Section 5
Sanitary-epidemiological requirements and fire protection
In the HoReCa industry, an employee’s responsibility goes beyond their own safety. Hygiene errors can lead to mass poisoning of guests, and fire negligence – to tragedy in a building full of sleeping people. Therefore, strict adherence to HACCP procedures and fire regulations is the absolute foundation of work in hospitality and catering.
Personal hygiene, GHP/GMP and the HACCP system
The HACCP system (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is based on so-called Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Their foundation is the employee’s personal hygiene. Rigorous washing of hands with warm water and antibacterial soap, and their disinfection, are required: before starting work, after using the toilet, after handling raw meat/eggs, and after taking out the trash.
Preventing cross-contamination
Cross-contamination is the transfer of dangerous microorganisms (e.g., Salmonella bacteria from raw poultry) to ready-to-eat food (e.g., a salad). To prevent this, color coding is used. Cutting boards and knives have specific colors (e.g., red for raw meat, green for vegetables, white for dairy). Using a red board to slice a cucumber is a critical hygiene error! Storage in cold rooms is also subject to this rule: raw meat always on the lowest shelves, so that juices dripping from it do not contaminate the ready meals below.
Fire hazards in the kitchen and hotel
- Spontaneous combustion of oil: Edible fat left on an active burner or in a damaged fryer can reach its spontaneous combustion temperature (approx. 300-350°C) and ignite without an external flame.
- Deposits in exhaust hoods: Neglecting regular cleaning of kitchen exhausts causes a thick layer of grease to accumulate in them. A spark from the grill is enough for the fire to spread through the ventilation ducts to the entire building in a fraction of a second.
- Smoking by guests: Despite bans, hotel guests often smoke in rooms or throw cigarette butts into trash cans, which is the most common cause of fires in the accommodation area. Therefore, staff (especially housekeeping) must react immediately to the smell of smoke in the corridors.
Extinguishing burning fat – The Golden OSH Rule!
NEVER EXTINGUISH BURNING OIL AND FAT WITH WATER!
Water poured into boiling fat rapidly drops to the bottom of the vessel, then in a fraction of a second turns into steam, increasing its volume over 1700 times. This causes a massive explosion and the ejection of a fireball with drops of boiling oil to a distance of several meters, causing fatal burns and setting the entire kitchen on fire.
What to use? To extinguish oils (fire class F), use only Fire blankets (used to cut off the oxygen supply by covering the pan/fryer) and Class F (or AF) liquid fire extinguishers (containing a special agent that forms a foam barrier on the surface of the fat, which smothers the fire and cools it).
Evacuation of guests and staff (VAS)
During the evacuation of a hotel or restaurant, the staff’s task is not only to save themselves, but above all to guide the terrified guests who do not know the topography of the building. Designated and illuminated escape routes are used for this purpose. The golden rule for housekeeping and suppliers: Corridors, stairwells, and emergency exits must never be blocked by carts with dirty laundry, delivery boxes, or cleaning equipment!
In larger accommodation facilities, instead of ordinary alarm sirens, a VAS (Voice Alarm System) is used. It emits clear voice messages (often in several languages), e.g.: “Attention, a fire hazard has been detected in the building. Please calmly leave the facility using the nearest emergency exit”. Such a solution prevents panic outbreaks much more effectively than a traditional alarm bell.
Question 1 — Preventing contamination
The chef has just finished portioning raw chicken breasts on a red cutting board. The manager asks him to urgently chop tomatoes for a salad that will go out to a guest immediately. What is the only correct procedure in accordance with HACCP?
Question 2 — Extinguishing fires in the kitchen
Due to a thermostat failure, the oil in the deep fryer has spontaneously ignited. High flames are coming out of the chamber. What agent must you use to safely extinguish the fire?