This month I would like to review the new personnel policies that are now in effect. As of this writing we are still having some food service directors holding personnel packets for new employees to the very last minute.

The Human Resource Department and the Payroll Department are trying to accommodate these late packets, thereby delaying the payroll writing process. It is important that new employee packets get faxed to the Human Resource Department as soon as these people are hired. The Human Resource Department had to call a couple of the units to get complete employee packets, since these employees appeared on the time sheets.

The complete employee packet consists of an application, I-9 form, 2 approved forms of identification for the I-9, W-4 form, and the Appointment Form for New Employees. All of these documents need to be properly completed and signed when necessary, by either the employee, manager, or both. Incomplete forms only delays the process.

It is also necessary to send in the correct forms when an employee resigns, has been terminated, terminates, is on temporary lay off, or permanent lay off. It reduces the amount of work on the food service director*s end to do these immediately, since we need the last date worked for these employees. Doing this immediately will reduce your time searching through time cards at a later time to find the correct date.

Corrective action forms and letters to the employee for corrective action are equally important. When you read the Food Service 401 section in this month*s newsletter, you will further understand the importance of documentation in the area of corrective action.

As each year passes, the need for properly completed forms and the need for detailed documentation on employee corrective action becomes more important. These properly completed and documented forms protect the company as well as the food service director when done correctly. More employees and past employees are filing lawsuits against employers and managers for seemingly unfair labor practices. The documentation helps protect you and the company if a lawsuit is filed.

Please do the paperwork, since it is important not only to the company, to yourself, and to your employees. I know it takes time to do these things, but most of the time the time element is only a 5 to 10 minute job.

June
4th	Jennie Fuels		Odessa College
6th	Steve Rowden		Iowa Central Community College
13th	Steve Tanck		Midland College
23rd	Linda Hammon		Clarendon College
30th	Prudy Roderieck		South Plains College

Be the first person to send to the Home Office the correct answers and you will win a summer fun pack. Please answer the questions to the best of your knowledge without the help of recipe cards or the internet.
Good Luck!!!!

FOOD QUIZ

Holiday Foods: Do you know what you are eating?

1. Figgy pudding is a favorite dish for those celebrating Christmas in Great Britain. Which of the following is an ingredient in figgy pudding?
a) corn b) Chocolate c) Figs d) Bread

2. Gravy is a big part of any turkey dinner, and many people enjoy giblet gravy. Giblets include all of the following except?
a) Gizzard b) Neck c) Feet d) Liver

3. Traditional soul and African foods are eaten during Kwanzaa. Black-eyed pea salad is one such dish. What type of plant do black-eyed peas come from?
a) Chickpea b) Cowpea c) Sweetpea d) Snow pea

4. Glogg is a hot, mulled drink that originated in Scandinavia. Which of the following in NOT an ingredient in glogg?
a) Brandy b) Sherry c) Wine d) Scotch

5. Latkes, a type of pancake, are a popular Hanukkah dish. what are latkes made of?
a) Wheat b) Blueberries c) Zucchini d) Potatoes

6. During the Christmas season, many Scandinavians enjoy lutefisk. Which of the following is NOT used to make this dish?
a) Cod b) Lye c) Water d) Ammonia

7. Eggnog is a rich drink traditionally served during Yuletide. Although it is available in grocery stores, many people make it from scratch. Which of the following is NOT an ingredient in eggnog?
a) Egg b) Sugar c) Nog d) Nutmeg

8. Candied yams are a popular holiday dish. One of the more festive versions include mini marshmallows on top! Which of the following in NOT an ingredient in candied yams?
a) Candy b) Yams c) Brown Sugar d) Butter

9. Challah is a type of bread eaten on the Sabbath and on holidays. It is usually braided, though on certain holidays it may be made in different shapes. Which of the following is NOT an ingredient in challah?
a) Yeast b) Eggs c) Onions d) Flour

10. Plum pudding is a classic Christmas dessert--Charles Dickens refers to it in his story A Christmas Carol (1843). Which of the following is NOT an ingredient in plum pudding?
a) Sugar b) Plums c) Butter d) Bread

11. Fruitcake is a holiday classic that many people feel strongly about. Which of the following is not an ingredient in fruitcake?
a) Nuts b) Fresh Fruit c) Butter d) Flour

12. Sweet potato pie is often served for dessert during the holidays. Which is NOT an ingredient in sweet potato pie?
a) Yams b) Eggs c) Cinnamon d) Sugar

Announcements

1. Food For Thought

   Did you know?:
   Missouri is the black walnut capital of the world. The meat is used for cooking while the shell is used in ceramics, cleaners, explosives, paint and plastics.

