21 June 2010
Important Tips Related to Sanitation Processes at a Restaurant
Posted by Crystal under: Equipment Maintenance & Tips .
Keeping your restaurant well maintained and clean is one of the key elements to restaurant’s success. Developing and following a well-thought out sanitation program is important in achieving this goal. A clean restaurant will attract happy customers and is more likely to always pass a health inspection. Implementing appropriate preventive measures will ensure that your establishment is pest-free and will guarantee that your guests will return to your restaurant next time.
Controlling pests. Pests are a great threat to any food service establishment, as their proliferation can create serious health risks for both staff and guests. Pests can be carriers of infectious illness, and they can also be the cause of allergies and asthma in some individuals. Many pests, including cockroaches, mice, and rats can spread bacteria and infections through leaving their droppings, urine, saliva, or skins. Any restaurant should do its best to prevent pests from infiltrating the establishment. Proper cleaning and sanitation efforts are some of the most effective ways to keeping pests away.
Inspect shipments. Often pests enter your establishment by travelling either on somebody’s belongings or via supplier shipments. It is critical to inspect all your supplier shipments before putting them away for storage. Look for any signs of pest presence, including dead pests, marks, droppings, skins, etc.
Proper cleaning procedures. Keep your facility well maintained. Various insects, critters, and rodents usually look for food and water. Properly sanitizing your premises is one of the major ways to prevent pests from settling in and dwelling in your establishment. If you properly and regularly (daily) clean your storage areas, kitchen, dining areas and other rooms, it should prevent unwanted pests from ever making your establishment their new home.
Preventive storage practices. Maintaining an effective sanitation program also includes proper storage practices. Avoid storing your products, such as canned items or produce, in cardboard boxes. Often, insects, critters, or cockroaches can get into the box unnoticed until it is opened. Instead, keep products in pest-proof containers. Store your goods on stainless steel racks with a high enough clearance between the floor and the lower shelf to prevent any rodents from reaching.
Monitoring. Make it a company policy for all employees to monitor any signs of pest activity and take a proactive action if such activity is spotted. While pests typically are more active at night, when everybody is gone, train your staff to spot any signs of pest activity, such as droppings, marks, dead pests, skins, etc. Make sure your staff reports all suspected pest activity to the manager or other responsible individual. Conduct regular training sessions to explain pest management methods and techniques to your employees.
Using reputable vendors. Sometimes chemical treatments are necessary to maintain the appropriate level of sanitation. Not all pest management companies are as effective as they claim to be. Do your research, ask around, and choose the right vendor who will regularly perform thorough examination of your premises during each visit and will determine the correct treatment methods as dictated by each such examination. Good vendors should be able to provide you with written reports describing any applied preventive or corrective actions and any recommendations. Make sure to evaluate your vendor’s performance on a regular basis.
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