General Construction Requirements for Food Establishments FAQ
Equipment used in a permitted food establishment shall meet or exceed the standards for sanitation established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Baking Industry Sanitation Standards Committee (BISSC) and/or the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). When purchasing equipment, look for symbols such as what is pictured below. Notice that many symbols include the word “Sanitation”.
If the equipment falls into a category for which 3rd party sanitation standards exist, but has no marking or documentation, it must be examined at the expense of the applicant by an ANSI accredited 3rd party testing service. This is called a field evaluation.
If the equipment does not fall into a category for which 3rd party sanitation standards exist, the Health Authority will verify that it complies with all general design and construction criteria specified in the REGULATIONS and may ask for additional information such as field testing, approval from other governmental agencies, or may give specific use limitations based on risk.
- Three-compartment Sink: A three-compartment sink is required in food establishments that have open food if ware washing and sanitizing of utensils is required.
- Handwashing Sinks: Handwashing sinks are required in each area where open food is handled.
- Utility/Service Sinks: At least one service sink, or one curbed cleaning sink equipped with a floor drain, directly connected to the sewer shall be provided and conveniently located for cleaning of mops or similar wet floor cleaning tools, and for the disposal of mop water and similar liquid waste. The faucets at this sink shall be protected by a backflow prevention device. This sink shall not be used for food preparation, food handling, or for hand washing. Toilets and urinals may not be used as a service sink for the disposal of mop water and similar liquid waste.
- Other Sinks: A one or two-compartment sink may be recommended for food preparation (examples: thawing, cooling, produce), blender rinse stations, or dump sinks in beverage service areas.
Note: All sinks, except for hand sinks and utility/service sinks must be indirectly connected to a floor sink with an airgap. All sinks must be serviced with hot and cold running water under adequate pressure. All sinks except for utility/service sinks must be NSF-certified or equivalent.
Hand wash sinks shall be:
- Conveniently located, easily accessible, and available to employees without opening doors or moving barriers.
- Located in each area used to prepare food and wash utensils.
- Located in or immediately adjacent to rooms with toilets.
Tip:
Do not install a hand sink where it is not easily visible or recognizable to your employees (example: between large pieces of equipment or around corners). Out of sight, out of mind.
Do install enough hand sinks to account for the number of employees that you will have on each shift. Will your employees have time to wait in line to wash their hands when they are busy getting orders out?
Do install enough hand sinks to cover high production, high risk food handling areas such as a cookline. Hand washing violations can be prevented with proper hand sink placement.
Sealed wood may be used for non-food contact surfaces that are not regularly exposed to moisture. Examples include but are not limited to bar tops, dining tables, or cabinets in a customer interface area that are not used for open food storage or preparation. Wood or wood-based structural support shall not be compromised with penetrations for plumbing or drainage. Non-food contact surfaces that are exposed to splash, spillage, or other food soiling or that require frequent cleaning must be constructed of corrosion-resistant, nonabsorbent, and smooth material.
Wood shall not be used as a food-contact surface except hard maple, or an equivalently hard close-grained wood, maintained smooth and easily cleanable, may be used for:
- Cutting boards, cutting blocks, bakers’ tables. Utensils such as rolling pins, doughnut dowels, salad bowls and chopsticks, and
- Wooden paddles used in confectionery operations for pressure scraping kettles when manually preparing confections at a temperature of 230°F±2°, or above.
Floors, walls, and ceilings shall be designed, constructed, and installed so they are smooth, durable, and easily cleanable. Areas subject to moisture, including food preparation areas, walk-in refrigerators, warewashing areas, restrooms, mobile unit servicing areas, and areas subject to flushing or spray cleaning methods must have floors, walls, and ceilings which are made of non-absorbent materials (examples: stainless steel, fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP), tile, sealed concrete, etc.).
The wall finishes of all food preparation, ware washing, and hand washing rooms or areas shall be made of water-impervious materials which are washable at least up to the highest level reached by splash or spray. It is recommended that impervious material be installed up to 8 feet or to ceiling height, whichever is less.
Floor and wall junctures shall be coved and sealed with gaps no wider than 1/32”. Common coving options include: Plastic/Vinyl coved base molding, coved tile (flush with floor, not top set), coved aluminum tile edge trim, or grout with epoxy, silicone, or polyurethane additive if properly installed and maintained (most sealants require reapplication every 6 months).