   Missouri is a large supplier of Jonathan, Golden and Red Delicious apples, with 32 million pounds of apples produced in 1996.

   Missouri is a leading producer of pasta.

   Missouri's grape industry produced 2,350 tons of grapes in 1996, marking the fifth consecutive year of producing more than 2,000 tons. This Missouri produce is marketed
   fresh and made into jams, jellies, juices and wines.

   Missouri annually produces about $185,000 worth of wool products.
   

   To answer a question that some of you may be thinking about, no, the main corporate office is not moving to Columbia. The Tipton office will remain the accounting center and support center for the field. Payroll will still be generated from the Tipton office. All workman compensation matters will be handled from the Tipton office.
   Welcome aboard Amanda.

Pat on the Back

• To: Great Western Dining
  

  "Thank you for an absolutely wonderful meal at the Alumni Banquet, May 4th. We appreciate all your assistance in helping us "pull it off." Even with the last minute things we threw at you, the evening was a success. The servers did a great job and the meal was delicious. Thanks again!"

  The Alumni Board of Directors

• To: Lee Jones,
  Western Texas College

  "Dear Lee, I just wanted to thank you and your staff for a superlative job at the Bedford Falls Dinner theatre. The food was great, the presentation was beautiful, and the execution of serving was impeccable. More important than what I think is the opinon of our patrons who were positively overwhelmed with the food service and setting. Thanks again for a job done above and beyond the call of duty. "

  Your friend, Ray Newton Theatre Director WTC

• To : Carolyn Blackburn,
  KS Law Enforcement Training Center

  "Thank you for being our moms away from home. You learned our names and you cooked our favorite meals. No matter how our day was going your smiling faces always made things better. Years from now, when we are old fat cops, we will remember who got us started."

  Love, Kat Clark & Daren Kellerman Allen County S.O. 168th

• To : Bryan Glover,
  Frank Phillips College

  "Thank you for the best recorded year in Frank Phillips College's foodservice/catering history. Your personal continued effort makes the difference--Thank you."

  Herb Swender

Meet the Managers

• Linda Hammon, FSD - Clarendon College
  Linda Hammon is the Food Service Director at Clarendon College, in Clarendon, Texas. Linda joined Great Western in July of 1998. Before excepting the position in Clarendon she was at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas where she held the administrative assistant position. Linda graduated in 1996 with a Business Management Degree and has over 40 years foodservice experience. One job in particual was the Riverside House located in Soldotna, Alaska. Linda is married to Cliff and they have four children, Tom age 39, Bobby age 35, Trever age 35, and Travis age 32. There are also 8 grandchildren. In Linda's spare time she loves to read.

• Robert Rogers, FSD - Cowley County Community College
  Robert Rogers is the Food Service Director at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas. He came aboard with Great Western Dining in August of 2001. Robert graduated from the College of the Ozarks, located in Pt. Lookout, Missouri, in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Administration. Previous foodservice experience include Sodexho Marriott Services and Marriott Management Services located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he was the Food Service Director. He was with the company a total of 12 years. Robert has two children, Austin, age 5 and Harrison, age 3. In his spare time, Robert likes to play golf.

Buck-a-Roo Club

Linda Harper	Jennie Fuls	Lee Jones
Paul Tharman	Brant Hatler	Robert Lattin
Chris Hoskins	Jeff Landreth	Carolyln Blackburn

Accounts Receivable Aging Report:

1. You are receiving these reports, so follow up on them. Most of the time anything over 30 days should be pursued at the unit level.
   
   
2. We always need money to pay your purchases and payroll. If you think logically about it, we expend monies for food purchases, supply purchases and payroll a month in advance of receiving payment from the clients. This is a very large sum of money and a big drain on our bank accounts.
   
   
3. Your cooperation is needed in collecting monies for events that you book and on the board bills. This would definitely improve our cash flow, since we are always behind, because we pay first and receive our funds a month later.
   
