ServSafe Chapter 9.1 Facilities

Main Ideas & Lessons (ServSafe Chapter 9.1: Facilities)

• Food safety depends heavily on facilities

  • The materials, equipment, and utilities in a restaurant directly affect how safely food can be handled and maintained.
  • When making major changes (especially facilities/equipment), consult your local regulatory agency (e.g., changes to dishwashers can trigger requirements and oversight).

• Facility design must prioritize cleanability

  • A key general principle: choose items that make it easy to clean and maintain.
  • Surfaces (floors, walls, ceilings) should be smooth, durable, and regularly repaired/maintained.

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Instruction-Style Concepts & Requirements

1) General Considerations for What to Install

When purchasing facility materials/equipment, ensure:

• Easier cleaning and maintenance is possible.
• Smooth, durable, non-problem surfaces are chosen (especially flooring, walls, and ceiling materials).

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2) Flooring (What It Must Be Like + What to Do)

Flooring must be:

• Smooth (no lumps, cracks, or food-accumulation areas)
• Durable (stands up to heavy use without breaking down)
• Non-absorbent (doesn’t soak up water/grease)
• Easy to clean (no special tools/equipment required)
• Wear resistant (won’t chip/crack easily)
• Slip resistant (helpful/strongly recommended)

Porosity rules Avoid high-porosity flooring, such as:

• Carpet
• Wood
• Heavily textured tile

High porosity increases risk because it can:

• Support pathogen growth (via absorbency)
• Increase slip/fall risk
• Degrade faster

Maintenance actions

• Regularly maintain floors:
  • Replace missing/broken items (e.g., ceiling tiles; repair flooring damage)
  • Repair holes in walls
  • Replace floors when damaged/worn
• If water sits from cleaning:
  • Remove standing water quickly

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3) Walls and Ceilings (Interior Finishes + Upkeep)

Interior finish goals

• In prep areas, walls/ceilings should be light colored to:
  • Improve light distribution
  • Make dirt easier to spot during cleaning
• Surfaces must be maintained:
  • Free of cracks/holes
  • No peeling paint

Preferred wall finish (best mentioned)

• Ceramic tile
  • Maintain for grout loss
  • Regrout when needed

Other materials mentioned

• Stainless steel
  • Durable and moisture resistant
  • Expensive
• Cinder block walls
  • Can be sealed and painted with oil-resistant, glossy, easy-wash paint
  • Considered only “okay,” not ideal—especially where walls get wet during cleaning

Structural considerations

• Ceiling support structures (joists/rafters/pipes) must not be left exposed
  • Must be finished and sealed so they’re cleanable
  • Prevents dust/grease/dirt from falling into food

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4) Coving (Key Terminology + Purpose)

Coving definition and purpose

• Coving means a curved, sealed edge between the floor and wall.
• Required when using resilient and hard surface flooring materials (e.g., linoleum tiles).
• Purpose:
  • Eliminates sharp corners/gaps that are hard to clean
  • Reduces hiding places for insects/pests
  • Helps prevent moisture from deteriorating walls

Coving installation requirement

• Coving must adhere tightly to the wall.

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5) Traffic Areas and Standing Water Controls

• Use non-slip surfaces in high-traffic areas (slip/fall hazard reduction).
• In areas where standing water may occur (e.g., dish pit):
  • Rubber mats are allowed
  • If scrubbing:
    • Remove mats and clean separately
    • Preferably spray/sanitize outside

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6) Dry Storage Area Rules (Airflow + Contamination Prevention)

Design/organization

• Use easy-to-clean materials
• Ensure good air circulation
• Prefer open rack shelving
• Use bins for dry ingredients made only from:
  • Corrosion-resistant metal, or
  • Food-grade plastic

Window and temperature

• If windows exist:
  • Cover with shades
  • Prevent direct sunlight from raising temperatures and harming food quality

Overhead contamination prevention

• No steam pipes, water lines, or conduits in a well-designed dry storage area.
• Avoid overhead leaks/condensation that can allow pathogen growth in normally stable foods (e.g., crackers, flour, baking powder).
• Prevent sewer contamination (a leaking overhead sewer line could contaminate everything).

Pest control

• Seal cracks and crevices in floors/walls
• Use self-closing exterior doors
• Use screens on windows/doors to keep insects out

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7) Food Equipment Standards (NSF/ANSI Certification)

Who sets standards

• NSF (National Sanitation Foundation / National Safety Foundation as stated)
  • Accredited by ANSI (American National Standards Institute)

What to do when buying equipment

• Look for the NSF mark
• Avoid household equipment for commercial kitchens (not built for heavy use)

What NSF certification implies for food equipment surfaces

• Non-absorbent
• Smooth
• Corrosion-resistant
• Easy to clean
• Durable
• Resistant to damage
• Food safe

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8) Floor-Mounted Equipment Installation: Mobile vs. Stationary + Rules

