A Covid Secure Checklist for the Catering and Hospitality Trade
As we reach the end of Lockdown Two, and with the festive period fast approaching, many restaurants, cafes and canteens are looking forward to hopefully getting the doors back open and serving customers.
While we still don’t know exactly when all catering and hospitality venues will be allowed to reopen to the public properly, it’s vital that you prepare your business to implement Covid-secure steps and help to keep your community safe from a localised outbreak.
Covid-specific Risk Assessment
- Identify activities or situations that might result in a transmission of the Covid virus
- Identify who is at risk
- Identify the level of risk of exposure
- Implement steps to remove the risk, or least control/reduce the risk
- Share the completed risk assessment and steps with staff and customers
Staff Hygiene
As we know, the most effective way to prevent the spread of the virus is through regular cleaning. In any business that sells or prepares food, you should already have rigorous processes and standards in place to maintain good personal hygiene, but there are other aspects to consider now. This includes regular hand washing rules, clean clothing rules, only coming to work if you are fit and well enough, and wearing the correct appropriate PPE, such as a mask.
You may also want to consider updating your Sickness and Pay policy to encourage staff to self-isolate when required. If you do not pay your staff sick pay, they may be more inclined to break the rules and come to work when they are unwell or have been told to isolate, thereby increasing the risk to your staff, customers and your business.
- Implement a frequent and effective hand washing schedule and ask staff to sign a record to evidence this
- Implement a rota to check all hand washing areas are well stocked with soap and paper towels
- Display signs to encourage customers to wash hands frequently and properly
- Install sanitiser stations (or increase hand washing facilities) where required
- Carry out staff health checks, such as temperature checking on arrival
- Update sickness policy to reflect any changes to pay from self-isolation and implement a ‘Back to Work’ wellness check
- Consider using a professional company to collect and wash all uniforms and linens.
- Encourage staff to change into clean uniform every shift, on arrival (providing safe, clean, private areas for changing and storing clothes)
Food Hygiene
Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, food hygiene standards have not actually changed all that much. Serving hygienic, safe to eat food has always been a necessity, but now, it’s even more important to ensure you are sticking to the rules and your customers are likely to be more interested in how you ensure their food is safe to eat.
It’s vital to continually assess your food hygiene procedures and update them where necessary, creating robust Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans. If you’ve had to change your menu, or suppliers, ensure all new ingredients, meals, processes and supplies are assessed and included on the plan.
- Continually reassess the findings of your risk assessment, alongside food hygiene and HACCP processes
- Introduced an increased cleaning rota, in all areas
- Record all critical control point checks for cooking, chilling and cross contamination of foods
Increased Cleaning Rotas
Introduce a new cleaning schedule to ensure all areas of your restaurant are thoroughly and regularly cleaned, including all contact points (handles, taps, chairs, etc.). Include your staff; ask them which areas they think present most risk as they will have a different perception to you from the shop floor.
For example, if your staff feel the menus are too difficult to keep clean, consider the introduction of disposable paper menus for each customer.
Remember to consider how to hygienically restart your appliances and systems after a prolonged shutdown.
- Ensure every area of your premises is included on your cleaning schedule (for example, include more regular cleaning of store areas, car parks, bin areas and cellars)
- Create an easy to follow cleaning checklist for each area, and ensure every clean is recorded
- Provide additional training to staff on effective cleaning techniques and the safe use of chemicals and equipment
- Identify high contact areas, ensuring these are sanitised between customers and at regular points during the day
- If possible (and not creating a hazard) ensure doors are left open to reduce touch points
- Use disposal menus, or easy to clean, one page menus to limit exposure risks
- Carry out a deep clean of all appliances before reopening, and regularly once open
- Ensure all water systems are serviced and disinfected before reopening to prevent Legionnaires Disease
Social Distancing Measures
If your restaurant or cafe is reopening before Christmas, you will need to ensure strict social distancing measures are in place. The use of masks, screens, one way systems, and contactless ordering, payments and even serving systems should be considered where possible.
You’ll need to allow extra space between tables and extra time between booking to account for cleaning.
In areas where your staff are working where there is limited space, such as in kitchens and behind bars, social distancing measures will be difficult. Try to encourage staff to work side by side (rather than face to face) and stick to one designated workstation or area.
- Install screens where possible between tables, queuing areas and at tills
- Spread out tables in line with social distancing rules (this may mean you have to place some furniture into storage to make space)
- Introduce a one way system throughout the building for customers and staff
- Use floor markers to indicate one way systems, queuing direction and distances
- Stock sufficient supplies of PPE, including masks, soap, paper towels, hand sanitiser, etc.
- Introduce a one way system around the kitchen to limit contact
- Introduce personal workspaces or work stations
- Provide training to all staff on all new social distancing measures
- Update staff handbooks or policies to include social distancing processes and the consequences of not following them
