Recommendations for cleaning routines in a Food Technology room.
This is based on and adapted from good practice in the Food Industry.
References:
 Managing Food Safety-Engel, McDonald & Nash-Published by Chadwick
House-The Chartered Institute of Environmental health.
 Food Safety First Principles-Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
 Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practices-Chadwick House Group-Useful
document that clarifies the legal requirements.
 Food Safety-First Principles-Claire Nash-C.I.E.H.
 BS4163:2007.
 Industry Guides to Good Hygienic Practice-Chartered Institute of
Environmental Health.
Cleaning
Activity
Wipe over work
surfaces at the
start of the day,
use an antibacterial spray.
Washing up
equipment and
utensils.
Disinfection of
equipmentchopping
boards, work
surfaces,
handles to doors
and
refrigerators,
taps, switches,
cloths and
mops.
Why is this
necessary?
Overnight
cleaning may
have sprayed
bacteria (E coli)
up onto work
surfaces.
Pupil’s bags may
have been put
onto work
surface when
ingredients are
being delivered.
Night classes
may have used
room and not
cleaned properly.
To remove food
debris from the
equipment, to
remove grease
and dirt. To
prevent cross
contamination.
To prevent cross
contamination.
Who is
responsible?
Technician.
How
often?
Before a
food
preparation
activity in
a lessonprobably 5
times a
day.
Comments
Pupils to wash,
teacher and
technician to
check.
Every
practical
lesson.
Technician.
Daily.
Water is not
usually hot
enough for this
process.
Standards need
to be
monitored.
Very difficult
to do after
every lessontime and
variety of
activities in a
may day make
this
impractical.
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–Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service
If this is only
done with a
detergent it
will not kill
pathogenic
bacteria.
Must be done
with a
sanitizer.
Must not be
allowed to taint
food that is
prepared on
that work
surface.
Washing food
room floor at
the end of the
school day.
To prevent a
build up of dirt
and grime on the
floor, to keep
floor looking
clean and reduce
bacteria to a
safer level.
To prevent cross
contamination.
Contract
cleaners or site
team.
Daily
Technician
Daily
Cleaning aprons
To stop cross
contamination
from previous
class.
Technician.
After each
practical
lesson.
Hand washing
and drying.
To stop transfer
of bacteria from
hands onto food.
All-pupils,
teacher and
technician.
Coming
into the
room.
After
handling
raw &
cooked
food,
emptying
the bin,
touching
ears, hair,
nose,
mouth.
Cleaning of
food storage
units-fridges &
cupboards,
checking dates
of foods and
how long
student dishes
have been in
fridge.
A separate sink
in the food
preparation area
for hand washing
is a legal
requirement in
all food
preparation
areas.
Disposable paper
towels for drying
hands.
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–Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service
Pupils may
have mixed up
raw and
cooked foods
or cooked
dishes due to
lack of storage
space.
Pupils must
name and date
all food that
goes into
fridges.
Aprons must
be of a material
that can be
sprayed and
wiped down
quickly.
If aprons are a
fabric that
cannot be
cleaned in this
way, they must
be washed
daily.
If hand towels
are used they
must be
laundered and
replaced after
each lesson to
prevent cross
contamination
between
classes.
Who uses the room?
What should we insist on?
Personnel
Food Technology
Teachers.
Technician
Pupils
Contract or outside
cleaners
Other teaching staff
Night classes
Parents Association who
may use rooms.
Public who may hire
facilities
Training or communication protocols.
Must write policy based on sound food hygiene and
safety theory and practice.
Food Hygiene level 2 certificate as a minimum.
Communicate, train, check understanding, supervise
and monitor in all cleaning activities. Food Hygiene
level 2 recommended.
Induction training through initial practical activities.
Educate all in delivery of food to room so bags don’t
go tables, pupils are tasting/eating foods and cleaning
up after themselves.
A Food Hygiene Qualification as appropriate-maybe
for pupils who choose for GCSE.
Communicate policy and expectations. May need to
negotiate some jobs. Monitor and check standards.
Staff /other teaching colleagues must be aware of and
be able to adhere the hygiene checklist.
