Inspection Tips

Do you know how you fared on your last inspection?

At Chemex, we pride ourselves in offering the highest level of product quality and service. We will advise our customers of cleaning and hygiene best practice and how often.

Record keeping                                                                            

Ensure that you are using the Chemex Hygiene Control Programme.  It is important to keep daily checks of the activities in the kitchen. Start up checks, refrigerator temperature checks, hot/cold checks etc. may take a few minutes to perform each day but are vital in recording that all kitchen activities are being performed correctly. You need to build up a body of evidence to prove that you are doing everything possible to produce safe food.

Tip 1 – Don’t forget to fill in the action loop section. If you have a fridge breakdown for example, writing it down could be important in proving how you dealt with the problem.

Tip 2 – If you have one person who is responsible for filling out the checks, what happens when they are on holiday? Make sure another member of staff is trained and ready to do the checks in their absence. If you have a food poisoning incident and no records exist during the week that it occurred explaining that the person responsible was on holiday, this will not be acceptable.

Tip 3 – Keep on top of change! If you get a new fridge or freezer or start a new activity e.g. serving a hot buffet, don’t forget to add the appropriate checks to the list.

Cleaning

Cleaning of the kitchen should take place on a daily basis with some additional cleaning being done less frequently. However often cleaning is performed it must be recorded as having been done. Using the right chemicals and protective apparatus is vital. A washing up liquid will not sanitise a surface! Know your chemicals.

Tip 4 – Use the right chemical for the right job and at the correct concentration.

Training

Well trained, informed staff are an asset to a business. All staff, whether permanent or temporary should have some level of Hygiene and Food Safety training.

Tip 5 – If staff have limited knowledge of English find a trainer who can train them and answer questions in their native tongue.

Tip 6 – Make sure staff training needs are analysed on a regular basis and their skills and knowledge are kept up to date.

Ask for advice

As Chemex cleaning and hygiene experts we can help you prepare for an inspection. We can offer an auditing service by way of our site survey where we inspect the restaurant on a regular basis and help customers keep on top of record keeping and hygiene.

Tip 7 – Visit other kitchens. Those that you know to have a good food safety rating could help you to make improvements in your own.

Tip 8 – Maintain a good relationship with your local EHO. Don’t be afraid to ask their advice. They have a lot of experience and want to help.

Many restaurant owners may think that they can’t afford a regular audit for an expert to make sure that their food safety standards are up to scratch, or they may overlook staff training needs, but the cost of keeping up to date with these things is going to be far less than a food safety incident which could cost your business in the long run. If you have a proactive approach and put all the right measures in place your business will benefit, your staff and customers will be happy and you could end up with a very high score on your door! Contact Us.