Before you start

• •Current health code for your county printed and posted
• •Temperature logs for every refrigerated unit
• •Sanitizer test strips at every station
• •A copy of last inspection's report for reference

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Daily — temperature logs

   Every refrigerated unit gets a logged temperature reading at open and at close. Walk-ins ≤ 38°F, freezers ≤ 0°F, prep tables ≤ 40°F. Logs initialed by the person reading them. Missing entries are the #1 inspector finding.

2. 2

   Daily — sanitizer concentration

   Test every sanitizer bucket at open with a strip. Quat at 200-400 ppm or chlorine at 50-100 ppm. Replace and re-test if out of range. Strip tests should be visible to inspectors.

3. 3

   Daily — handwash stations stocked

   Every handwash sink has soap, single-use towels, and hot water (≥ 100°F). No food, no dishes, no utensils in the handwash sink. Inspectors check this within their first 30 seconds in the kitchen.

4. 4

   Daily — date labels on prep

   Every prepped item in the walk-in has a date label. Anything past 7 days from prep date goes in the waste log, not back on the line. Use the FIFO rotation rule: first in, first out.

5. 5

   Daily — employee hygiene check

   Hair restraints in place on the line. No bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food. No chewing gum, no eating, no drinking on the line. Any cuts covered with a colored bandage and a glove.

6. 6

   Weekly — deep clean schedule

   Hood filters cleaned weekly. Floor drains brushed weekly. Behind-the-line floor mopped weekly. Walk-in shelving wiped weekly. Use a wall-posted schedule with initials so inspectors see the cadence.

7. 7

   Weekly — pest control verification

   Pest control invoice on file. No droppings, no live pests. Door sweeps on every back door. Windows screened. Bait stations in place but inaccessible to staff.

8. 8

   Monthly — manager certification verification

   Every shift has a certified food protection manager on duty. Certifications current (not expired). Posted where inspectors look first.

9. 9

   When the inspector walks in

   Greet them politely. Hand them the temp logs and the last inspection report immediately. Walk them through the kitchen at their pace. Do not argue with findings — note them, ask for clarification, fix on the spot when possible.

Verify when done

• ☐Yesterday's temp logs fully filled in
• ☐All sanitizer buckets in range
• ☐Zero items in handwash sinks
• ☐All prep dated and within 7 days
• ☐Manager certification posted and current

Common mistakes

• ✕Temperature logs filled in retroactively (inspectors can tell)
• ✕Handwash sink used for rinsing utensils
• ✕Prep without date labels because 'we use it fast'
• ✕Certified manager off the floor when the inspector arrives

Trainer notes

The shift that complains about inspection prep is the shift that fails inspections. Build it into the daily checklist so it's never extra work.

Common questions