Germs can be a huge long-term problem in commercial kitchen environments, especially when they’re left uncontrolled. It doesn’t take long for a nasty contamination to occur, and the fallout from an incident can be severe. Never mind what could happen to your business, lives could be at risk. It’s a huge responsibility to ensure that your restaurant kitchen is always spotless to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.
Restaurant Ventilation Hood Systems
Air quality is by far the biggest factor you need to control in order to ensure that the environment remains safe and sanitary. Cooking produces various contaminants, from smoke and condensation to food particles and other debris. Mold can be difficult to spot in its early stages, and by the time it spreads enough to become noticeable, it’s often a significant health hazard that could shut down your kitchen.
Restaurant Equipment and Staff Considerations
You need to invest in some reliable restaurant ventilation solutions for keeping your kitchen in check. Condensate hoods are an essential part of any commercial kitchen. Condensate hoods, also referred to as Type 2 hoods, remove heat and steam from the air. These condensate hoods or Type 2 hoods are just as important as exhaust fans and properly maintained ducts. In fact, cleaning kitchen equipment such as condensate hoods, exhaust fans and ductwork, is required by law for virtually every commercial cooking establishment in the United States. It’s suggested to regularly schedule your cleaning service to effectively prevent bacteria from developing throughout the restaurant.
Health issues in your kitchen can quickly stack up, resulting in compounding issues such as decreased productivity due to people not showing up for work and being fined or temporarily shut down by your local health inspectors. The latter can then really hurt your restaurant’s reputation and trust with the public.
Commercial Kitchen Inspections
Commercial kitchen sanitation inspections typically cover all cooking surfaces, kitchen equipment including smoke and condensate hoods, air ducts, floors, storage areas, and refrigeration. If it comes to light that you will need to change your refrigeration unit, you will need to look into one of the largest commercial refrigeration companies for a replacement and one that meets the health and safety code. Note: Fire Marshal inspections are also common in commercial kitchens to ensure there are no potential fire hazards such as grease, flames, exposed electrical wiring, faulty smoke detectors, or the absence of fire extinguishers.
The results of the inspection don’t have to be problematic for you, even if any issues do turn up, as long as you’re willing to actually address everything that’s been pointed out by the inspector.
A simple calculation can show you that disregarding health concerns can have a negative impact on your operations, both in the short and the long term. Having just one employee unavailable at the wrong time can wreak havoc on your schedule, and if the situation gets more serious, it can negatively impact your restaurant in the long run. Avoiding that situation is as easy as following some common safety practices and maintaining a responsible attitude towards your commercial kitchen.