   
4. Once people know that you are constantly trying to collect old invoices over 30 days, they get tired of seeing you, so they will be more prompt in payment.

Safety Tips

In this month's section of "Safety Tips" we are going to examine the pocket food thermometer as a food safety device. Your pocket thermometer will determine if food is properly cooked. In addition this versatile device will let you know if the hot foods in holding cabinets and hot lines are within the proper temperatures.

Not only does this little device give you information about hot foods, but it will also let you know if the proper temperature for cold foods is being maintained. Are the items on the salad bar at 40 degrees or lower? Are the meats on the deli tray at 40 degrees or lower? The pocket thermometer will give you all this information.

The health department normally uses them when checking hot and cold foods and depend on them religiously. Many a food service operator has fallen victim to the fact that hot and cold foods are not at proper temperatures by not using the pocket thermometer. They usually find out when the health department does an inspection.

How do we know if the pocket thermometer is registering the temperature properly? There is a simple little test to perform to verify the calibration of a thermometer.

Calibration Test:

1. Fill a glass with crushed ice. (Why crushed ice? It reduces air space and is more compact in a glass.)
2. Immerse the probe of thermometer into the crushed ice.
3. Next add cold water to remove all air pockets.
4. Wait 30 seconds.
5. The gauge of the thermometer should read 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius, depending on the type thermometer you have.
6. If the reading is off, most quality pocket thermometers can be calibrated.
7. Look on the backside of the gauge reading face, and on the probe directly behind the face will be a nut.
8. Loosen the nut, and rotate the face until the indicator is directly on 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius, again depending on the type of reading scale on the thermometer.
9. Finally tighten the nut, and now you have a calibrated thermometer.

Now you can use the thermometer with confidence that it is registering correctly.

Only one unit dropped from our Safety List. These are the units that remain claim free.

Highland Community College	Vernon Regional Junior College	Iowa Central Comm. College
Odessa College	Hill College	Western Oklahoma State College
Western Texas College	Frank Phillips College	Amarillo College
Kansas St. Univ. - Salina	Clarendon College	Seward County Comm. College
Seminole State College	SWCID	North Central Missouri College
New Mexico Junior College	Barclay College	Cloud County Community College
Kansas State Hwy. Patrol	Camp Horizon	KS Law Enforcement Training Ctr.
Howard College

Safty Rangers Case Study:

Case Study: Hazardous Harry is having a special buffet for the students in his facility. He wants this to be a memorable event since it is the last week of the school year. Harry figures that if he makes a good impression on the students when they return next year all will be eager to get on the meal plan again. One of his items is carved turkey. All products have been ordered but Harry forgets to take the turkeys out of the freezer, he remembers this at 4:00 the afternoon prior to the special lunch buffet. So Harry gets the turkeys from the freezer and places them in HOT water to thaw. At 7:00 that evening the turkeys are nearly unfrozen, so Harry places them in roasting pans, and sets his oven at 200 degrees so the turkeys will cook overnight. His luncheon buffet is a success, Everyone is happy with the food, but that evening there is a rash of students getting violent stomach cramps, which is diagnosed as food poisoning. What did Harry do wrong?

Hazardous Harry's Comments:
I thought I was doing a good thing for
the students. I did not know that I was
not handling the turkeys properly. I
guess I was lucky in the past by not
having any problems in thawing the
turkeys the way I did. I later found
out that the company newsletter letter
has explained food safety as well as
employee safety. Had I read the
newsletter I would have been informed
as to the proper procedure for thawing
and cooking turkeys. Maybe I should
start reading all the articles in the
newsletter.

Cautious Carol's Comments:
Harry should have remembered to
let the turkeys thaw naturally in
the refrigerator at least 3 days
prior to the buffet. This is the
safest method to thaw whole
turkeys. His first mistake was to
place the turkeys in hot water to
thaw. This creates a growth of
bacteria in the turkeys.

Watchful Willie's Comments:
When Harry discovered that the
turkeys were not thawed, the only
method that could have been used
to thaw the turkeys was to place
them in cold water. Every half an
hour, Harry should have changed
the water to insure that the water
was cold and not promoting
bacteria growth. Poultry is a very
dangerous product to mis-handle.

