Getting kitchens back to work after the Covid-19 shutdown and beyond….

When the lockdown ends, you need to know that your kitchen is safe, clean and ready to start working again. For the good of your business, your team and your customers – and because it’s good to finally sleep well at night – you need a safe certified solution that offers peace of mind.

PRE are ready to be out on the road carrying out equipment tests as businesses prepare for the lifting of restrictions and we will maintain the highest levels of service and safety.
Businesses will most probably need a maintenance visit to ensure that everything is still in good working order, checking the gas, electric and water appliances are safe to use after the lockdown has ended.

PRE are predominantly catering equipment engineers offering our services not only to restaurants but to other food and hospitality establishments which will be a vital part of getting the country back to work and adjusting to our new normality. We are keen to do all that we can to help get businesses back working.

Below we have listed items and possible procedures that should be considered before recommissioning your kitchen. Feel free to call PRE if you require further information or help with getting your catering premises ready for use after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. 

RECOMMISSIONING A MOTHBALLED KITCHEN

​Warewashing equipment
There could be potential problems regarding cross contamination from any build-up of bacteria within the machine or any water that might have remained in it, so before the machine can be ready for operation, we will:

• Check that the machine and filters are clean and in the correct place,
• Ensure that there is a sufficient supply of chemicals (Detergent & Rinse Aid) attached to the machine,
• Fill and heat the machine,
• Put the machine through a minimum of three complete wash and rinse cycles,
• Drain the equipment and recheck filters and clean if needed.

Refrigeration

• Check door seals,
• Clean and sanitise. Remove sanitiser with clean water before loading food products,
• Check temperatures before loading food products. We recommend them being on for 24 hours to avoid losing any stock.

Ventilation canopies

• Check all filters (grease filters and input air filters) and clean them thoroughly, where necessary,
• Check that the fans are working correctly.

Gas Appliances
​
A Gas Safe registered catering equipment engineer, will carry out a structured series of steps to bring your kitchen up to scratch by carrying out the following checks

• Check for gas leaks. Joints and seals on unused appliances may settle and weep gas.
• Individual appliances should be checked to ensure that they are working correctly.
• Where a gas interlock is fitted, check the operation by switching on the ventilation and then lighting an appliance before switching off the ventilation. At this time, the interlock should turn off the gas supply.

Electrical Appliances

• Check for rodent damage to supply cables before reconnecting electrical appliances.
• Any damaged cables should be replaced by a qualified person.
• Undamaged appliances can be reconnected to the supply.

Ranges/Ovens Perished or damaged door seals should be replaced by a competent person.

Fryers

• Check that the fryer pan is clean, and that the drain valve is fully closed before refilling with oil.
• Heat the oil to normal frying temperature (175/190°C) and carefully check this with a suitable thermometer to ensure that the thermostat is working correctly.

Appliances using water

Water softeners

• Turn the water supply back on, add salt to the brine box and plug the appliance back in or switch on the electrical supply.
• Reset the timer for regeneration cycles to a suitable time.

Combination and Steaming ovens

• Before reusing these ovens, ensure that water filters or other water treatment functions are fitted and working.
• Appliances should be fully cleaned and sanitised then put on to either a cleaning cycle or on a steam cycle. Door seals should be checked for leaks or damage.
• If a wash down hose is fitted this should be thoroughly flushed for at least ten minutes to remove any build-up of bacteria.

 Pre-wash sprays

• Pre-wash sprays should be thoroughly flushed for at least ten minutes to remove any build-up of bacteria.

Water boilers Prior to restart
Ensure that any filters or other water treatment are fitted and working. Assuming that the water supply to the appliance had been turned off, it should be turned back on and the appliance refilled and brought up to boiling.

Water systems

• Where a building, part of a building or a water system is taken out of use, microbial growth including legionella must be appropriately controlled.
• Before reusing the water system, it should be recommissioned by a competent person as though it was new (i.e. thoroughly flushed, cleaned and disinfected) before returned to use.

PRE would be only too pleased to provide you with any further information and expertise you need regarding any of the above and we would be happy to send one of our specialized engineers to help with the checks etc should you require them.

We thank those who have benefitted from our services in the past and we look forward to working with you all in the very near future, in the meantime we wish you all the very best.

STAY SAFE!