So yesterday something freaked me out at work. Random health inspector popped in during lunch rush – which never happens – and spotted like five safety violations right where our cooks chop veggies. Almost got shut down.
Turns out half my kitchen crew didn’t know basic stuff:
- Where the heck raw chicken zone ends and salad area starts
- How hot soup needs to be before serving
- Even whether those purple gloves were for allergies or cleaning
I slapped some handwritten sticky notes near sinks as quick fix. Inspector took one look and shook his head. “This won’t cut it,” he says. Fines would’ve wrecked us.
Got home panicked and Googled like mad. OSHA has this whole list of must-have signs. Mind-blowing how obvious they seem now.
Here’s exactly what I did today
First, raided the supply closet for laminated sheets and waterproof markers. No fancy printers – just went old school.
- Drew huge red STOP signs above every sink: “SCRUB NAILS 20 SECONDS!” with a clock icon
- Taped bright green zones on prep tables with “NO RAW MEAT CROSS THIS LINE”
- Hung thermometer charts by stoves showing 165°F+ for chicken in comically large font
Biggest facepalm moment? Realized nobody knew how hot the sanitizer water should be. Plunged a meat thermometer into the bucket, circled “130°F” with Sharpie, and stuck it on the wall. Literally saved that one.
Reality check during dinner shift
Thought it might look tacky. Instead, José (our grill guy) actually thanked me. “See now boss,” he points at the glove sign, “I thought purple meant hazmat cleanup!” Nearly choked.
Inspector came back tonight unannounced. Stared at those hot soup signs for a full minute. Grunted “Never seen labels this clear.” No fines. Zero violations.
Total cost? Under $30 for laminating sheets. Almost threw thousands down the drain over sticky notes. Lesson learned: sometimes stupid-simple signs save your butt.
