School Guide to Food-Service Tools and Equipment Safety

Although only 4% (315,000 of 8 million) of school employees work in food preparation and service, food-service personnel account for 12% of school workers’ compensation claims. This highlights the importance of implementing and maintaining a culture of safety surrounding food service tools and equipment in your district. Below we’ll further explore the implications of safety in school kitchens, as well as the role of USDA and HACCP guidelines in ensuring the well-being of both staff and students.

The Importance of Food Service Equipment Safety

The proper use and maintenance of food service tools and equipment contribute not only to efficient cafeteria operations but, more critically, to the well-being of school staff and the broader school community.

Student Well-Being: The safety of food service equipment directly impacts the well-being of students. Ensuring that tools are clean, well-maintained, and used correctly is essential for preventing foodborne illnesses and allergies.

Staff Safety: Maintaining a safe working environment is crucial for the well-being of food service personnel. Proper training and adherence to safety protocols can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

Compliance: If a School Food Authority (SFA) does not comply, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR 210.26) says a “State agency may establish a fine against any [SFA] when it has determined that the [SFA] or a school under its agreement has:

• Failed to correct severe mismanagement of this Program or a Child Nutrition Program under parts 225 or 226 of this chapter;
• Disregarded a Program requirement of which the [SFA] or school had been informed; or
• Failed to correct repeated violations of Program requirements under this part or under parts 225 or 226 of this chapter.”

Cost Savings: Investing in the proper maintenance of food service tools may seem like an additional cost, but it is a proactive investment that can prevent costly accidents, downtime, and legal liabilities. Lawsuits of upwards $4.6 million have been awarded after E. coli outbreaks at schools, and compliance fines can cost anywhere between 1-10% of the amount of meal reimbursement for the entire fiscal year.

Most Common Staff Accidents in School Kitchens

In commercial kitchens across the board, 31% of kitchen injuries are severe enough to require time off work. Understanding the risks is the first step toward prevention. Below we explore the three most common accidents that occur in school kitchens:

1. Slips, trips, and falls

Often happen when water, oil or grease is spilled, spattered or sprayed onto the floor. A safety study of school food-service employees found that 40% of dry-kitchen employees say their floor is slippery at least once a week, and 92% of wet-kitchen employees report their floor is slippery during the week.

2. Burns

Frequently caused by hot oil, cleaning chemicals, steam, or hot plates.

3. Cuts

Which often stem from the use or misuse of knives or other sharp implements.

School Kitchen Safety Regulations

Aside from the USDA regulations which oversee aspects of food safety, from harvest to consumption and include professional training guidelines. Schools must also comply with section 111 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-265) — which amended section 9(h) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.  This requires every school participating in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program to:

• Create a food safety program
• Have a written plan at each food-preparation and service site detailing how to apply Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles
• Have standard operating procedures at each food-preparation and service site
• Obtain at least two food-safety inspections each school year, conducted by a state or local governmental agency responsible for food-safety inspections;
• Post, in a publicly visible location, a report on the most recent food-safety inspection; and
• Provide a copy of the food-safety inspection report to the public upon request.

Tips for Admins on Food Service Tools and Equipment Safety

Aside from training, below are five actionable tips for admins to improve their district’s food service tools and equipment safety, spanning from prevention to response.

Create a Written Food-Safety Plan

As mentioned above, districts are required to have a written plan at each food-preparation and service site — Each plan should detail how to apply Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles. HACCP is a systematic approach to the identification, evaluation, and control of food-safety hazards. Specifically, a plan should explain how to:

• Document menu items in each HACCP process category.
• Document Critical Control Points of food production.
• Monitor all aspects of food production.
• Establish and document corrective actions.
• Keep records.
• Periodically review and revise the overall food-safety program.

Regular Maintenance

As with any tools or equipment, kitchen tools and equipment must be regularly cleaned and maintained.

To that end, the Institute of Child Nutrition offers a workshop titled “Writing, Revising and Updating a HAACP-Based Food-Safety Plan for Schools.” In the workshop’s downloadable participant workbook are numerous practical tools you and your kitchen personnel can use or adapt, including, but not limited to, a sample school-kitchen cleaning schedule, a sample school cafeteria equipment maintenance schedule and a sample vendor-evaluation checklist.

Train Staff on Safe Practices

Proper training is a cornerstone of safety and compliance. Administrators should invest in comprehensive training programs that educate staff on the safe use of tools and equipment. For more information on USDA professional training standards, download our eBook, USDA Professional Standards: Mandates Made Easy.

Create SOPs in accordance with HACCP:

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are vital for ensuring consistency and adherence to safety protocols, and as mentioned above they’re needed for compliance. SOPs commonly cover:

• General safety considerations
• Personnel
• Product procurement
• Receiving
• Storing
• Transporting
• Holding
• Preparation
• Cleaning and sanitizing
• Cooking and documenting temperatures
• Cooling
• Reheating

For instance, soiled and un-sanitized surfaces of equipment and utensils should not come in contact with raw or cooked (ready-to-eat) food. As such, a procedure should be created that explains how to prevent this from happening. The Institute for Child Nutrition offers more than two-dozen downloadable SOPs you can use.

Implement a Hazard Reporting System:

After your school kitchen has developed its food-safety plan and standard operating procedures, an online hazard-reporting system is an effective way to maintain a culture of safety. A digital hazard reporting system streamlines the reporting process, making it easy for staff to report hazards promptly, resulting in quicker resolutions and easier communication.

Implement an Accident Reporting System:

Regardless of how comprehensive your kitchen safety program is — or how safety-conscious your employees are — accidents occasionally happen. An online staff-accident management system allows such incidents to be reported and tracked in a timely fashion which can help resolve workers’ compensation claims quicker, and identifying common accidents and their causes, enabling administrators to take targeted measures to enhance safety.

By prioritizing the safety of food service tools, school districts can not only create efficient and well-operating cafeterias, but also help ensure the safety and well-being of their staff and students. With a proactive approach and adherence to guidelines, schools can create environments that foster both safety and excellence in food service.