Lighting may be measured using a light meter. At least 50-foot candles (540 lux) of light are required at a surface where food handlers are working with food or working with utensils or equipment such as knives, slicers, grinders, or saws where employee safety is a factor. At least 20-foot candles (215 lux) of light are required at a surface where food is provided for consumer self-service such as buffets and salad bars or where fresh produce or packaged foods are sold, offered or displayed for sale or served, inside equipment such as reach-in and under-counter refrigerators and at a distance of 30 inches (75 cm) above the floor in areas used for handwashing, warewashing, and equipment and utensil storage, and in restrooms. Provide at least ten-foot candles (108 lux) at a distance of 30 inches (75 cm) above the floor in walk-in refrigeration units and dry food storage areas and in other areas and rooms during periods of use or cleaning.
Light bulbs must be shielded, coated, or otherwise shatter-resistant in areas where there is exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, and linens; or unwrapped single-service and single-use articles. Shielded, coated or otherwise shatter-resistant bulbs need not be used in areas used only for storing food in unopened packages if the integrity of the package cannot be affected by broken glass falling onto them and they are capable of being cleaned of debris and broken bulbs before packages are opened.
Special attention should be given to the lighting of areas that may have light from overhead fixtures blocked from working surfaces (e.g., under a canopy hood).
A licensed engineer can provide you with a calculation for hot water heater sizing specific to your facility. Many factors are involved in obtaining an accurate calculation. For example, a small ice cream shop may require a 40-gallon water heater, but 40 gallons may not be adequate for a food establishment that has more warewashing needs, more customers or more employees. The recovery rate of a water heater is also an important factor to discuss with your engineer.
Food Shields shall be mounted to intercept a direct line between the customer’s mouth and the food display area at the customer “use” position. Food shields, as installed, must comply with the construction, materials, finishes, and formula requirements established by ANSI/NSFI Standard 2.
- A vertical food shield shall be deemed “adequate” when it measures 5 feet from the top of the shield to the floor. A lesser vertical height may be considered when an adequate horizontal piece is added to the top of the shield.
- Food shields must have end caps if the end of the unit is subject to access by customers.
Special Note: Metals such as brass and copper, even on properly finished and approved equipment, may be subject to corrosion and the production of toxic oxides when used for food service equipment such as food shields in the presence of excessive heat and moisture. Special care may be required to prevent oxidation from occurring and causing corrosion to build up on metal surfaces. The presence of these toxic compounds on a food shield will result in a critical violation during operational inspections and may result in replacement or refurbishment of the food shield.
Ventilation hood systems and devices must be sufficient in number and capacity to prevent grease or condensation from collecting on walls and ceilings. All exhaust hoods shall be certified to meet ANSI/NSF standards and must comply with current building department and fire codes. Sufficient mechanical ventilation must be provided to effectively remove excessive heat, steam, condensation, vapors, obnoxious odors, smoke, and fumes from the facility.
Open food operations can produce fats, oils, grease, and grit (FOGG) which may enter the sewer system. Even if your establishment does not produce a lot of grease, the sewer agency of jurisdiction may require the installation of a grease interceptor to help prevent the FOGG from entering and clogging the sewer lines. Grease interceptors shall be located outside the food establishment whenever possible. Alternative methods of grease disposal (grease machines) may be considered if approved by the sewer agency of jurisdiction.
The doors of a food establishment shall be solid, self-closing, and tight-fitting to protect against the entry of pests. If a door is kept open for ventilation or for other purposes, such as taking out trash or receiving deliveries, it must be effectively protected against the entry of insects and rodents. A 16-mesh to 1-inch screen may be effective if the door is used strictly for ventilation. Typically, exterior doors that enter directly into a food handling area require an air curtain when the door is used for taking out the trash or receiving deliveries. A properly installed air curtain will have an on/off switch positioned out of normal reach and shall activate a micro-switch within two seconds of opening the door. The airflow and direction should be such that flying insects cannot easily enter. Doors used for emergency use only may not be required to have an air curtain if solid and tight-fitting.
A facility can submit a signed Dogs in Outdoor Dining Areas Agreement (Appendix C SNHD 2023 Food Regulations) to allow dogs in outdoor dining areas if the area is accessible without passing through the food establishment and the patrons and staff operate in accordance with the signed agreement.
Employees must have access to a conveniently located restroom during all hours of operation. Customers must not be allowed access to the restroom through food handling or storage areas. Any additional requirements to provide customer restrooms will be determined by current building and plumbing codes which are enforced by the building department or code enforcement agency of jurisdiction and SNHD will defer to them.
Contact Information
Phone: (702) 759-1258
Email: FoodRev@snhd.org
Location:
Fremont Public Health Center
2830 E. Fremont St.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
Updated on: June 5, 2023