4 minute read
Speeding up hygiene in commercial kitchens
COVID-19 has had a major impact on the hospitality sector making life increasingly difficult for restaurants. Tom Marshall, from Tork manufacturer Essity, looks at various ways of speeding up cleaning and hand hygiene in commercial kitchens to ease pressures on staff. During the pandemic, large numbers of qualified workers were laid off in many countries. When the sector reopened, many of these staff members switched careers and found work in other areas that were less stressful and provided better working conditions.
Staff shortages are continuing to create major difficulties as venues struggle to provide a high level of service and with fewer staff members to deliver it. This means employees are being rushed off their feet daily. Cutting corners is not an option. The cost-of-living crisis has led to a general reluctance
among people to splash out on treats which means today’s diners expect high quality and good value when eating out. But, busy staff will inevitably have less time for important protocols such as surface cleaning and hand hygiene, and skimping on such essentials would be disastrous for businesses.
Failing to adhere to proper cleaning and hand hygiene regimes could lead to food poisoning, unhappy customers and a significant loss of reputation on the part of the restaurant. So, all hospitality venues need to be seen as clean –particularly in the wake of the global pandemic.
But how can cleaning and hand hygiene be carried out swiftly and efficiently? The answer is to ensure that the right equipment is always provided close at hand. When a spill occurs in the kitchen, it is important to clean it up quickly to avoid issues such as slipping hazards, crosscontamination, and food spoilage.
Loose paper rolls are often provided for general wiping, but these will be constantly moved from A to B – and no one will know where to lay their hands on one when its use becomes critical. Therefore, it makes sense to ensure that wipers are located in convenient positions and are easy to spot.
Tork Performance dispensers can be wall-mounted and are available in eye-catching turquoise and white units for the kitchen. Designed for use in food preparation areas is the Tork Reflex® Single Sheet Centrefeed system which fully encloses the roll to protect it from dirt and damp before use. The wall-mounted system has a rotating nozzle which allows the paper to be pulled out swiftly from any angle, speeding up cleaning when time is of the essence. Tork Reflex can also be supplied in a portable dispenser.
When it comes to hand hygiene, all soap and paper dispensers should be easy to use and kept well stocked. They should be quick to refill to ensure a constant supply of product.
The Tork Foam Soap dispenser has been designed to require a particularly low push force for ease of use. It serves up to 1,650 users between refills which means the dispenser is less likely to run out when a hand wash is urgently needed. A new cartridge takes just seconds to snap into place to ensure a constant supply.
Drying is a vital part of any hand hygiene regime, but air dryers rarely feature in commercial kitchen wash stations because they take at least 10 seconds to dry the hands. However, the wrong type of hand towel dispenser can also slow the drying process.
For example, it can be hard to pull out a single C-fold towel from a dispenser, which means staff will struggle to access one when needed. They will all too often end up pulling out a clump of towels, causing frustration and wasting valuable seconds while also contributing to higher costs.
The Tork Matic® Hand Towel Roll dispenser works well in the kitchen because it gives out towels singly in a seamless operation and holds sufficient towels for up to 1,400 hand dries.
While restaurant staff need to have the correct cleaning and hygiene tools on hand, they also need to reassure diners that their premises are safe. Frequent wipe-downs of all tables and seats will demonstrate to guests that they are in a hygienic environment.
Hand sanitisers located at entrances will further help to inspire confidence. Products such as the Tork Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitiser will allow staff and diners to cleanse their hands frequently while also providing reassurance.
A combination of high prices, staff shortages and customer caution following the pandemic is squeezing hospitality venues at every turn. But efficiencies will be significantly enhanced if all cleaning and hygiene equipment is fit for purpose and if the tools for the task are to be found in the right place and at the right time.
For more information visit: www.tork.co.za
