As a restaurant owner, you know that thoroughly cooking food is essential to killing bacteria and ensuring dishes are safe to eat. However, even well-cooked dishes may suffer cross-contamination from raw ingredients or unclean surfaces. Cross-contamination is a serious concern in the food service industry, as it can make customers ill and leave you vulnerable to fines and civil action. If you want to keep your Utah restaurant insurance premium at a reasonable rate, you need to develop and enforce policies that prevent cross-contamination.
Regularly Sanitize Work Surfaces
What are some ways to prevent cross-contamination? One of the most important things you can do is sanitize workspaces. That means wiping down countertops and any other food preparation areas. You should use a microfiber cloth and cleaning solution that eliminates bacteria and is food-grade.
Have Designated Equipment for Certain Foods
If you use a cutting board to trim the fat off meat, you shouldn’t then use it to chop vegetables. Instead, only prepare one type of food with the equipment, then wash it before using it for something else. Remember that you should clean tools with a sanitizing solution as well as soap and water. Once rinsed, dry utensils to prevent mold growth.
Put Up Handwashing Reminders
Most states require handwashing for food service workers at hourly intervals, but it’s easy to forget this regulation when things get busy. To ensure employees wash their hands consistently, you can put reminders near the handwashing station, break room and bathroom. These posters should include directions for proper washing:
- Use soap
- Wash the backs of hands as well as palms, fingers and under nails
- Lather for at least 20 seconds
Remind Employees To Stay Home When Sick
Employees who are ill shouldn’t handle food, as there’s a risk of contaminating dishes with viruses or bacteria. In fact, anyone who’s sick should stay home to avoid infecting coworkers and customers. The following are telltale symptoms of contagious diseases that warrant staying home:
- Rash
- Fever
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Cough
Conduct Refresher Training Courses
People may forget cross-contamination prevention tips over time, so make sure you have regular refresher courses to ensure everyone is following regulations. You can hold this training once a year, but make it clear that employees can ask for clarification or reminders at any time. In fact, you should make the training manual readily available so team members can double-check when necessary.
Preventing cross-contamination in the kitchen is everybody’s responsibility. As the owner, it’s your job to make sure everyone’s on board and understands the severe consequences of negligence. With a solid plan and top-down vigilance, you can run a clean kitchen that ensures the safety of your customers. With enough dedication, you may never have to file a claim with your Utah restaurant insurance provider.
About BTC Insurance
At BTC Insurance Services, we bring a customer-centered approach to our personified insurance and risk management services. We provide Utah and several other states with specialty program insurance options for commercial ventures, as well as provide residential clients with personal lines of insurance, automotive coverage and life insurance options. For more information on how our team can help with your risks, contact us today at (844) 479-0945.
