How to Get a Commercial Kitchen Health and Safety Compliant

Legal & Compliance Consulting

If you’ve ever watched Kitchen Nightmares starring Gordon Ramsay, you know how scary it can be when he comes down on restaurant owners whose kitchens are unsanitary. But since it’s reality TV, Ramsay gives owners a second chance, and provides pointers on how to rehabilitate their kitchen. 

Food safety matters! Did you know that one of the top reasons commercial kitchens get shut down is health and safety violations? An inspector visiting an unsanitary kitchen wouldn’t be so forgiving. That’s why it’s crucial to keep your kitchen up to code with Canadian health and safety regulations. 

Stay compliant, stay open! This chapter is dedicated to helping you do exactly that. 

Federal Regulations for Food Handling and Storage 

Food handling and storage refer to processes and methods used to prepare and preserve food. Occupational health and safety regulations in Canada have set specific guidelines to ensure all commercial kitchen crews handle and store food based on science-based principles that promote health and save lives. 

Rules for Handling and Storing Food 

• Train your staff to handle food properly to prevent contamination. 
• Restrict any staff member with a communicable disease from handling food. 
• Keep refrigerated foods at 4°C or lower and frozen foods at -11°C or lower. 
• See that all cooking equipment and utensils are well-designed and kept in good condition for easy cleaning. That means they will be free of cracks and crevices and stored in a sanitary environment. 
• Avoid eating, preparing, or storing food in areas harbouring contaminants or hazardous substances. 
• Ensure your premises are free of conditions that attract pests, such as rodents or insects. 

Rules for Food Waste Management 

• Avoid storing food waste or garbage in or near food preparation areas. 
• Use mechanical grinders connected to sewage lines to dispose of wet waste, or temporarily store waste in leak-proof containers with tight-fitting seals. 
• Eliminate or incinerate dry waste regularly. 
• Clean and disinfect garbage bins from food preparation stations each time they’re emptied. 

Rules for Lunchroom Setup 

• A lunchroom must be separate from hazardous areas.
• The room must be adequately sized—a minimum 9m² floor area, 2.3m minimum dimension.
• Lunch rooms must be properly furnished.
• The room must be equipped with covered waste receptacles.

Kitchen Safety Practices 

Proper food handling is of utmost importance, but you also need to keep your kitchen free of other hazards and poor practices. After all, spoiled food isn’t the only danger lying around. 

• Provide thorough training on how to handle kitchen equipment, chemicals (WHMIS training), emergency preparedness (fire extinguishers, first aid kids), ergonomic methods (safe lifting techniques to prevent injury), slip/trip/fall prevention, electrical safety, and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Post easy-to-understand warning signs for kitchen hazards, regularly inspect kitchen spaces to identify hazards, and promptly report and investigate incidents or accidents.
• Ensure handwashing stations are properly maintained and reserved exclusively for handwashing, with sufficient soap and potable water supply. 
• Separate cutting boards used for raw meats from boards used for other food groups to prevent cross-contamination. 
• Disinfect your kitchen surfaces and utensils after each use.
• Ensure your staff maintains healthy personal hygiene practices, such as regular handwashing, wearing clean clothes, and properly disposing of waste. 

The grading system for kitchen health and safety differs slightly between provinces and territories. However, practising the above-mentioned requirements should help set you up for success, and avoid your own kitchen nightmare!