The Restaurant Food Safety & Hygiene Operations Manual is an operational and compliance reference for kitchen managers and F&B supervisors at restaurant and hotel properties. It covers the full scope of food safety management — from HACCP-based hazard identification and food handling procedures through allergen management, sanitation routines, and corrective action documentation — supported by fifteen templates and forms for recording food safety and operational data.

The manual is designed for use as both a staff training reference and an administrative compliance guide, and supports self-audit readiness and preparation for external inspections.

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Cleaning and sanitizing of food storage and food preparation areas

The general cleaning program should be based on:

Procedures
Schedule
Monitoring

Food preparation areas must be kept clean to minimize the likelihood of food becoming contaminated and to discourage pests. This standard also applies to all the fixtures, fittings, equipment and vehicles used to transport food.

A food business must maintain its food preparation areas to a standard of cleanliness where there is no accumulation of:

Garbage except in waste receptacles with lids;
Recycled matter, except in containers with lids;
Food waste;
Dirt, grease or other visible matter.

A food preparation area must ensure the following equipment is in a clean and sanitary condition:

All eating and drinking utensils before use.
All food contact surfaces and equipment wherever food will come into contact with surfaces that is likely to be contaminated.

A ’clean and sanitary condition’ is a surface or utensil that has had applied to it heat or chemicals, heat and chemicals, or other processes, so that the number of micro-organisms on the surface or utensil has been reduced to a level that:

Does not compromise the safety of the food with which it may come into contact with and
Does not permit the transmission of infectious diseases.

A food preparation area must not use any chipped, broken or cracked eating or drinking utensils for handling and serving food.

When planning your cleaning and sanitizing program, remember the following points:

Single use paper towels are better than cloths.
Use food safe detergents and sanitizers.
Keep cleaning chemicals away from food storage areas.
Dishwasher/glass washer will sanitize all crockery, cutlery and glassware.
Air dry equipment is recommended
Educate staff on correct cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

21.02 Walls and Ceilings

Walls and ceilings surfaces are to be:

Sealed to prevent the entry of dirt, dust and pests.
Unable to absorb grease, food particles or water and be able to be easily and effectively cleaned.
Unable to provide harborage for pests.
No false ceiling or walls should be present within any food storage or preparation area.
Coving to wall floor junctions should be a minimum radius of 25mm.

21.03 Fixture, Fittings and Equipment

Fixtures, fittings and equipment must be:

Adequate for the production of safe and suitable food and be fit for its intended use.
Designed, constructed, located and installed so that there is no likelihood that they will cause food contamination.
Able to be easily and effectively cleaned.
Positioned those adjacent floors, walls, ceilings and other surface be easily and effectively cleaned.
Positioned that they do not provide harborage for pests.
Unable to absorb grease, food particles and water if there is a likelihood that they will cause food contamination.
Made of material that will not contaminate food.

21.04 Cleaning Requirements

Cleaning and disinfection procedures should be established by the Chief Steward after consultation with production management, detergent and disinfection manufactures or suppliers’ instructions.
All cleaning/disinfection schedules must be written and clearly understandable (translated) and available for the guidance of employees and management.
Adequate supervision by management to ensure that the procedures set down are carried out in an effective manner.
All detergents and chemicals must be clearly labelled and stored in a separate chemical storage area.

Manufacturer’s instructions must be clearly displayed. Chemicals must not in any instance be stored near food ingredients. A material safety data sheet (MSDS) must be provided by the chemical supplier and readily accessible for all staff.

All stewarding staff must be trained in the handling of chemicals with six (6) monthly refresher courses.

21.05 Cleaning Procedures

A schedule which stipulates the item to be cleaned, the frequency of cleaning, the method of cleaning, the amount and type of chemical to use and the person responsible must be clearly displayed.

Suitable protective clothing must be worn and the manufacturer’s instructions on the chemical must always be followed. Open food must not be exposed due to a risk of contamination during cleaning.

Cleaning and disinfection normally consist of six basic stages:

Pre clean and remove all excess gross debris by brushing.
Main cleaning by loosening of the surface grease and dirt using detergent.
Rinse with water to remove loosened solid and residue of detergent.
Disinfection – destroying micro-organisms using bleach etc.
Final rinse – removal of disinfectant.
Drying – preferably natural by using the evaporating method.

21.06 Dish wash and glass wash machines

Items that can fit into the dish wash or glass wash machines should do so. The wash cycle temperature for both the dish wash and the glass wash machines is to be at 60°C – 65°C. The rinse cycle temperature for both the dish wash and the glass wash machines is to be at 77°C or above.

This is monitored by the temperature gauge on the washing unit. When a company provides preventative maintenance on the machines, the technician is to monitor and record both the wash and rinse cycle temperatures on the service sheet for each machine throughout the hotel.

The dish wash and glass wash units are to be cleaned daily. Ensure that all chemicals that are piped through to the machines are in good condition and are the correct dilution.

Heated water is to be supplied to both the dish wash or glass wash machines.