Determine equipment type

• Mobile: can be moved (even if not on wheels)
• Stationary: cannot be practically moved (example: a heavy/large stand mixer)

Stationary floor-mounted installation options (must be easy to clean around):

• Option A: Mount on legs that lift the equipment at least 6 inches off the ground
  • Allows mopping underneath
• Option B: Seal directly to the masonry base/floor
  • Prevents debris/grease trapping and reduces pest hiding

Other requirements

• Follow manufacturer recommendations
• Coordinate/check with the health inspector

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9) Table-Mounted Equipment Installation Rules

Two types:

• Raised on legs
• Mounted directly to the table

Installation requirements mirror floor-mounted logic:

• Ensure the unit is:
  • Sealed to the countertop (to prevent cracks/seams where food/pests accumulate)
  • Or installed on legs for cleaning access

Height guidance

• If on tabletop: lift about 4 inches (enables cleaning beneath)
• If on floor: lift about 6 inches (enables mopping underneath)

Ongoing maintenance

• Maintain equipment regularly
• Only qualified people should maintain/repair it
• Use a maintenance schedule with supplier/manufacturer; check regularly (don’t guess)

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10) Dishwashing Machines: Types + Installation + Operation Settings

Major dishwashing categories mentioned

1. Stationary rack / single tank (single machine with doors)
   • Detergent spray simultaneously from top and bottom for ~1–6 minutes
   • Final rinse with very hot water (example: 180°F)
   • Some machines use a chemical sanitizer final rinse
2. Conveyor belt machines (larger restaurants)
   • Racks move through multiple wash/rinse/sanitize cycles
   • May have multiple tanks
3. Carousel / circular conveyor (very large)
   • Multi-tank conveyor loop
4. Flight machine (very high capacity, resorts)
   • Peg conveyor belt, multiple tanks, built-in dryer
5. Small machines
   • Batch type dump machine: fast cycle (example: ~10 minutes)
   • Recirculating door type non-dump machine mentioned but not emphasized

Dishwasher installation requirements

• Place it where it is:
  • Reachable
  • Conveniently located
  • Positioned so clean utensils/food-contact surfaces won’t get contaminated during use
• Must be at least 6 inches off the floor
• Minimize plumbing/water pipe length to keep water heat loss low
• Use only detergents and sanitizers approved by the health department
• Ensure the dishwasher can measure:
  • Water temperature
  • Water pressure
  • Chemical concentration (when applicable)

Posting information

• Correct settings should be posted on the outside of the machine.
• Thermometer requirements:
  • Easy to view/read
  • Increments no greater than 2°F
  • Easy to clean

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11) Manual Cleaning: 3-Compartment Sinks + Large-Item Approach

When using a 3-compartment sink

• Must be large enough for the biggest items:
  • Oversized pots
  • Salad spinners
  • Large tools that won’t fit on racks

Items too large for the dishwasher

• Use other cleaning methods such as cleaning in place
  • Bring soap/sanitizer/rinse water to the equipment
  • Don’t bring the large equipment to the sink

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12) Handwashing Stations: Location, Constraints, Required Features

Where handwashing stations must be located Staff access locations include:

• Restrooms or immediately next to them
• Next to food prep areas
• Next to service areas
• Next to dishwashing areas (These four locations are stated as required in practice.)

They must be always available + functional

• Well stocked
• Maintained
• Not blocked

Key restrictions

• Handwashing sinks are only for handwashing
• Prevent splash/cross-contamination with:
  • Adequate barriers or distance between handwashing and food/food-contact surfaces
• Cannot be blocked by:
  • Portable equipment
  • Stacked dirty cookware
• Regular sinks may fail the standard if they don’t provide barrier separation (example: standard counter sinks may not qualify without adequate separation)

Five required characteristics

• Potable (drinkable) water meeting temperature/pressure requirements
• Soap (liquid, bar, or powder)
• Towels:
  • Disposable paper towels, or
  • Continuous towel system providing clean towels
• Hand drying:
  • Paper towels as above, or
  • Hand dryer delivering warm/room air at high velocity
• Garbage container required if using disposable paper towels

Signs/posting

• Visible sign/poster instructing staff:
  • Wash hands before returning to work

Recommended but not always required

• Fingernail brush
• Some jurisdictions require a wall clock with a second hand above sinks
  • to ensure required 20–30 seconds of handwashing

Cross-contamination prevention by sink purpose

• Use sinks only for intended use:
  • Handwashing sink for hands
  • Prep sink for produce/meat prep tasks only

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13) Service Sink

• At least one service sink is required
• Used for cleaning mops and disposing of waste water
• Example: stored in a janitor closet

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14) Utilities and Building Systems (Must Function Correctly)

Utilities include:

• Water
• Electricity
• Gas
• Sewage
• Garbage disposal

Building systems include:

• Plumbing
• Lighting
• Ventilation

Requirement

• Must be sufficient for operations and work correctly
  • Non-functioning systems increase contamination risk

