Ensuring Food Safety in Emergency Foodservice Operations

As we were reminded earlier this month, emergencies can strike unexpectedly, whether due to natural disasters, health crises, or supply chain disruptions. Hurricane Helene, which impacted many parts of the Southeast was expected, but still had devastating effects on areas which were not necessarily expecting to be so hard hit.  Thus, having a robust emergency preparedness plan is essential to safeguard your operation, protect your staff, and ensure the safety of your customers. In previous blogs, we’ve discussed the importance of developing an emergency plan and we even have a blog that provided some great resources. But, if you still haven’t created your emergency plan, now is the time to start!

Conduct a Risk Assessment

The first step in creating your plan is to identify potential risks specific to your operation. Some risks might include natural disasters, health emergencies, and other operational disruptions such as equipment failures, power outages, and staffing shortages.

By understanding which type of emergencies could affect your business, you can tailor your plan accordingly, developing ways to overcome these challenges.

…creating an emergency plan can be a lot of work….and I mean, a lot of work…it may seem overwhelming, but remember the adage, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Establish an Emergency Response Team

Designate a team responsible for implementing the emergency plan. Some key stakeholders you’d want to have represented on your team include your management and key leadership who can make decisions and communicate with staff, staff members from various departments who can help with execution of the plan and provide much needed communication with staff across the operation, and safety officers or other individuals trained in health and safety protocols – these may be staff within your organization, or they may be external members who serve in these types of roles in the community. Whomever you select, be sure they clearly understand their roles and responsibilities during an emergency.

Develop Clear Procedures

Outline specific procedures for each type of emergency you determined might impact your foodservice operation in your risk assessment. Be sure to include evacuation plans, communication protocols, and food safety measures, including guidelines for food storage, handling, and preparation during emergencies, especially if power outages or supply disruptions occur.

Training and Drills

Once you have your plan developed, be sure to run through training and drills with staff members and your team.  These are often essential for ensuring that staff are prepared to respond effectively. When training, be sure to cover the specific emergency procedures, and this may include evacuation routes, where to shelter in place, first aid protocols, and practices to protect the integrity of your food and water supply.

Mock drills should be held periodically throughout the year, not just once. The repeated practice will help staff become familiar with the plan and reduces panic in real situations.

Establish Supply Chain and Staffing Contingencies

A reliable supply chain is critical for foodservice operations. Plan for disruptions. If COVID and other recent natural disasters didn’t force you to do this, take some time to think through possibilities. Identify backup suppliers and determine how much of a small reserve for critical items you should maintain.

Create a Communication Plan

Effective communication is vital during emergencies. Develop a plan that includes both your internal and external stakeholders. Ensure all staff members know how to access emergency updates and who to contact for information. For external communication, preparing messages for customers about changes in service, safety measures, and any temporary closures will alleviate you having to do so when the emergency occurs and may give you a competitive advantage against other businesses. Transparency fosters trust and understanding with both internal and external stakeholders.

Review and Update Regularly

An emergency preparedness plan should be a living document that should evolve. Regularly review and update your plan to reflect and changes you’ve had in your operations or lessons you’ve learned after putting your plan in action.

I am not going to sugar coat it, creating an emergency plan can be a lot of work….and I mean, a lot of work. After you complete your risk assessment, it may seem overwhelming, but take it slow.  Remember the adage, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Creating an emergency preparedness plan for your foodservice operation is not just about compliance; it’s about ensuring the safety and well-being of your staff and customers while maintaining operational continuity. By assessing risks, establishing clear procedures, and training your team, you can navigate emergencies with confidence. A proactive approach to preparedness will not only safeguard your business but also enhance your reputation as a reliable and responsible foodservice provider. And, when the next disaster comes…and it will come someday, you will thank yourself for being prepared. Risk Nothing. 

 

Is Implementing a Color-Coded Food Safety Plan Right for your Operation?

Foodborne pathogens are by far the most prevalent cause of foodborne illness in the United States and across the world.  There are 31 known agents that cause foodborne illnesses, and more that are unspecified or yet undiscovered – remember, E. Coli 0157:H7 wasn’t identified until the early-1980s. It is estimated each year, 48 million illnesses occur because of these known and unknown pathogens, resulting in over 3,000 deaths.

Maintaining your Equipment: Is it the Missing Ingredient in your Recipe for Food Safety?

Although I am no longer in day-to-day operations, between our students and foodservice lab at the university and my volunteer activities in my local church, I keep a close hand in food production. This past week, I had the opportunity to lead a group of men at our church in preparation of a luncheon for 100 women who were attending a spirituality retreat.  Over the course of the morning, I realized our main cooler in the kitchen was not functioning properly and was about 10˚F above the required temperature.  While we do have a commercial kitchen, we do not routinely log temperatures, so when the unit started to malfunction is questionable.  Even more concerning was not the lunch we were preparing for, but the dinner that was served the night before for 300+ families in the parish.

Contamination of Food: Chemicals, Pesticides, and more, Oh My!

If you have followed our blogs, you have often heard us opine about food safety-related behavior and communication, food traceability, and other overarching food safety topics.  We often don’t get into the weeds and discuss topics you may have learned about in your food safety training.  But I thought we might circle back around and dig into a few of these topics for a few blogs.  This month, I’d like to discuss food contamination, this blog will focus on chemical contamination of food and later this month, we will discuss physical contaminates.