Premises

Objective: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to describe your premises in your Food Safety Plan and show an inspector that the building itself supports safe food. You will be able to:

• Check your premises against the basic construction and layout expectations.
• Plan the flow of food from receiving to service.
• Write the premises section of your plan.

Why premises matter

Good procedures fail in a bad building. Surfaces that cannot be cleaned, too few hand sinks or raw meat crossing the salad station all create hazards no checklist can fix. That is why a health authority approves your floor plan before you open, and why your plan should describe the premises you actually work in.

What inspectors look for

• Surfaces: floors, walls and ceilings that are smooth, durable, non-absorbent and easy to clean, in good repair; non-slip floors in wet areas.
• Hand-washing sinks: at least one in each food preparation area, easy to reach, with hot and cold running water, liquid soap, single-use towels and signage — used only for hand washing.
• Water: a safe, potable supply with enough hot water for hand washing, cleaning and dishwashing.
• Storage: food stored off the floor (at least 15 cm / 6 inches) and away from chemicals; chemicals stored in a separate, labelled area.
• Lighting and ventilation: enough light to see dirt and to read thermometers; shielded bulbs over food; hoods and ventilation that remove grease, steam and heat.
• Washrooms: available to staff, with self-closing doors that do not open directly into food areas.
• Waste: covered containers, a clean garbage area and a regular collection schedule.
• Pest-proofing: sealed gaps, screens and self-closing doors.

Plan the flow of food

Draw a simple floor plan and trace each food from the back door to the plate: receiving → storage → preparation → cooking → holding → service. Food should move forward without crossing back, and raw foods should never travel through ready-to-eat areas. Where the space forces a crossing, write down how you control it — separate times, separate equipment, cleaning and sanitizing between tasks.

Write your premises section

• Attach your floor plan, marking hand sinks, food and chemical storage, prep areas by type (raw meat, produce, ready-to-eat) and dishwashing.
• List your water supply, hot-water capacity and waste-collection arrangements.
• Describe how and how often the premises are inspected for damage, and who repairs it (see Restaurant Preventative Maintenance).
• Note any change to the layout must be reported to your health authority before it is made.