Safety Sam's Comments: Harry made his second mistake, by slow cooking the turkeys over night. According to the FDA, a turkey should be cooked at 350 degrees to kill bacteria growth, after it has been thawed in a proper manner. Unfortunately for Harry, he turned a very positive event into a catastrophe by not handling the turkeys
properly.

Food Service 401

I feel that it is important for everyone to be aware of the final decisions of court decisions that were rendered in the State of Missouri. It appears that some of the final judgements by the courts were anti- employer. After reading the decisions the second time, I came up with questions as to why the court ruled the way they did. Naturally we do not know about all the proceedings that took place in the courtroom, so it is difficult to make a personal decision as to the fairness of the court rulings.

Again, these decisions were rendered in the State of Missouri, but probably are typical of decisions that have been rendered in other states. I have a personal theory which I will express in the summary after the reading material on the court decisions. Please think about the limited facts and be open minded in the final court rulings.

"2001 COURT CASES IMPACT"
EMPLOYERS' BOTTOM LINE
The courts often play as big a role in defining law as the legislature. As a result, the interpretation of law handed down by our courts has a major impact on your business and your bottom line. Following are several 2001 court rulings-positive and negative-about which employers should be aware.

Case #1- Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, 6/14/01

Ruling gives employee option to reject suitable work and collect unemployment compensation.

Heard on appeal from the Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission is a ruling that required an employer to continue to pay unemployment benefits to a former employee who voluntarily rejected suitable employment. In this case, a law firm hired a woman who was pregnant with her second child. The employee left her job at a law firm on good terms prior to her child*s birth. Seven weeks later, the law firm offered her a similar position, with the same responsibilities and pay. The claimant rejected the offer, claiming that the job did not offer the wages or benefits needed to meet the increased costs of raising two children. The Appeals Court sided with the Commission*s decision, thus setting a dangerous precedent that allows the recipient of benefits to determine when suitable work is offered rather than creating a standard that is applicable to all cases.

Case #2 - Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern Division, 10/09/01

Ruling extends workers' compensation liability to property beyond employers' control.

The Missouri Court of Appeals sided with a decision by the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission to award workers* compensation for injuries sustained by an employee in a public parking lot on his way to work. Traditionally, employers are not liable for accidents that occur while an employee is in transit to and from work. However, in this case, the employee argued that the employer had limited on-premise parking and the public parking lot was the only convenient place to park. The Court defined the public parking lot as an *extended premise*. The interpretation requires employers to inspect and make safe not only the property under their control, but also surrounding property their employees may use.

Case #3 - Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, 11/06/01

Ruling awards workers' compensation to employee injured while intoxicated.

On appeal from the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission is a ruling that awarded workers' compensation benefits to an employee who was injured while driving drunk following an informal, business meeting. The employee was a union representative traveling Kirkwood from Kansas City to discuss a union-decertification vote with a trucking firm. After the meeting, the employee went to a casino for more than five hours to socialize. On the way back to his hotel, the employee drove off the road. Upon testing, it was found that the employee's blood alcohol was .169, almost double the legal limit. The Appeals Court upheld the Commission's ruling that although the employee deviated from his work when he visited the casino for drinks following his meeting, the deviation ended when he left to return to the hotel. The Appeals Court stated, "competent and substantial evidence supported the Commission's finding that for a traveling employee, the injuries sustained arising out of necessity of sleeping in a hotel away from home to perform his employer's purpose were compensable." This ruling dangerously broadens the scope of employment under which workers' compensation benefits will be paid and allows benefits to be paid out despite the intentional, irresponsible and illegal actions of an employee.

Case #4 - Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, 9/28/01

Ruling reinforces that employers are liable for pre-existing injuries.

A company that was ordered by the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission to pay workers' compensation for a repetitive stress injury, appealed the ruling to the Missouri Court of Appeals on grounds that the injury initially had been sustained while at a previous employer. The Court of Appeals sided with the Commission ruling applying the "last exposure" rule, stating that although the employee previously had been injured, the current employer was ultimately responsible as the last to expose the employee to injury. This ruling demonstrates the lose-lose position in which employers find themselves. Employers have no way of knowing if pre-existing injuries exist, but are held liable if such injuries resurface.

