Are your safety check-lists up to date?
Five check-lists you can't
afford to ignore!
01. What are the fundamental safety checks for cafés?
Cafés who are already up and running will know these safety fundamentals like the back of their hands. But for many, the journey to reopening is just beginning. The new normal is here, its time for us to review everything we used to do and consider how this can be adapted to create a safe space for both our staff and customers. Regular reviews will be essential to ensure up to date guidance and procedures are in place.
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Continually review up to date Government guidelines for restaurants and takeaways
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Complete a risk assessment and implement any safety measures including barriers
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Change equipment layouts where possible for staff to work back to back or side by side with social distance measures
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Set up a safe customer journey to allow for social distancing both for ordering and pick up
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Encourage contactless payment and explore options for prepay apps
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Set up secure supply chains for required PPE
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Rework your rota to minimise the number of staff working together at any one time
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Stagger breaks and ensure any rest areas are sanitised between use
02. How do I ensure adequate hygiene?
It may be some time since your staff have attended full training on cleaning and hygiene. Regular refreshers and cleaning checklists will be critical in ensuring safety in the café.
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Ensure your cleaning materials are fit for purpose and increase stock to cover for additional cleaning requirements
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Refresh your teams training on cleaning procedures, add additional frequency cleaning for hand washing, coffee equipment and contact services both front and back of house
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Clean as you go, ensure your workspace is uncluttered and that cleaning products are accessible
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Between team member shifts sanitize contact points including counters and equipment
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Use strip thermometers where required to avoid unnecessary handling
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Provide sanitising wipes & hand sanitiser at customer entry and collection points
04. How can my staff prepare and serve drinks safely?
Speed and efficiency always go hand in hand with serving great quality drinks. Now more than ever, we must keep our queues moving quickly - preventing bottle necks, whilst safely maximising spend. But none of this should come at the expense of a great tasting coffee
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Review the drinks menu and simplify drink builds to avoid over handling. Consider batch brew, a few simple espresso based drinks, some simple powders like hot chocolate and chai, a reduced line of syrups, and individually wrapped envelope teas. For warmer days, you may wish to pre-prepare some cold brew tea or coffee, ready to serve in an instant
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Stock up the service area with all the equipment, tools, ingredients, disposable cups and condiments you will need - don't go short
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Move condiments and lids behind the counter, avoid over handling, consider allowing customers to fit the lid themselves
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Increase milk jugs (and strip thermometers if required) to allow for more frequent dishwasher cleaning
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Use different size jugs to reduce milk waste and improve speed
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Set up a system for safe replenishment of stock before, after and during service
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Use take-away cups and disposable containers, but try to source responsibly. Consider products made from plants not plastic, for example. You may also wish to plan a system for reintroducing re-usable cups in due course, insisting that they must be clean and dry
05. What training and communications do I need in place?
Communication is key in these challenging times; we need to build confidence for our staff returning to work and customers to start revisiting our café. A recent survey by Allegra revealed that 43% of customers choose their shops based on the social distancing measures they have in place.
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Make sure your staff understand how the virus spreads and their part in preventing it. Keep them updated on government guidance
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Display signage and social media posts that explain the measures you have put in place to build confidence and avoid ambiguity
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Train your staff rigorously, not only in safety and hygiene behind the counter, but in the expectations placed on customers. Contactless payments only, limited numbers through the doors, social distancing markers, hand sanitising, your approach on reusable cups etc. These are just a few of the new rules your customers and your staff need clear direction on. A barista may even have to become a queue manager if things get busy
Additional Useful Links Ireland
Government & Enterprise Advice for Employers
DBEI Business Continuity Planning Checklist
Financial Support available for your business
HSE Comms resources including posters & toolkits
HSA Guidance for Employers and Employees
For grab-and-go snacks & drinks, drinks ingredients and barista kit including milk foaming jugs and strip thermometers, see our range at www.espressowarehouse.com
For additional links to suppliers of PPE, sanitisers, safety screens, floor markers, contactless payment solutions and pre-pay apps please speak to your account manager.
Additional Useful Links UK
Relaxation of laws to help businesses
Financial Support available for your business
PHE Comms resources including posters & toolkits
For grab-and-go snacks & drinks, drinks ingredients and barista kit including milk foaming jugs and strip thermometers, see our range at www.espressowarehouse.com
For additional links to suppliers of PPE, sanitisers, safety screens, floor markers, contactless payment solutions and pre-pay apps please speak to your account manager.
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