Having proper health and safety standards can make or break your restaurant. With minimum health standards being so high in the restaurant industry, making sure everything is safe and clean is the absolute top priority for any business owner in the culinary field. There are a few things you can keep in mind if you’re looking to prioritize health and safety in your restaurant.
Train Your Employees Well
Keeping your restaurant clean starts with your employees. Train them from the start to keep sanitation in mind and have them clean often. Leaving dirty cookware around after use can not only be unsanitary, but it can also pose a safety risk. Not keeping your restaurant clean can bring negative consequences to your business. Before long, you could find that your restaurant is infested with mice, rats, or bugs! Prevent this by staying on top of cleaning duties.
Invest in Safety
Not all kitchen equipment is made equal. Investing in the safest equipment can help keep your kitchen hazard-free. Many newer kitchen appliances come with safety measures and a fail-safe built into them in case of emergency. You can also pick up essential safety gear for your kitchen and employees to ensure that accidents are kept to a minimum. These items include basic safety components like fire extinguishers and first aid kits that are required to be on-site and easily accessible. You can also pick up other gear like slip-resistant floor mats, freezer gloves, and cut resistant gloves and aprons to help keep your employees safe from accidents.
Proper Maintenance
Properly maintaining your equipment is essential for keeping up with safety standards and regulations. Equipment that is malfunctioning or simply not being maintained can create severe health hazards. Mechanical malfunctions can cause food to cook improperly, and if not cooked at the proper temperature, certain foods can cause serious illness. Mechanical problems can also pose a threat by increasing the potential for accidents. This includes drawers and cabinets that stick or don’t open properly or electrical devices that malfunction and pose a fire hazard. Keeping up with the maintenance of your equipment will ensure that your kitchen continues to run smoothly.
Bearing safety and health standards in mind is very important in the food industry. Not meeting safety standards can lead to your restaurant being closed down until the issues are fixed, which can cost you in lost revenue. If issues persist or are frequent enough, your business may even be shut down permanently. Keeping on top of things as you go is the best way to handle health and safety. If you treat every day like an inspection day, your restaurant will be in good shape.
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