Case #5 - Missouri Supreme Court, 6/26/01

Ruling helps clarify tax-exemption of replacement parts

After the Administrative Hearing Commission denied tax refunds for purchases of replacement equipment, a manufacturing company appealed its case to the Missouri Supreme Court. Under the law (RSMo 14.030.2(4)), replacement parts for machinery and equipment should be exempt from taxes. The Department of Revenue (DOR) argued that the highly specified equipment for which the company sought tax exemption were not within the dictionary definition of machinery and therefore could not be tax exempt. The Supreme Court, taking notice that the DOR delivered inconsistent rulings when determining replacement part classification, ruled that the current definition of parts is broad and DOR's strict interpretation violated the intent of the law. The Court ruled that the definition of "machinery" includes parts that work together as a functioning unit, even if the machinery is an element of more complex machinery. The case was remanded back to the Administrative Hearing Commission for a ruling more consistent with the Supreme court findings.

Case #6 - Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, 12/11/01

Eastern District Court of Appeals awards compensation for employee fired for drug use.

A company fired an employee who tested positive for illicit drugs. The company viewed the drug-use as a violation of its employment policy, which would make the employee ineligible for unemployment compensation under 288.050.2RSMo 2000. The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission disagreed. On appeal, the Missouri Court of Appeals sided with the Commission, stating that "violation of a work rule is not dispositive proof of misconduct connected with work, and that the burden is upon the employer to prove that the claimant was discharged for misconduct in connection with work." The Court also ignored the employer's drug policy, stating that a "reasonable work rule serves as a relevant factor in determining if the behavior at issue is in fact misconduct but that violation of a policy is not sufficient to support a finding of misconduct". The ruling sends disturbing messages. Company policy handbooks are irrelevant and illegal drug use at work against company policy is not enough to deny employees unemployment compensation. Employers also must prove that drug use impairs an employee's ability to perform work functions.

Case #7 - Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, 10/30/01

Southern District Court of Appeals blocks compensation for employee fired for drug use.

A case two months earlier and similar to the case filed in Eastern District Court cited above (Case # 6), had the opposite, and more employer-friendly, outcome in the Southern District Court of Appeals. The Southern District Court of Appeals reversed a Labor and Industrial Relations Commission ruling that awarded unemployment compensation benefits to an employee who was fired for illicit drug use that caused an injury to the employee. The Southern Appeals Court noted that misconduct is not defined by statute but has been defined by the courts to mean "an act of wanton or willful disregard of employer rules... Claimant's drug-impaired condition threatened the efficient operation of employer's production. It threatened claimant's safety and the safety of other employees. The commission's conclusion that the employee was not guilty of misconduct connected with his work was an erroneous application of law." This ruling provides employers with a directive on drug policy and a course of action upon its violation. The ruling emphasizes the need for an established policy on drug use and misconduct dismissal. The injury that occurred as a result of the drug use was the distinguishing factor for the different outcome, according to the Eastern District Court in the later case (Case #6).

Case #8 - Missouri Supreme Court, 3/10/01

Ruling helps define sales tax exemption of manufacturing materials

A company claimed a sales and use tax exemption for computer equipment and other materials the company purchased to produce products that ultimately were to be sold for final use or consumption. The Director of Revenue denied the exemption and the company petitioned the Supreme Court for review of the Administrative Hearing Commission decision. The Supreme Court reversed the decision, ruling that the company had "established that the mainframe computers and the other materials were used in manufacturing products that were intended to be sold ultimately for final use or consumption; therefore, it established a right to the exemption under section 144.030". The court used the "integrated plant doctrine" to come to the conclusion that two separate facilities under the same corporate ownership used to manufacture a single product, which in this case were printed reports for mutual fund account holders, are "continuous and indivisible". Even though the plant that was claiming the exemption did not produce the final product for consumption, it did play an integral role in creating the final product, the Court found.

Case #9 - Missouri Supreme Court, 4/04

Positive ruling for printers determines that film is tax exempt.

