Food safety raises the stakes
Restaurants operate under health codes and inspections, so a biohazard event in a dining room, kitchen or restroom needs careful handling. Common events include injuries in the kitchen, blood or vomit in the dining room, fights in bars, sewage backups from floor drains, grease traps or restrooms, and deaths on the premises.
How restaurant projects work
- Coordinate with the owner or manager, and with the local health department if it's involved.
- Protect food and equipment. Identify any food, packaging or equipment in the contaminated area that must be discarded.
- Remove contaminated porous materials.
- Clean and disinfect floors, walls, prep surfaces, equipment exteriors and restrooms. Where food-contact surfaces are involved, we use products and methods appropriate for food areas and finish with the rinse or sanitizing step those surfaces require.
- Document the work for your records and, if needed, for the health department.
Norovirus and illness events
When an illness outbreak is suspected, cleaning and disinfection have to target the specific organism. Some common disinfectants are not effective against norovirus, for example. See outbreak response disinfection for how that work is handled.
Working around service
We schedule work for after close where possible so you can reopen for the next service.
Bars and entertainment venues
Bars, clubs and event spaces see more fights, injuries and bodily fluid incidents than typical restaurants, often late at night. We can work overnight so the venue opens on schedule, and handle restrooms, dance floors, patios and parking areas.
Kitchen equipment and surfaces
When contamination reaches the kitchen, stainless steel work surfaces, sinks and equipment exteriors can be cleaned and sanitized. Equipment interiors, ice machines and beverage lines may need service by the manufacturer's technician or your equipment vendor, and we'll tell you which items need that before they are used again.
Common questions
Can you discard food for us?
We can identify and remove contaminated food and packaging for disposal. Decisions about what to discard should follow your health department's guidance.
Do you handle grease trap or drain backups?
We clean up after them. The plumbing repair itself is handled by your plumber.
Can we reopen the same day?
Small dining-room events often can be cleaned between services. Kitchen and sewage events take longer.