21.07 Basic Cleaning Methods

FLOOR

Material to be used: broom, dust pan, floor dryer, warm water, disinfectant, detergent and a sanitizer.
Sweep the floor.
Scrub with a floor cleaner then rinse and dry.
Scrub with sanitizer solution and squeeze with floor squeezer or squeezer machine.
Allow to dry/use drying machine.

STOVE/OVEN

Material to be used: oven cleaner, steel brush, rubber gloves, scrapper, wiping cloth, scourer and a sponge.
Shut off supply of gas or electricity.
Apply oven cleaner on the stove and oven especially to the corners. (Do not to use an oven cleaner when the oven is too hot).
Scrape off the dirt on the oven and stove by the use of a scrapper.
Soap the stove and oven with washing soap and scourer.
Dismantle the stove plate and shelves and rinse the stove and oven with warm water.
Dry the stove and oven using paper towels and return the dismantled stove plate and shelves.

MIXER and MACHINE (INCLUDING ICE CREAM MACHINE)

Material to be used: detergent, sanitizer, hand brush, scourer and warm water.
Switch off the machine.
Dismantle and place movable parts in sanitizing solution.
Brush or sponge all parts, rinse with warm water and air dry.
Reassemble.

CHOPPING BOARDS

Material to be used: detergent, sanitizer, hand brush, hose and a plastic pale.
Soak in boiling water mixed with detergent and a sanitizer.
Scrub with plastic brush until the dirt comes off.
Rinse with water and air dry.

STAINLESS STEEL BENCHES

Material to be used: detergent, sanitizer, gloves, scourer, paper towel, plastic pale and warm water.
Apply the detergent and sanitizer solution on the table.
Scrub with scotch scourer until heavy dirt is loosened.
Rinse with water, wipe with paper towels and allow to air dry.

DOUGH SHEETER

Material to be used: dust pan, hand brush, detergent, sanitizer and a scourer.
Switch off the dough sheeter.
Dust off with a hand brush and a dust pan.
Apply the detergent and sanitizer with a scourer and scrub the body.
Rinse and wipe with a wet cloth and allow to air dry.

REACH IN FRIDGE – COUNTER FRIDGE

Material to be used: detergent, sanitizer, gloves, scourer, wiping cloth, plastic pale, cloth and warm water.
Remove all food, put in a clean trolley and store them in the other chiller.
Remove all shelves from inside the refrigerator for cleaning.
Apply detergent and a sanitizer to both the outside and inside surfaces, scrub with a scourer.
Rinse with warm water and wipe over it with a wiping cloth.
Dry and return the cleaned shelves back into the refrigeration unit and switch on.
Return all food back into the refrigeration unit.

WASTE RECEPTACLE

Material to be used: detergent, sanitizer, gloves and a scourer.
Take the waste out of the waste receptacle.
Apply detergent and sanitizer with the scourer.
Rinse with water and air dry.

CEILING TILES – A/C DUCT

Material to be used: wiping cloth, plastic pale, ladder, detergent and sanitizer.
Apply detergent and sanitizer on the wiping cloth and wipe dirty tiles.
Wipe again with a wiping cloth.

WALL TILES

Material to be used: detergent, wiping cloth and sponge.
Apply detergent on the wall, scrub with the sponge and rinse with clean water.
Wipe with a wiping cloth.

COOL ROOM and DEEP FREEZER

Material to be used: duster, sponge, broom, floor squeezer, brush, detergent and sanitizer.
Transfer food to another cool room.
Apply hand ware washing soap on the wall and the ceiling.
Rinse with high pressure water hose on the ceiling and walls.
Absorb the water off the floor.
Pour the detergent and sanitizer on the floor, scrub with a brush until the dirt is out.
Dry the floor.
Arrange the cleaned shelves and switch on.

SALAMANDER

Material to be used: steel brush, scourer, rubber gloves, wiping cloth, detergent, sanitizer and a plastic pale.
Shut off the fuel/gas supply.
Dismantle the griller (steel bar) and wash it with detergent, sanitizer and a steel brush in a sink.
Wipe the outside of the salamander with a wiping cloth.

DEEP FRYER

Material to be used: rubber gloves, cloth, plastic pail, scourer, hand brush, water, detergent and sanitizer.
Turn off the deep fryer.
Drain out the fat and strain off sediment.
Fill with water and detergent and boil for up to 20 minutes.
Drain the water out, rinse with warm water and air dry.
Close drain valve.

SLICER

Material to be used: detergent, sanitizer, hand brush, scourer and warm water.
Switch off the slicer.
Dismantle and place movable parts in detergent and sanitizer solution. Soak for 3 minutes and wipe with paper towels.
Reassemble.

KITCHEN EXHAUST HOOD

Material to be used: degreaser, stainless steel polish, sponge, plastic pail, cloth, water, and a scraper.
Remove the grease with a scraper from the inside of the exhaust hood.
Apply degreaser to the exposed and exterior surfaces of the kitchen exhaust hood.
Wipe over with a wet cloth and then wipe over with a dry cloth.
Polish with stainless steel polish.

Refer to the hotels cleaning schedule for further information.

Food & Beverage