Staff who want to teach food preparation should also
have a level 2 Food Hygiene qualification and be
capable and competent to run a food preparation
activity safely with a class of pupils.
Teaching staff should be required to submit a Risk
Assessment and lesson plan that satisfies the Head
teacher and the Subject leader.
Written policy of expectations given to Adult
Education Department and tutors.
See agreement for use by outside agencies.
Written list of expectations probably most appropriate
here based on basic HACCP principles.
See agreement for use by outside agencies
Written communications and expectations-probably to
go out with contract of hire of facilities. A document
based on basic HACCP principles would set out
clearly how the room should be left. It may be
necessary to add extra cleaning costs required from site
team to ensure rooms are ready for food preparation
the next day.
See agreement for use by outside agencies
Food Hygiene Level 2 training can be provided by the Local Authority. For courses
go to www.bucksgfl.org.uk and click on the Design & Technology part of the site.
Information about dates costs, locations and how to book courses are all on that
website.
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–Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service
Cleaning activities frequency
General.
It is essential to remember that we are legally responsible for all the food that is
prepared in our rooms. If any of the food that is prepared in our Food Technology
rooms makes someone ill, we are responsible. If an incident is the result of negligence
on our part, whether it be the result poor cleaning routines or food storage we could
be liable to prosecution. It is therefore essential that we have efficient and effective
cleaning routines in place and that these are monitored and documented.
More detail about cleaning for Food Preparation areas and frequency can be found in
the Industry Guides produced by the:
Chartered Institute for Environmental Health,
Chadwick House Group,
Chadwick Court,
15, Hatfields
London
SE1 8DJ
0171 827 5882.
The guide to Markets and Fairs pg 130 has a sample cleaning schedule and the Retail
Guide has a section on compliance and effective cleaning pf 42 onwards.
The employer is responsible for working out a timetable for cleaning schedules. In
most schools this will be devolved to the Subject Leader or Head of Department.
A good cleaning schedule should identify:
 The item or area to be cleaned
 Frequency or cleaning required
 Method, including the chemicals to use, the protective clothing to wear and the
safety precautions to take.
 Staff involved, including the name of the person responsible for checking that
the cleaning has been carried out effectively.
For chemicals to use please refer to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations (COSHH) regulations-these will probably be with the Health & Safety
Officer/Site Manager.
Using cleaning materials that are kept solely for the Food areas. These should be
stored separately from food and in secure units/cabinets so that pupils cannot access.
Mops must be disinfected overnight and only used in the food rooms. Cloths should
be cleaned after each days cleaning either on a boil wash (95۫c) in the machine or use
disposable cloths that are thrown away after each days use.
The washing machine in the department should only be used for Food Technology
items such as dish cloths, tea towels, tablecloths etc.
Items that are heavily soiled with mud from outdoor activities should not be washed
in the same machine. Washing temperatures, although high, are not high enough to
destroy bacteria and spores that exist in mud and could cause a risk if transferred to
food via cleaning cloths.
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–Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service
After each task.
‘Clean as you go’ should be applied to general food preparation tasks, such as
handling and preparing raw meat, fruit and vegetables.
Washing up of food preparation equipment in hot water and detergent and drying with
a clean tea towel. (Leaving to dry is seldom an option in a busy Food Technology
area).
After each lesson.
Dish cloths and tea towels should be washed on the hottest wash possible in the
machine (usually 95۫c).
Aprons should be washed if necessary or wiped with anti-bacterial cleaner.
All food preparation surfaces wiped with anti bacterial cleaner.
Food waste bins should be emptied.
Daily
Floors-swept (to remove food pieces), sweep under static tables and work units mop
with hot water and detergent.
A steam cleaner or ‘mechanical floor scrubbing machine’ may also be used-if this
occurs there will still need to be some cleaning of the edges around the room as these
are not reached by such machines.
Door and fridge handles cleaned with anti bacterial cleaner.
Sinks and taps, including hand washing sink washed with anti bacterial cleaner
,disinfected.
Bins and their lids should be disinfected at the end of the day.
Three times a week
Windowsills washed with hot water and detergent.
Weekly
Fridge seals cleaned with disinfectant and sanitiser.
