Best Practices for Re-Opening Retail Food Establishments During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Food Safety Checklist

• Site

• Date

  Date

• Prepared by

• Location
  Address

Facility Operations

• Are signs posted on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 and promote everyday protective measures?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the premises in good order, including fully operational utilities and equipment? (e.g. electrical, lighting, gas services, and proper ventilation; hood systems for fire prevention; garbage and refuse areas; and toilet facilities)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all areas of the food establishment, including restrooms and waiting areas, properly cleaned, stocked, sanitized, or disinfected, as appropriate?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the facilities checked for pest infestation or harborage, and are all pest control measures functioning?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are ventilation systems including air ducts and vents in the facility clean, free of mold, and operating properly?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there increased circulation of outdoor air (as much as possible) by, for example, opening windows and doors or using fans? (Do not open windows and doors if they pose a safety risk to children using the facility.)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are high touch self-service containers and items requiring frequent hand contact removed from use (e.g. seating covers, table cloths, throw rugs, condiments such as ketchup bottles and salt/pepper shakers, and reusable menus)?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Water, Plumbing, and Ice

• Is potable water available throughout the facility?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the water and sewage lines working?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there hot and cold water?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all water lines flushed, including equipment water lines and connections, according to the manufacturer’s instructions?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are ice machines and ice bins cleaned and sanitized?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Food Contact and Non-food Contact Surfaces (Clean, Disinfect, Sanitize)

• Are necessary sanitizers and disinfectants that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2 available and used per label instructions to clean and disinfect the facility during hours of operation?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are food contact surfaces and counters cleaned and sanitized? (Wash, rinse, and sanitize food contact surfaces, food preparation surfaces, and beverage equipment after use.)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are common use areas such as restrooms being cleaned and disinfected more frequently?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are high-touch areas and equipment cleaned and disinfected (e.g. door knobs, display cases, equipment handles, check-out counters, order kiosks, and grocery cart handles)?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are sufficient stocks of single-service and single-use articles (e.g. tableware, carryout utensils, bread wrappers, and plastic wrap) available? If not, ensure all reusable food service items are handled with gloves and washed with dish soap and hot water or in a dishwasher. Employees should wash their hands after removing their gloves and after directly handling used food service items.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are staff properly trained on cleaning procedures to ensure safe and correct application of disinfectants?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Has a disinfection schedule or routine plan been developed? Ensure sufficient stocks of cleaning and disinfecting supplies to accommodate ongoing cleaning and disinfection.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Food Temperature Control

• Are all coolers, freezers, and hot and cold holding units functioning?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all coolers, freezers, and hot and cold holding units clean, sanitized, and protected from contamination?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are calibrated thermometers available and accurate to check equipment and product temperatures to ensure food safety/HACCP plans are executed as designed?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Product Inspection, Rotation

• Has all food been examined for spoilage, damage, expiration, or evidence of tampering or pest activity? If needed, was such food appropriately discarded?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is food properly labeled and organized, such that receiving date and rotation is evident?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all food, packaging, and chemicals properly stored and protected from cross contamination?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Has contact been made with suppliers in the supply chain to ensure deliveries are scheduled and able to be<br>fulfilled?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Warewashing Equipment

• Is your 3-compartment sink clean and equipped with detergent and sanitizer?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is your warewasher clean and functioning and equipped with detergent and sanitizer (single temperature machine, 165°F) or reaches 180°F rinse (high temperature)?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do you have sanitizer test strips available and are the test strips appropriate for the sanitizer being used?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Handwashing Stations

• Have you trained and reminded employees of effective hand hygiene practices including washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all the handwashing sinks accessible and fully stocked (e.g. soap, paper towels, hand wash sign, and trash bins)?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are paper towels and trash cans available in the bathrooms so doors can be opened and closed without touching handles directly?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all the handwashing sinks functional and able to reach 100⁰F minimum?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Have you considered using hand sanitizers (minimum 60% alcohol), as appropriate, in multiple locations to encourage hand hygiene by both customers and employees to supplement hand washing?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Employee Health / Screening

• Do you have a protocol to check employee health and personal hygiene practices within your food establishment?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are you following CDC guidance and practices for employee health checks/screenings?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Have you checked CDC and local regulatory/health authority guidance for employees returning back to work?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there a plan to monitor and respond to a higher than normal level of absenteeism?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there a plan or policy for, and an adequate supply of, personal protective equipment (PPE) and/or cloth face coverings? Cloth face coverings should only be used if PPE is not required, and changed as needed if worn.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Social Distancing

• Has the facility taken measures (e.g. tape on floors/sidewalks, partitions, and signage on walls) to minimize face-to-face contact that allows, to the extent possible, at least a 6-foot distance between workers, customers, and visitors?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Have you limited offering self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations? As local regulatory/health authorities lift levels of restrictions, limit use with additional monitoring.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Have you restricted the number of employees in shared spaces, including kitchens, break rooms, and offices to maintain at least a 6-foot distance between people?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Additional references can be found here:

• Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Questions & Answers for Industry:
  • https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
  Best Practices for Retail Food Stores, Restaurants, and Food Pick-Up/Delivery Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic:
  • https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/best-practices-retail-food-stores-restaurants-and-foodpick-updelivery-services-during-covid-19
  What Grocery and Food Retail Workers Need to Know about COVID-19:
  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/grocery-food-retail-workers.html
  CDC COVID-19 Resources for Businesses and Employers:
  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/businesses-employers.html
  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/stop-the-spread-of-germs.pdf
  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html
  List of EPA-registered Disinfectants:
  • https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
  FDA Food Code:
  • https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/food-code-2017
  Date Labels on Packaged Foods:
  • https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/confused-date-labels-packaged-foods
  • https://www.fda.gov/media/125114/download
  Safe Food Handling:
  • 4 Key Steps to Food Safety: Always — Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill
  https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling
  Employee Health:
  • CDC Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had
  Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-workers/implementing-safety-practices.html
  • CDC Interim Guidance for Discontinuation of Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in Healthcare Settings
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html
  • CDC Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
  • FDA Use of Respirators, Facemasks, and Cloth Face Coverings in the Food and Agriculture Sector
  During Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic
  https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/
  use-respirators-facemasks-and-cloth-face-coverings-food-and-agriculture-sector-during-coronavirus
  • FDA’s Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook
  https://www.fda.gov/food/retail-food-industryregulatory-assistance-training/retail-food-protection-employee-healthand-personal-hygiene-handbook
  • OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
  https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf