MN Certified Food Manager Preventing Injuries

Certified Food Manager Advice: How To Prevent Hazardous Slip Injuries

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Not only is it essential to keep the food you supply to your customers safe, but it’s also vital to ensure that your staff has a safe environment to work in. Slip-and-fall injuries are one of the most common reasons food service workers miss time, so we’d like to discuss how a certified food manager can prevent these painful slip injuries.

MN Certified Food Manager Preventing Injuries

The Certified Food Manager’s Role in Preventing Slip Injuries

The manager must make it abundantly clear to the staff that their safety is a priority. Staff and certified food managers must work together to effectively prevent injuries from slips and falls. Providing the necessary tools and comprehensive training is a non-negotiable priority to ensure everyone can perform their duties safely.

One common factor in many slip-and-fall injuries is the use of the wrong kind of shoes. Food service workers should wear non-slip shoes specifically designed for the food industry. Many non-slip shoes are available, but we recommend that your staff wear shoes explicitly designed to give the wearer good traction on wet and greasy surfaces.

Just wearing good, non-slip shoes does not entirely prevent a slip accident. A kitchen supervisor must create an environment where these events are rare. A good start is to provide a perforated rubber surface for employees to stand on. These floor mats are readily available through most food service industry providers. We feel that these mats must be perforated in some way to allow grease to slip through to the floor beneath in the event of a spill. This will prevent liquids from pooling on the floor mats, creating a slipping hazard.

Clean Mats For Safety

Another critical step certified food managers must take to reduce slip injuries is to clean the mats and floors beneath daily. Grease and liquids can accumulate on your floor mats, making them nearly as slippery as the hard flooring underneath. Clean the kitchen floors daily with a degreasing agent to prevent mats from slipping. Before replacing the mats after cleaning the floor, we strongly recommend that the floors dry. Water and soap can take longer to dry if covered by your floor mats, increasing the likelihood that they will slide during everyday use.

Finally, clean every spill immediately. Don’t trust your floor mats to prevent a slip after spilling liquid. Being complacent could lead to a painful injury and lost work for one of your valued employees.

Food Safety Certification MN Test Tips in Mounds View

Latest Tips That Will Help With MN Food Safety Certification Exams

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While administering MN food safety certification exams, we’ve noticed some students struggle with the final tests. We understand that everyone learns differently and have tips to help during test time.

Food Safety Certification MN Test Tips in Mounds View

Test-taking Tips for MN Food Safety Certification Exams

The first key to succeeding on any test begins in the classroom or online training sessions. One critical step to retaining knowledge in any instructional setting is to take quality notes. Although participants cannot use notes during the exam, taking notes does help commit things to memory.

Taking notes helps you pay attention. To maintain focus and capture valuable information, ensure your mind does not wander during training sessions. We have observed that students who come into class prepared to learn do better on the MN food safety certification exam than those who feel that they already know the material and are simply waiting for the session to be over so that they can take their exams.

Some rules change occasionally, and even if you are a seasoned industry professional, you may encounter information that has changed since your last training session or that you had forgotten. Taking notes is an excellent way to ensure you know the most up-to-date regulations.

After finishing your training session and reviewing your notes, it is time to take the test to gain your certification. If you have gone through our classes, we will have given you the information you need to succeed on any certification test we offer. If you have paid attention, asked questions throughout the class, and taken quality notes, there is no reason to be worried. Remain confident, and you will succeed.

Take Your Time/Multiple Choice with One Right Answer

We all need that extra boost from a cup of coffee now and then, but too much caffeine can raise stress levels, create a false sense of urgency, and force you to rush through the test. Try to limit your caffeinated beverages before taking any test.

Finally, all of the questions will be multiple-choice with one correct answer. Read each question and set of answers entirely before selecting your answer. If you are unsure of the answer to any question, remember that your first instinct is often right, and questioning yourself too much can lead to elevated stress levels that will hinder your performance.

If you have any tips to help our readers succeed on their MN food safety certification exam, please leave them in the comments section below.

