Safe Use of Cleaning Chemicals in Food Premises

Cleaning chemicals only work safely when you use them at the correct concentration, allow the labelled contact time, wear the right PPE, never mix products, and keep them well away from food and packaging. Always follow the manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and label instructions. This guide explains how to use, store and handle cleaning and sanitising chemicals in an Australian food business without contaminating food or harming staff. Key takeaways: Dilute to the label rate and leave the sanitiser on the surface for the full contact time or it will not kill bacteria.. Never mix chemicals, especially bleach (chlorine) with acids or ammonia, which can release toxic gas.. Store all chemicals in labelled original containers, well away from and below food, packaging and preparation areas.. Wear the PPE the Safety Data Sheet specifies, and keep an accessible, current SDS for every chemical on site.. Rinse or air-dry food-contact surfaces as the product directs so no chemical residue is left behind.. Do and don't at a glance: Practice, Do, Don't. Concentration — Dilute exactly to the label rate with a measure — Guess or make it 'extra strong'. Contact time — Leave sanitiser wet for the full labelled time — Wipe it straight off. Mixing — Use one product per task — Mix bleach with acids or ammonia. PPE — Wear gloves and eye protection per the SDS — Handle concentrate bare-handed. Storage — Store separately, below and away from food — Store in drink or food containers. Records — Keep a current SDS and cleaning schedule — Rely on memory or verbal instructions. Why chemical safety matters in a food business Cleaning and sanitising chemicals are essential for controlling bacteria, but they are also a chemical contamination hazard in their own right. The Food Standards Code requires food businesses to take all practicable measures to prevent the contamination of food, which includes chemical contamination from cleaning agents, sanitisers, pest control products and lubricants. Residues left on food-contact surfaces, chemicals stored above open food, or the wrong product used at the wrong strength can all make food unsafe. Concentrated cleaning chemicals can also burn skin and eyes and damage the airways, so protecting staff is part of the same job. Getting concentration, contact time, PPE, separation and storage right protects both your customers and your team. Chemical contamination of food is a recognised hazard under the Food Standards Code.. Risks include residue on surfaces, spills, splashes, wrong-strength solutions and mixing incompatible products.. Both food safety and workplace health and safety (WHS) obligations apply.. Correct concentration: dilute to the label rate Chemicals only do their job at the strength the manufacturer specifies. Too weak and a sanitiser will not reduce bacteria to a safe level; too strong wastes product, increases residue and can be corrosive or unsafe. Always dilute concentrates exactly as the label and SDS direct, using the recommended measure rather than guessing or 'eyeballing' a splash. Use clean, correctly labelled spray bottles and buckets, and make up fresh solution as directed rather than topping up old, dirty solution that has lost strength. Where a product needs test strips (for example, some sanitiser and warewash systems), use them to confirm the solution is within range. Water temperature can also matter, so follow the instructions for hot or cold make-up water. Follow the exact dilution ratio on the label and SDS; do not guess.. Use a proper measuring device and clean, labelled containers.. Make up fresh solution regularly instead of topping up old solution.. Where provided, use test strips to confirm sanitiser concentration is in range.. Contact time: let the sanitiser do its work Sanitising is a two-step idea: a surface must first be clean (free of visible food, grease and grime), then the sanitiser needs to stay wet on that surface for its full labelled contact time (sometimes called dwell time) to kill remaining bacteria. Wiping the sanitiser straight off defeats the purpose, because the chemical has not had time to act. Clean first with detergent and rinse if the product requires it, then apply the sanitiser and leave it for the time stated on the label before drying or rinsing as directed. Heat sanitising (very hot water in a commercial dishwasher, typically reaching a high final rinse temperature) is an alternative to chemical sanitising for equipment that can withstand it; follow the machine and chemical instructions. Clean and remove visible soil first, then sanitise; sanitiser does not work on dirty surfaces.. Leave the sanitiser on the surface for the full contact time stated on the label.. Rinse or air-dry afterwards exactly as the product directs.. Commercial dishwashers can heat-sanitise if the final rinse reaches the required temperature.. Never mix chemicals Mixing cleaning chemicals is one of the most dangerous mistakes in a kitchen. Combining chlorine bleach with an acid (such as some descalers or toilet cleaners) can release chlorine gas, and mixing bleach with ammonia-based