The CHECKLIST is a critically effective tool to keep you, your employees, your customers, and your business location safe. Checklists are a time-honored method for safety in industries as far ranging as aviation for both mechanics and pilots, medicine for operation theaters, engineering projects, and especially in food and beverage businesses from catering to gift baskets to retailers.

The reason? If you have a list of tasks to check off, you’ll never forget even one essential thing to do, especially when you feel rushed or overextended. Taking the few minutes to verify that all the tasks have been completed and all supplies are available not only meets your checklist goals, it will meet health department requirements and your other business requirements.

We provide you a variety of checklists below to help you take the lead. As always, when it comes to hygiene and general health, reach out to your city and state health departments and the CDC for guidelines.

Although indoor and outdoor dining in tea shops and restaurants is prohibited in many areas, these guidelines will help you enormously when you are allowed to reopen. In the meantime, take-out and delivery services require serious guidelines for everyone’s safety addition to the usual cleaning practices of your facility. Share the appropriate checklists with servers and drivers and reinforce how they’re critical to THEIR safety as well as for customers.

PLEASE NOTE: These checklists are generic. Please add or delete items as appropriate. After thirty days, review them with your staff. Are there other tasks to add? Delete? Change in some way. Readjust.

ROTATE the checklist implementation so that no one person does it all the time. This avoids errors.

ALL disinfectant products should have a minimum 60% alcohol-based content or be EPA registered.

CHECKLIST FOR PICKUP AND DELIVERY SERVICES

 As appropriate, take the temperature of employees each shift.

 Clean and sanitize coolers or transport carriers after each delivery.

 Replace ice packages or cooling blocks or wipe down frequently

 Drivers should have sanitizer bottles; ask them to clean upholstery, steering wheels, and door handles frequently during their shift.

 Are gloves and masks available for all drivers? REORDER______________________ (Drivers should wear gloves at all times for their protection.)

 Are sanitizer bottles on every counter where sales are made? REORDER______________________

 Are all containers in place? REORDER______________________

 Are all bags and packaging items in place? REORDER______________________

 Is there a sanitizer bottle or package of wipes at the facility phone?

 Are your notepads and pen or electronic note taking equipment ready for all calls?

 Is there a sanitizer bottle or package of wipes at the cash register? The computers?

 If you use them, clean touch screens frequently!

 Has the bathroom(s) been properly cleaned before opening?

 Have all the counters, shelving, and other exposed surfaces been cleaned?

 Consider giving all employees either disposable or washable aprons fresh daily to protect their clothes from pathogens REORDER______________________

CHECKLIST FOR RETAIL AREAS:

 As appropriate, take the temperature of employees each shift.

PACKAGING TEAS, ACCESSORIES & PACKAGED FOODS

 Are registers filled with appropriate cash?

 Are all credit card and other electronic equipment charged and ready to go?

 Are masks and gloves at hand for preparing orders? REORDER:__________________

 Are tins or paper bags available? REORDER:__________________

 Are shelves of packaged foods (cookies, candies, etc.) full stocked? List below items to restock:

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

 Are some teas low in supply? List below items to restock:

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

 Are some accessories low in supply? List below items to restock:

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

 Prepackage all utensils and napkins to avoid customers and/or employees touching them directly

 Are all counters and shelves in the display area cleaned?

 Are all tea dispensers, scoops, and related tools cleaned and ready to use?

 Consider giving all employees either disposable or washable aprons fresh daily to protect their clothes from pathogens REORDER:__________________

 Make schedule for employees for the next day

CHECKLIST FOR FACILITY CLEANING FOR TEA ROOMS AND RESTAURANTS

 As appropriate, take the temperature of employees each shift.

BATHROOM:

 Signage in place to Wash Hands and Sanitize

 Add timers by sinks to help count 20 seconds for hand-washing

 Hand soap REORDER:__________________

 Sanitizer REORDER:__________________

 Paper towels: REORDER:____________________________________

 Toilet Paper REORDER:__________________________________

 Face Masks for anyone cleaning the bathroom. REORDER:__________________

 Disposable Gloves or anyone cleaning the bathroom. REORDER:__________________

 Check supply cabinet for EPA-registered disinfectant products for cleaning: Cleansers______gloves_______sponges__________scrubbers________Disinfectant wipes____ REORDER: __________________

 Clean toilets.

 Clean sinks.

 Clean floors.

 Make schedule for employees for the next day

KITCHEN:

 Signage in place to Wash Hands and Sanitize

 HOT WATER and SOAP are excellent for cleaning; check hot water faucets to make sure temperature is appropriate

 Disposable or washable aprons fresh daily to protect their clothes from pathogens REORDER:_________________

 Laundry basket; empty if full and prepare for laundry pickup or launder if you have an in-house washer/dryer.

 Disinfectant wipes REORDER:____________

 Disposable Gloves for all kitchen staff REORDER:_____________

 Face Masks for all kitchen staff REORDER:__________________

 EPA-registered disinfectant products including gloves for cleaning only, and sponges or scrubbers, as necessary REORDER:__________________

 Clean Countertops and other surfaces

 Clean Workstations

 Clean shared tools or appliances

 Clean Faucets and Sinks, wipe down dishwasher

 Clean Floors

 Clean Windows

 Clean doors and door handles, including refrigerator units

 Clean stoves, microwave or other heating units

 Clean railings or staircase newels

 All other high-touch areas cleaned

 Add timers by sinks to help count 20 seconds for hand-washing

 Check for temperature of dishwashers; adjust if necessary

 Clean dishwasher exterior and run if full; empty if clean

 Wipe down everything that can NOT be cleaned in a sink.

 Clean garbage cans daily. (Outdoor hoses are perfect for this.)

 Replace perishables in refrigerators and nonperishable in storage bins

 Return all cooking utensils, cutlery, plates, and other items to their respective storage units

 Make list for food ordering for the next day

 Make schedule for employees for the next day

EMPLOYEE BREAK ROOMS AND BATHROOMS, if you have them:

 Follow the directions noted above

 Signage in place to Wash Hands and Sanitize

For more information:

• Contact your city or state health department

• visit www.epa.gov

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-04/documents/316485-c_reopeningamerica_guidance_4.19_6pm.pdf

• www.cdc.gov

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html