Food Certification MN and Keeping a Clean Slicer

Food Safety Training Uncovers The Truth About Commercial Food Slicers

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Food safety certification training recommends keeping your food slicer clean to prevent cross-contamination and spoiling products from creating a health hazard. You’ve learned in your food safety certification MN training that cross-contamination is a common cause of foodborne illness. The industrial meat slicer can be a breeding ground for many bacteria that can make your customers sick, and we feel that the commercial slicer requires extra care when cleaning and should never be neglected during your daily routine.

Food Safety Training Uncovers The Truth About Commercial Food Slicers

Food Safety Certification Training Focused On Keeping The Commercial Slicer Clean

It is essential to thoroughly clean and sanitize your slicer after each use. This can be a time-consuming process, but it is necessary. We’ve noticed that many busy outlets that use their slicer constantly, such as delicatessens, do not thoroughly sanitize them during the day. Simply wiping the slicer down with a damp cloth is not suffient Ensure to thoroughly clean the blade, slicing tray, and handles regularly. To ensure thorough cleaning of the slicer, it may take some time and require removing several parts. This thorough process is essential. For the safety of employees, it is imperative to turn the slicer off and unplug it prior to cleaning.

There are ways to reduce the number of times you must take your slicer apart to clean it during normal activities. Plan your slicing routine according to the types of food you are slicing. Slice all of your cheeses simultaneously, then move on to cooked sandwich meats and finish with any raw proteins, ensuring that your slicer is cleaned and sanitized between each step.

Always clean and sanitize the slicer immediately after use, if it will be inactive for any length of time. Small particles of cheese or meat can fester in unseen places and create a cross-contamination nightmare. Just because your slicer looks clean doesn’t necessarily mean it is. “Before each use, inspect your blade for any leftover debris.”

To maintain the safety of the food you serve your guests, it is crucial to properly care for all the equipment, including the slicer, as recommended by food certification training. Do you have a piece of equipment in your facility that you feel needs more attention than it currently gets?

MN Certified Food Manager and Food Truck Operation

CFPMs Learn The Truth About Food Truck Operation

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From a financial standpoint, owning a restaurant is out of the question for the average certified food protection manager (CFPM). Most chefs do not have the financial backing to purchase or build a restaurant, and many banks consider restaurants a high-risk opportunity, making financing hard to come by. Is being your own boss out of reach for all but a few food service workers? Buying and operating your food truck may be feasible if you’re ready to be independent but have limited financial resources. Still, CFPMs should know that the Minnesota Food Code has specific guidelines for food truck operators, especially those looking to start a food truck venture.

MN Certified Food Manager and Food Truck Operation

CFPMs and the Food Truck Revolution

The Minnesota Department of Health set up particular rules that food truck operators must follow to keep the food they serve safe. Some regulations that create a challenge for food truck owners/ CFPMs include:

  • Handwashing
  • Hot food holding
  • Dishwashing

Just like in a typical food production facility, handwashing stations must be present and have ample hot water, soap, and paper towels. Operating a food truck with self-contained plumbing can pose challenges in setting up handwashing stations. When acquiring or designing a food truck, it’s crucial to guarantee that the water tanks are engineered to hold enough water to last the entire day. Not all food trucks have on-site water hookups, so you cannot depend on a water source at every location you serve.

Hot food holding can also be an issue when providing food service from a mobile unit. Plan a menu that is easy to cook to order and does not require hot holding. If you plan to keep any food hot, it’s crucial to ensure that the food truck is equipped with heat lamps, chafing dishes, or a steam table to keep the food out of the danger zone.

Dishwashing Will Be A Consideration

Finally, dishwashing can be an issue. If you only have a limited water supply, you won’t want to waste it on washing plates and silverware. We strongly recommend using recyclable plates, utensils, and other items to serve your guests. As for cooking tools used during service, CFPMs will find keeping a backup of items such as tongs, spatulas, and other tools essential for operating a food truck is important.

Are you a MN Certified Food Protection Manager looking to branch out by purchasing your food truck? Leave us a comment or a question below, and we’ll anonymously address any other concerns you may have in a future blog.