Whether you’re the owner, manager or employee of a restaurant, it’s incredibly important that you know proper restaurant infection prevention protocol. Keeping a clean restaurant is key to both protecting adults and protecting children from illness.
Following the proper health codes for your state and municipality is very important, especially when it comes to the handling of food. Heating and cooling at the proper levels is what stops your food from being infected with bacteria, so make sure all employees are aware of the regulations.
Another important factor of restaurant infection prevention is proper restaurant cleaning procedure. Daily mopping, wiping down all counters and cleaning all dishes should be a regular occurrence. Hand washing by all employees is also required to keep things sanitary and protect against germs. The spreading of germs can very easily occur with just a touch of the hand. Viruses such as the flu can spread easily and will survive on hard surfaces for up to two days.
Restaurant policy for employees who are sick also needs to be taken into careful consideration. Employees bringing their illness into the workplace is a surefire way to cause an outbreak, and that’s something that absolutely nobody wants. As much as it sucks to be short-handed on a Friday night, it’s much better than having your staff and customers sick with a mysterious illness.
There are also regulations concerning certain allergens that may affect your restaurant. Be aware of common allergens that are present in your location; things such as peanuts, seafood, gluten, or any others. It may not be required for you to have these memorized, but if you’re taking the time to read this, you’re interested enough, so we recommend it for safety’s sake!
Depending on what kind of restaurant you are, you may also need to be aware of any infection prevention procedures might be specific to you. Certain foods, such as tomatoes and ground beef, have different regulations that need to be followed. Find out more information from your workplace OSHA manual, or contact your superior if you have further questions on the cleanliness of your place of work.