Food storage cupboards checked for spilt foods. Any debris cleaned and shelves
washed with hot water and detergent or sanitiser.
Splash backs of sinks.
Light switches should be cleaned.
Half Termly
Cookers pulled out and cleaned; brush away dropped food items and wash with hot
water and disinfectant, sides cleaned with disinfectant.
The inside of all cupboards in the Food Technology room should be washed and dried
thoroughly.
Extractor fans vacuumed to remove loose dust, dismantled and washed.
Tiles and walls to be washed with detergent.
Fridges pulled out swept and washed with hot water and disinfectant. This should
include a thorough clean of the sides of the units where food often falls between the
cooker or fridge and the unit.
Windows should be cleaned.
Deep Cleaning.
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–Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service
Where cleaning routines have been neglected there should be a ‘deep clean’ of the
Food Technology area so that food preparation activities can resume in a clean and
hygienic environment.
There are cleaning companies that the Local Authority uses and their contact details
can be obtained from Robert Myatt at County Hall in Aylesbury, contact details
rmyatt@buckscc.gov.uk 01296 383620.
Such a cleaning operations should include a thorough clean of:
Work surfaces.
All flooring and walls including behind all appliances.
Ceilings.
Doors and handles.
Light fittings
Fans and extractors
Windows and windowsills.
Ovens and microwaves.
The surfaces and insides of all cupboards and shelving units-including under sink
cupboards, food storage cupboards and shelves, food preparation areas, equipment
storage cupboards/shelves and folders textbooks storage.
Example of document for other users of the Food Technology room.
This document can be used as the basis of an agreement for the use of the room. It is
essential that we are confident that the rooms are fit to prepare food in at all times.
It is an unnecessary burden on teaching staff and technicians if the standards of
cleaning of equipment and the room are not adhered to when the rooms are used other
groups.
Food Technology Rooms.
Agreement for use by outside agencies.
The Food Technology room is an important teaching environment. As a department
we insist on high standards of cleaning and cleanliness. If rooms are not left in a state
that means food preparation activities can take place at all times, this places an extra
burden on teaching staff and the teaching and learning experience of the pupils is
compromised.
It is important to us that the pupils have high standards set and that these standards are
exemplified at all times.
To this end can you please ensure that the following tasks are carried out and checked
by the hirer.
Dish cloths and tea towels will not normally be supplied. These must be provided by
the hirer.
These can be hired at extra cost (to cover laundering costs and technician time)
through negotiation.
It is suggested that the hirer and a member of the site team check and sign these
together at the end of the hiring period.
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–Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service
Agreement for use of Food Technology room.
Task
Person
responsible
Checked
Hirer Site
team
Fridges
Any spillages inside the fridge should be cleaned.
Door handles to be cleaned with sanitizer or anti bacterial
cleaner.
The temperature of the fridge should be below 5۫c.
Hirer
Door handles and switches, should be cleaned at the end of
the session with anti bacterial cleaner.
Hirer
Work surfaces/food preparation areas- washed on a ‘clean
as you go’ basis. Washed with hot water and detergent with
anti bacterial cleaner or disinfected at the end of the hiring
period.
Hirer
FloorsFloors-swept.
Hirer
Floors-to be cleaned by the site team.
(Wet mopped with disinfectant and hot (above 82۫C) water.
A steam cleaner or ‘mechanical floor scrubbing machine’
may also be used-if this occurs there will still need to be
some cleaning of the edges around the room as these are
not reached by such machines.)
Sinks and taps, including hand washing sink washed with
anti bacterial cleaner or disinfected.
Site Team
Bins and their lids should be disinfected.
Hirer
Small food preparation equipment-in unit drawers.
Should be washed in hot water and detergent and dried and
placed back in the correct drawers. There is a list of the
equipment that should be in each drawer. Please check that
units are correct.
Hirer
Hirer
Hirer
Large Food preparation equipment-e.g. Food Processors,
Food mixers.
Wash with hot water and detergent, dry and put away.
These may be locked away in a storage cupboard and if
these are needed prior arrangement may need to be made.
Any person who uses this equipment should be competent
and safe to use it. The school cannot be help responsible for
any accident that occurs in the use of this equipment.
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–Buckinghamshire School Improvement Service