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15) Water Safety: Potable Water + Cross-Connection/Backflow Prevention

Water rules

• Only potable/drinkable water may contact food-contact surfaces or be used for food preparation
• Approved sources:
  • Public water mains
  • Private wells only with regular professional testing and maintenance
• Alternative approved sources:
  • Closed bottled water
  • Water transported by an approved company

Water-heating considerations

• Ensure heater can meet peak demand:
  • Evaluate heater performance
  • Hot water recovery/production speed
  • Heater tank size and location relative to sinks/dishwashing
• General purpose heaters may not reach sanitizing temperatures:
  • May need a booster heater

Cross-connection / backflow terminology

• Cross connection: physical link between safe and dirty water
  • Can come from drains/sewers/wastewater sources
• Back siphonage: the mechanism/process
• Backflow: contaminants reverse-flow into potable water supply (definitions repeated for emphasis)

Examples of cross connections

• Running faucet below a sink flood rim
• Running hose in a mop bucket (vacuum effect pulls contaminants into clean water system)

Prevention steps

• Best prevention: avoid cross connections
• Do not attach hoses to faucets unless a backflow prevention device (e.g., vacuum breaker) is attached

Vacuum breaker (description)

• Mechanical device that prevents back siphonage
• Uses a check valve; seals supply line when flow stops

Other prevention devices

• Double check valves
• Reduced pressure zone backflow preventers

Device requirements

• Must be:
  • Checked periodically
  • Serviced by trained/certified technicians
  • Maintained per local requirements and manufacturer recommendations

Only sure method

• Create an air gap
  • Example: sink has one air gap between faucet and flood rim, and another between drain and floor drain

Grease control in plumbing

• Grease condensation buildup is common
• Use grease traps to prevent drain blockage
  • Installed by a licensed plumber
  • Easy to access
  • Cleaned regularly per manufacturer instructions
  • Improper cleaning can lead to backup/odors/contamination

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16) Lighting Requirements and Maintenance

Lighting goals

• Makes cleaning easier
• Supports safety
• Helps staff see food
• Intensity measured in foot-candles or lux

General intensity relationships (regional rules may vary)

• Prep/cooking: about 5x brighter than dining
• Dry storage: about 2x dining
• Buffet: lower than prep/cooking, based on dining baseline
• Restrooms and dishwashing areas: referenced as lower than prep/cooking and higher than other areas (per chart)

Operational requirements

• After installation:
  • Monitor lighting
  • Replace burnt-out bulbs
• Use:
  • Correct bulb size
  • Shatter-resistant bulbs or protective covers to prevent glass contamination

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17) Ventilation Requirements

Ventilation purposes

• Removes heat, steam, and smoke
• Eliminates fumes/odors

Why correct ventilation matters

• Poor ventilation leads to grease/condensation buildup:
  • Fire hazard
  • Contamination risk

Maintenance

• Clean and maintain ventilation systems per manufacturer recommendations
  • Usually done by professionals

Mechanical ventilation needs

• Required for cooking, frying, grilling areas
• Hoods/fans/guards/ductwork must be designed so they do not drip onto food/equipment
• Filters/grease extractors:
  • Tight-fitting
  • Easy to remove
  • Clean often (example: almost daily)
• Hood/ductwork:
  • Clean periodically by professionals

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18) Trash Handling and Storage

Trash risks

• Attracts pests
• Can contaminate food, equipment, and utensils if mishandled

Staff handling requirements

• Prevent contamination when removing garbage:
  • Don’t rest trash bags on food prep tables
• Clean garbage containers frequently (inside and outside)
• Don’t clean trash containers near:
  • Prep areas
  • Food storage areas
• Take cleanup outside (spray with soapy water outdoors as described)

Indoor trash container requirements

• Leak proof, waterproof, pest proof
• Easy to clean
• Covered when not in use

Trash storage separation

• Store waste/recyclables separately from:
  • Food
  • Food-contact surfaces
• Must not create nuisance or health hazard

Outdoor trash container requirements

• Place on smooth, durable, non-absorbent surface (e.g., asphalt/concrete)
• Tight-fitting lids
• Keep covered at all times
• Drain plugs must remain in place:
  • Not dripping “greasy trash juice” (pest attractant)

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19) Overall Maintenance Checklist (Prevent Failures)

To prevent food safety problems from poor maintenance:

• Clean the entire operation regularly
• Ensure all building systems work and are checked regularly
• Inspect the building at least once or twice per year:
  • Floors, foundation, ceilings, windows
  • Look for leaks, cracks, and holes
• Maintain the outside of the building:
  • Patios and parking lots too
• Maintain pest-control related repairs:
  • Example: seal cracks in exterior walls to keep pests out

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Speakers / Sources Featured

• Chef Bates (presenter/speaker)
• NSF (National Sanitation Foundation / National Safety Foundation as referenced)
• ANSI (American National Standards Institute; accreditor mentioned)
• Local regulatory agency / health inspector (oversight authorities)