Town of Salem, NH Article V Food Equipment and Utensils: Non-Food-Contact Surfaces

§ 270-18 Non-food-contact surfaces and equipment to meet standards.

A. Non-food-contact surfaces. Surfaces of equipment not intended for contact with food, but which are exposed to splash or food debris or which otherwise require frequent cleaning, shall be:

(1) Designed and fabricated to be smooth, washable, free of unnecessary ledges, projections, or crevices, and readily accessible for cleaning; and

(2) Constructed of such material and in such repair as to be easily maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

B. Fixed equipment spacing or sealing.

(1) A unit of equipment that is fixed because it is not easily movable shall be installed so that it is:

(a) Spaced to allow access for cleaning along the sides, behind, and above the unit;

(b) Spaced from adjoining equipment, walls, and ceilings a distance of not more than one millimeter or 1/32 inch; or

(c) Sealed to adjoining equipment or walls, if the unit is exposed to spillage or seepage.

(2) Table-mounted equipment that is not easily movable shall be installed to allow cleaning of the equipment and areas underneath and around the equipment by being:

(a) Sealed to the table; or

(b) Elevated on legs as specified under Subsection D(2).

C. Fixed equipment elevation or sealing.

(1) Except as specified in Subsection C(2) and (3) below, floor-mounted equipment that is not easily movable shall be sealed to the floor or elevated on legs that provide at least 15 centimeters (six inches) of clearance between the floor and the equipment.

(2) If no part of the floor under the floor-mounted equipment is more than 15 centimeters (six inches) from the point of cleaning access, the clearance space shall be not less than 10 centimeters (four inches).

(3) This subsection shall not apply to display shelving units, display refrigeration units, and display freezer units located in the consumer shopping areas of a retail food store, if the floor under the units is maintained in a clean condition.

D. Table-mounted equipment that is not easily movable shall be elevated on legs that provide at least 10 centimeters (four inches) of clearance between the table and equipment, except that:

(1) It shall be acceptable for the clearance space between the table and table-mounted equipment to be not less than 7.5 centimeters (three inches) if the horizontal distance of the tabletop under the equipment is no more than 50 centimeters (20 inches) from the point of access for cleaning; and

(2) It shall be acceptable for the clearance space between the table and table-mounted equipment to be not less than five centimeters (two inches) if the horizontal distance of the tabletop under the equipment is no more than 7.5 centimeters (three inches) from the point of access for cleaning.

E. Aisles and working spaces.

(1) Aisles and working spaces between units of equipment and walls shall be unobstructed and of sufficient width to permit employees to perform their duties readily without contamination of food or food-contact surfaces by clothing or personal contact.

(2) All easily movable storage equipment, including but not limited to pallets, racks and dollies, shall be positioned to provide accessibility to working areas.

F. Removable kick plates. Kick plates shall be designed so that the areas behind them are accessible for inspection and cleaning.

G. Vending machines; vending stage closure. The dispensing compartment of vending machines that serve potentially hazardous food shall be equipped with a self-closing door or cover if the machines are:

(1) Located in an area that is outside the confines of a licensed food establishment or retail food store which otherwise affords protection against the rain, windblown debris, insects, rodents, and other contaminants that are present in the environment; or

(2) Available for self-service during hours when they are not under the full-time supervision of a food employee.

H. Vending machines; liquid waste products.

(1) Vending machines designed to store beverages which are potentially hazardous food packaged in containers made from paper products shall be equipped with diversion devices and retention pans or drains for container leakage.

(2) Vending machines that dispense liquid potentially hazardous food in bulk shall be:

(a) Provided with an internally mounted waste receptacle for the collection of drip, spillage, overflow, or other internal wastes; and

(b) Equipped with an automatic shutoff device that will place the machine out of operation before the waste receptacle overflows.

(3) Shutoff devices specified in Subsection H(2)(b) above shall prevent water or liquid food from continuously running if there is a failure of a flow control device in the water or liquid food system or waste accumulation that could lead to overflow of the waste receptacle.

I. Vending machine doors and openings.

(1) Vending machine doors and access opening covers to food and container storage spaces shall be tight-fitting so that the space along the entire interface between the doors or covers and the cabinet of the machine, if the doors or covers are in a closed position, is no greater than 1.5 millimeters or 1/16 inch.

(2) Vending machine service connection openings through an exterior wall of a machine shall be closed by sealants, clamps, or grommets so that the openings are no larger than 1.5 millimeters or 1/16 inch.

J. Drainage of equipment compartments. Equipment compartments that are subject to conditions inviting accumulation of moisture, including but not limited to condensation, food or beverage drip, or water from melting ice, shall be sloped to an outlet that allows complete draining.

K. Self-draining sinks and drain boards. Sinks and drain boards shall be self-draining.