Commercial cleaning surge to avoid bogus health and safety fines

Commercial kitchens across Melbourne are preparing for an onslaught of health and safety inspections in the latest government crackdown.

Mouse traps are being set and floors are being scrubbed, with many kitchens choosing to hire  professional carpet cleaners, Melbourne Caterers Union boss Mark Thompson says.

“Most people know that commercial kitchens are not spotless places and that there will inevitably be spills in that kind of high-pressure, fast-paced environment,” he said.

“Unfortunately health and safety inspectors are more interested in looking for spilt milk than they are in looking for improper food storage procedures and dangerous yet invisible pathogens.”

Thompson advises commercial kitchen owners to continue using best practice in food storage and preparation in their kitchens, but suggests that owners take steps to make the kitchen appear clean.

The target number of inspections per week will increase twofold from 60 to 120, the Food Safety authority announced in a press release on their website yesterday.

A health and safety inspector, who wishes to remain anonymous, has revealed that inspectors have a quota of fines and warning that must be issued per day.

“Most kitchens are pretty safe, which means that to meet the quota, we have to issue warnings over minor issues such as dirty floors, and spills not being cleaned up within the regulation ten minutes,” the source said in an exclusive interview.

“There is a handful of kitchens that are really shocking, so it’s always good when you inspect a place where the fridge is off or meat is left to sit out, because we are then able to issue legitimate fines. I think the increase in inspections will mean that we are supposed to give twice as many fines and warnings.”

Commercial kitchen owners are warned that most tile and grout cleaners in Melbourne are currently booked out. Tile cleaning machines are the best practice for cleaning floors of commercial kitchens. It is expected that demand will subside by early next week.

Kitchen owners are advised to be extra vigilant in their cleaning routines moving forward.