risk Assessment, maintain firefighting equipment, train staff, and have a clear evacuation plan. Our Fire Risk Assessment & Essential Fire Safety Template Bundle include practical tools to assess risks, implement controls, document your procedures, and stay compliant with fire safety regulations.

Do fish and chip shops need COSHH risk assessments?

Yes, fish and chip shops must complete COSHH assessments for hazardous substances like cleaning chemicals.

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations apply to products such as disinfectants, degreasers, and fryer cleaning chemicals. Staff need to know how to use, store, and dispose of them safely. Our COSHH Risk Assessment Templates are pre-filled for many common substances used in food businesses, making compliance easier and helping you protect staff from harm. There is also a Blank COSHH Risk Assessment Template available for substances specific to your business that we have not yet covered.

What are the most common health and safety hazards in fish and chip shops?

The top hazards are burns, slips and trips, fire, manual handling, and food hygiene issues.

Working with fryers, hot fat and oil, boiling water, sharp knives, and cleaning chemicals creates daily risks for staff. Customers can also be harmed by slips, allergens, or foodborne illness. Our Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle covers these hazards with pre-filled risk assessments, policies, COSHH forms, fire safety documents, and more giving you all the tools you need to manage them effectively.

How can fish and chip shops comply with food hygiene and allergen laws?

By following HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles, training staff, and keeping accurate food safety documentation.

Fish and chip shops must separate raw and cooked food, maintain hygiene standards, and provide clear allergen information under the Food Information Regulations. Regular staff training and documented cleaning schedules are essential. Our Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle includes risk assessments with allergen control guidance, cleaning controls, and more to help you comply with legal requirements and protect your reputation.

What health and safety training do fish and chip shop staff need?

Staff need training in food hygiene, fire safety, manual handling, allergen awareness, and using fryers and other equipment safely.

Training must be relevant to the hazards in your business. A thorough risk assessment should also highlight specific training needs, such as fryer safety to reduce burns or allergen awareness to protect customers. Our Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle includes pre-filled risk assessments and staff guidance documents that make it easier to identify and address these training requirements.

What records should fish and chip shops keep for health and safety?

Shops should keep records of risk assessments, policies, fire checks, accident reports, and training logs.

Accurate records show compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and provide evidence if inspected by authorities. They also help you track issues like accidents or equipment faults. Our Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle includes editable accident report forms, fire safety logs, and risk assessments so you can keep everything in one place.

How can small fish and chip shops save time with health and safety compliance?

Using pre-filled templates designed for fish and chip shops is a quick, easy, and efficient way to stay compliant.

Health and safety compliance can feel overwhelming for small chip shops where time and resources are limited. Writing risk assessments, policies, and fire safety documents from scratch can take hours - hours you may not have to spare. Our Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle includes over 60 ready-to-use documents tailored to chippies, helping you reduce admin, save money on consultants, and focus on running your business.

How should I manage health and safety for young or inexperienced workers in my fish and chip shop?

Young and inexperienced workers need extra support, supervision, and training to stay safe in a fish and chip shop environment.

Employers have a legal duty to assess risks for young people at work, as they may lack the knowledge, maturity, or experience to recognise hazards. In a fish and chip shop, this could include burns from fryers, slips, manual handling injuries, or poor hygiene practices. To manage these risks, you should carry out a Young Workers Risk Assessment and provide close supervision until competence is proven. Our Young Workers Risk Assessment Template (included in the Fish and Chip Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle) helps you document and manage these risks effectively. We also have a Young Workers Health and Safety Guidance Sheet to support training and communication, ensuring younger staff understand how to work safely from day one.