A large printing operation appealed a decision from the Administrative Hearing Commission seeking exemptions from sales and use taxes for items used in producing printed products. The court stated that RSMo 144.030.2(2) exempts from sales tax, and section 144.615 exempts from use tax materials that, when used in manufacturing become parts of new personal property that is sold for final use and consumption. The issue was whether the negatives produced by the printer to print magazine and books are tax-exempt. The Department of Revenue argued that the negatives are not part of the final product, and therefore not tax exempt, because the printer retains the film. The Supreme Court however ruled that the negatives belong to the customer upon completion of the printing job, not of the printer and that the customers "control the negatives during their useful life and that the negatives are the property of the customer." Key to the courts decision was the fact that the printer sent notices to its customers explaining the process to retain negatives used in printing jobs.

Summary:

As stated earlier it is difficult to know all the facts and statements that were made in rendering these court decisions, but one thing seemed to surface to me. Detailed documentation probably assisted the employer in the verdicts. Even if the documentation did not help the employer, at least it was available and possibly could have turned the courts to rule in favor of the company.

Remember, good, detailed documentation is always important since no one knows how far employees, state organizations will carry issues. When there is not documentation there is no basis for the company to try an appeal process. I think case #9 is a good example, "the printer sent notices to its customers", the company documented the process.

Good documentation requires all the facts that surround the incident including witness statements, and even the employee's comments at the time. The more information and actual facts that can be recorded only help later on, since no one knows when an employee will use the court systems to get a settlement.

In regards to our business, this documentation is very important for terminations, resignations, and workman's compensation cases. Please take the time to get good documentation on any incident no matter how large or small, since it could be needed at a later date.

Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Managing Food Safety:
A HACCP Principles Guide for
Operators of Food
Establishments at the
Retail Level

This month we are going to take a brief look at U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's food code interventions, HACCP Prerequisites, plus standard operating procedures to control contamination of food, microbiological growth and maintain equipment. In the following months more information concerning HACCP will be feature in the "Food Safety" section of our newsletter.

Food Code Interventions
HACCP Prerequisites
* SOPs
* Control Contamination of Food
* Control Microbiological Growth
* Maintain Equipment

FOOD CODE INTERVENTIONS

The provisions of the Food Code provide a foundation on which to develop a food safety system based upon the principles of HACCP. Major interventions in the Food Code are demonstration of knowledge by the person-in-charge, employee health, no bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food, time and temperature control, and the use of a consumer advisory regarding the consumption of raw or undercooked animal foods. These interventions need to be addressed within the overall food safety program which may entail inclusion in SOPs. Refer to Chapters 2 and 3 of the Food Code for specific controls that need to be in place.

HACCP PREREQUISITES

Many provisions of the Food Code address the design of food establishments and equipment as well as acceptable operational practices. Adherence to design criteria and development of SOPs affect the food preparation environment. Both are considered prerequisite to the development of food safety systems based upon the HACCP principles. SOPs specify practices to address general hygiene and measures to prevent food from becoming contaminated due to various aspects of the food environment. When SOPs are in place, HACCP can be more effective because it can concentrate on the hazards associated with the food and its preparation and not on the food preparation facility.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs)

SOPs specific to your operation describe the activities necessary to complete tasks that accomplish compliance with the Food Code, are documented as a written reference, and are used to train the staff who are responsible for the tasks.
Three purposes for establishing SOPs for your operation are to protect your products from contamination from microbial, chemical, and physical hazards; to control microbial growth that can result from temperature abuse; and to ensure procedures are in place for maintaining equipment.

SOP procedures ensure that:

* product is purchased from approved suppliers/sources,
* the water in contact with food and food-contact surfaces and used in the m manufacture of ice is potable,
* food-contact surfaces, including utensils are cleaned, saniti zed, and maintained in good condition,
* uncleaned and nonsanitized surfaces of equipment and utensils do not contact raw or cooked ready-to-eat food,
* raw animal foods do not contaminate raw or cooked ready-to-eat food,
* toilet facilities are accessible and maintained,
* handwashing facilities are located in food preparation, food dispensing, warewashing areas, and immediately adjacent to toilet rooms and are equipped with hand cleaning preparations and single-service towels or acceptable hand drying devices,
* an effective pest control system is in place,
* toxic compounds are properly labeled, stored, and safely used ,

* contaminants such as condensate, lubricants, pesticides, cleaning compounds, sanitizing agents, and additional toxic materials do not contact food, food packaging material, and food-contact surfaces, and
* food, food packaging materials, and food-contact surfaces do not come in contact with, and are not contaminated by physical hazards such as broken glass from light fixtures, jewelry, etc.