products can release chloramine gas; both can cause serious respiratory harm. Even mixing two detergents can create unpredictable reactions or neutralise both products so neither works. Use one product for one job at a time, rinse surfaces between different chemicals where the labels require it, and never decant or combine products into a shared container. If a supplier offers a purpose-made combined or two-in-one product, follow that product's own instructions rather than making your own mixture. Never combine bleach with acids or with ammonia-based cleaners.. Do not mix two different cleaning or sanitising products together.. Use one product for one task; rinse between chemicals when the label requires it.. Only use pre-formulated combined products as the manufacturer directs.. Wear the right PPE Concentrated cleaning chemicals can burn skin and eyes and irritate the lungs, so wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) the Safety Data Sheet specifies for each product. This commonly includes chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection, and for some products an apron or respiratory protection where there is a splash or fume risk. Take extra care when handling undiluted concentrate, decanting, or cleaning in poorly ventilated areas such as coolrooms or enclosed dish pits. Provide good ventilation, keep an eyewash or clean running water available for splashes, and train staff to wash their hands after handling chemicals. Replace damaged gloves and store PPE so it stays clean and away from food. Match PPE to what the SDS lists for each chemical (often gloves and eye protection).. Take extra care with concentrates, decanting and enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.. Keep running water or an eyewash accessible for splashes to skin or eyes.. Inspect and replace worn PPE; wash hands after handling chemicals.. Separate chemicals from food, packaging and equipment Chemicals must be kept well away from food, ingredients, single-use packaging and food-contact equipment to prevent contamination from spills, splashes, leaks or fumes. Store cleaning products in a dedicated area or cupboard, ideally below and separate from any food storage so a leak cannot drip onto food. Keep them out of food preparation and cooking areas during service, and never store chemicals in unlabelled drink bottles or food containers, which invites tragic mix-ups. Keep clearly labelled colour-coded or dedicated cleaning cloths, buckets and spray bottles for chemical use so they are not confused with food equipment. Clean up spills promptly and dispose of chemicals and empty containers as the label and your local requirements direct. Store chemicals in a dedicated area, separate from and below food and packaging.. Never decant chemicals into drink bottles or unlabelled food containers.. Keep chemicals out of prep and cooking areas during food handling.. Use dedicated, labelled cleaning cloths, buckets and bottles; clean spills promptly.. Follow the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and label Every hazardous cleaning chemical should come with a Safety Data Sheet from the supplier. The SDS tells you the correct dilution, contact time, PPE, first-aid measures, storage conditions, incompatibilities (what not to mix it with) and how to deal with spills. Keep a current SDS for each chemical on site and easily accessible to staff, and review them (SDS are generally reissued periodically by the manufacturer). Buy chemicals from reputable suppliers, keep products in their original labelled containers, and train every staff member who cleans on how to read the label and SDS before they use a product. Combine this with your cleaning schedule so the right product, strength and method are used for each surface. Keep a current, accessible SDS for every chemical on the premises.. The SDS covers dilution, contact time, PPE, first aid, storage, spills and incompatibilities.. Keep products in original labelled containers from reputable suppliers.. Train all cleaning staff to read the label and SDS before use.. Checklist: A current SDS is on site and accessible for every chemical.. Chemicals are in original, clearly labelled containers.. Dilution measures, labelled buckets and spray bottles are provided.. Sanitiser is used at the right strength and left for the full contact time.. Required PPE (gloves, eye protection) is available and worn.. Chemicals are stored separately from and below food and packaging.. No chemicals are decanted into drink or food containers.. Cleaning staff are trained to read labels and SDS.. A written cleaning schedule states which product and method to use where.. Common mistakes: Guessing dilution or making sanitiser 'extra strong', leaving residue or wasting product.. Wiping sanitiser off before the contact time has elapsed, so bacteria survive.. Sanitising a surface that is still dirty instead of cleaning it first.. Mixing chemicals, especially bleach with acids or ammonia, releasing toxic gas.. Storing chemicals above or beside food, or in unlabelled drink bottles.. Handling concentrate without gloves or eye protection.. Having no accessible SDS and no trained staff..