Job type

Meat hygiene inspector

£17k - £30k

Typical salary

38 – 40

Hours per week

Meat hygiene inspectors make sure processing plants and slaughterhouses follow safety and hygiene standards during food production.

More info

Make sure slaughterhouses and meat producers are working safely and hygienically
You'll need to have good people skills, observational skills and the ability to cope with unpleasant sights and smells
Progress into management or move into food retail or manufacturing roles

As a meat hygiene inspector, you could work in the food trade, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) or with veterinary officials.

DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES

Inspecting the hygiene in slaughterhouses, cutting plants, factories and cold stores
Checking animal welfare conditions
Inspecting live animals, game or poultry for signs of disease
Helping to carry out post mortems on diseased animals
Checking meat transportation conditions
Making sure unfit meat is destroyed
Suggesting improvements, making sure they're carried out

DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT

You could work in a factory, which at times may be hot or cold, and protective clothing would be required.

You'll need

For this role, you'll need thoroughness and attention to detail, the ability to work well with others, patience in stressful situations, thinking and reasoning skills, the ability to analyse quality and performance, customer service skills, excellent verbal communication skills, and the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues.

To work as a meat hygiene inspector, you'll need to complete the Level 2 Certificate for Proficiency in Poultry Meat Inspection, and Level 4 Diploma for Proficiency in Meat Inspection. You must be working in the meat industry to do the practical assessments needed to complete the courses.

You'll need a driving licence to travel to different locations.