Commercial ice is sometimes disgusting
It is time to discuss ice machine installation errors again. The authors of the eTech platform have seen some pretty amazingly messed-up installations over the past 40 years. The big issue is that these same lousy ice machine installations continue. The installation quality is the start (and eventually the end) of inadequate quality ice production and deferred maintenance, sometimes due to no (or poor) physical access to the equipment.
Much has been written about the methods of installing new commercial ice machines to achieve a clean aesthetic, an electrically safe connection, a topple-resistant location, and most of all, a food-safe manner of plumbing connections. Manufacturers have written about how the food, electrical, and plumbing codes direct the commercial ice machine installation. Of course, the manufacturer usually follows these codes exactly when recommending the best practices of making the ice machine installation compliant in all manners.
Manufacturers Cannot Help
The manufacturer does not directly reference an existing ice machine’s installation deficiency that creates electrical, plumbing, and food safety hazards. Away from the building code inspector’s eye, these hazards are easily missed when the Environmental Health Inspector (aka Health Inspector) makes their routine unannounced visits. How are these risks discovered then? Environmental Health Inspectors (EHI) won’t notice the electrical and plumbing defects unless the inspector has received specific training, which is uncommon. Usually, regulatory authorities could notice installation defects when significant alterations to the structure are made, which trigger a building permit. Is ‘could be’ an actual process of discovery and remedy? The short answer is no. This gap is because under many circumstances and local agencies, the only thing inspected would be the subject(s) of the building permit. Sadly, the issues behind an unsafe electrical or plumbing condition often remain unnoticed and repaired until health and safety issues arise, such as severe injury or food contamination reported by a consumer made ill after consuming food and drink products at the service location. This scenario of discovery by injury and illness easily is the end of the food service business since the social media behind the regulatory authorities publish their findings and reports there for the world to see.
Let’s look at who has the most excellent chance of catching these issues.
Commercial Ice Maintenance Technicians
Maintenance technicians have the technical background to notice such items as mold, standing drain water in the storage bin, odd sewage odor, and discolored surfaces. The Environmental Health Inspector is at a disadvantage in many regards since their ability to remove cover panels is limited. In contrast, the technician routinely completes a significant inspection and cleaning only after removing cover panels and (hopefully) emptying the storage bin for cleaning. It is clear that some individual restaurant operators choose to skip maintenance entirely since it increases their operating expenses. Skipping maintenance is a “run it until it breaks” mentality. Deferring maintenance puts the technician, the service company, and the facility manager in the position of unwanted legal liability, which arises from foodborne illnesses and employee injury claims.
The EHI certainly understands the issues of food safety and the factors required to be (or not be) present for the facility’s safe operation to the limits of their ability to visualize the factors (in the ice machine specifically) affecting the absence of best practices. It seems that a relationship between service companies and The Environmental Health Department is warranted when restaurant owners decline service or maintenance that conflicts with safe practices. Once the service company knows about the problem, there is a conscionable obligation to repair it, unless maintenance is updated to protect the public.
Tech Professional Ice Machine Technician Certificate
The eTech Professional Ice Machine Technician Certificate installation course demonstrates the factors of a typical installation and then spends considerable time to point out the defects of non-standard or non-compliant installation.
The eTech Professional Ice Machine Technician Certificate installation course demonstrates the factors of a typical installation and then spends considerable time to point out the defects of non-standard or non-compliant installation. Once completed, technicians and managers can identify most of the same repeating defects in 75% or more of the EFI discrepancy reports pertaining to ice machines.