SOPs to Control Contamination of Food
Procedures must be in place to ensure that proper personnel health and hygienic practices are implemented including:

* restricting or excluding workers with certain symptoms such as, vomiting or diarrhea (see Food Code Chapter 2),
* practicing effective handwashing,
* restricting eating, smoking, and drinking in food preparation areas,
* using hair restraints,
* wearing clean clothing, and
* restricting the wearing of jewelry.

SOPs to Control Microbial Growth
These procedures ensure that all potentially hazardous food is received and stored at a refrigerated temperature of 41degrees F or below. Note that the Food Code makes some allowances for specific foods that may be received at higher temperatures - refer to Chapter 3, Specifications for Receiving.

SOPs to Maintain Equipment
These procedures ensure that:
* temperature measuring devices (e.g., thermometer or temperature recording device) are calibrated regularly,
* cooking and hot holding equipment (grills, ovens, steam tables, conveyor cookers, etc.) are routinely checked, calibrated if necessary and are operating to ensure correct product temperature,
* cooling equipment (refrigerators, rapid chill units, freezers, salad bars, etc.) are routinely checked, calibrated if necessary and are operating to ensure correct product temperature, and
* warewashing equipment is operating according to manufacturer's specifications.

As food service directors, the responsibility for food safety is squarely on your shoulders to train employees and maintain programs that protect our patrons. Those routine checks by the health departments should be viewed as helpful guidelines for you to maintain safe conditions for food safety. More and more states are starting to introduce HACCP regulations into their guidelines for food safety.

The responsibility for food safety goes beyond employee training and good operational procedures. The equipment must be in proper operating condition. As food service directors it is your responsibility to check your equipment on a regular basis to insure that it is functioning properly.

Make sure you have properly calibrated thermometers. Make sure that your refrigeration equipment is maintaining proper temperatures. Instruct employees to close the doors on refrigerators and freezers immediately, and do not prop them open. A rapid rise in temperature will occur when doors of refrigeration and freezer units are left partially open or propped open.

Another important area concerns hot foods. Holding cabinets, food warmers, and hot lines must be functioning properly to maintain the proper hot food temperatures. Make sure that employees do not turn down the thermostats because they think it is too warm. Always check your temperatures of food with your thermometer.

Dish machine temperatures are very critical for the sanitizing of eating utensils. Make sure that the temperatures for your automatic warewashing equipment meets the guidelines of the machine. Your Eco Lab technician can help you in this area, depending on the type machine you have.

Remember that our clients and maintenance departments can not know if equipment is not working properly. The responsibility of informing them rest with the food service director. Our clients desire that food safety is a prime concern for the patron. They will cooperate with necessary repairs once they know equipment is not functioning properly. Do not make the assumption that they know the guidelines for food safety. It only takes a few minutes to explain how improper equipment will affect food safety. It is up to the food service director to educate them as to proper temperatures and requirements so that the food service operation is in compliance with local health departments and with HACCP regulations.

People Development Incentives
We are looking for Manager Trainees!

Qualifications:

1. Prefer a person who has cooking skills or past food management experience.
2. Appearance should be neat and tidy.
3. Should be able to communicate well.
4. Should have indications of being intelligent.
5. Willing to be trained in production areas.
6. Willing to relocate outside of the state of their residence.
7. Preferable areas: Missouri, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma.
8. Has ambition to grow into a management position.

How do you find these people?

First, look inside your own facilities.

Second, look at people that apply for positions, ones who answer ads or even walk-ins. Sometimes people who simply walk-in for an application are showing strong signs that they need employment. Even if you do not have a position open, extend the courtesy of a few minutes of conversation.

1. From that, you can determine if the person communicates well and has indications of intelligence and is neat in appearance.
2. From the conversation, if you see some possibilities, do not make a commitment, but forward the resume to the corporate office, with a brief note attached.

Lastly, you may have knowledge of a good person working for another establishment. Seek out this individual, talk briefly with him/her to see if there is any interest that they may want to grow. Then set up a formal interview time to get a good read on the person to see if he/she meets the qualifications. If the person does, send the resume to the home office and an official interview will be set up.