Guides

Will This Dishroom Pass?

Summary

Inspector-Style Decision Tool

Rule: If you hit a NO on any Critical Pass/Fail item, the dishroom will not pass inspection—regardless of how nice the equipment is.

STEP 1 — Is Legal Warewashing Even Possible?

Answer YES to ALL:

☐ Commercial NSF-rated dishwasher installed OR three-compartment sink available
☐ Three-compartment sink present (even if dishwasher exists)
☐ Separate hand sink in dishroom
☐ Hot water available at all sinks
☐ No residential equipment used

ALL YES → Go to STEP 2
ANY NO → WILL NOT PASS

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STEP 2 — Can It Actually Sanitize?

If High-Temp Machine:

☐ Final rinse reaches 180°F
☐ Booster heater installed & functioning
☐ Thermometer visible and working

If Chemical (Low-Temp):

☐ Sanitizer connected and pumping
☐ Correct test strips available
☐ Required ppm range posted

ALL YES → Go to STEP 3
ANY NO → WILL NOT PASS

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STEP 3 — Is Drainage Legal & Protected?

☐ Dishwasher drains indirectly through a floor sink
☐ Air gap present
☐ No direct sewer connections
☐ No wastewater backing up
☐ No standing water under machine

ALL YES → Go to STEP 4
ANY NO → WILL NOT PASS

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STEP 4 — Are Dirty & Clean Zones Fully Separated?

☐ Dirty dish drop zone exists
☐ Scrape & pre-rinse station before machine
☐ Clean outfeed table after machine
☐ Clean dishes never cross into dirty zone
☐ Staff traffic is one-directional (dirty → clean)

ALL YES → Go to STEP 5
ANY NO → WILL NOT PASS

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STEP 5 — Is Air-Drying Possible Without Towel Use?

☐ Dedicated air-dry racks or tables
☐ Adequate space for drying during peak
☐ No towel drying practiced
☐ No wet stacking

ALL YES → Go to STEP 6
ANY NO → WILL NOT PASS

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STEP 6 — Is Clean Storage Legal?

☐ All clean dishes stored off the floor
☐ Storage is NSF-approved
☐ No clean storage under plumbing
☐ No splash exposure from dirty side

ALL YES → Go to STEP 7
ANY NO → WILL NOT PASS

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STEP 7 — Are Test Strips & Logs Present?

☐ Test strips match sanitizer type
☐ Stored at the machine/sink
☐ Not expired
☐ Daily temp/chemical logs in use

ALL YES → Go to STEP 8
ANY NO → HIGH RISK OF FAILURE
(Some inspectors allow correction on-site, some do not.)

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STEP 8 — Is Waste Handling Compliant?

☐ Scrap collected at scrape station
☐ Trash/compost covered
☐ Grease interceptor installed if required
☐ Floor sink strainers in place

ALL YES → Go to STEP 9
ANY NO → HIGH RISK OF FAILURE

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STEP 9 — Is Water Treatment Installed (If Required)?

☐ Water hardness tested
☐ Softener installed where hardness exceeds limits
☐ Sediment filter installed
☐ Delime plan in place

YES → Go to STEP 10
NO → WILL LEAD TO FUTURE FAILURE & WARRANTY RISK

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STEP 10 — Is Emergency Backup Available?

☐ Three-comp sink usable if machine fails
☐ Sanitizer available
☐ Test strips available
☐ Emergency SOP posted

ALL YES → SHOULD PASS INSPECTION
ANY NO → MAY BE SHUT DOWN DURING FAILURE

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FINAL RESULTS INTERPRETATION

Result	Meaning
✅ Should Pass	Dishroom meets sanitation, plumbing, and operational criteria
⚠️ High Risk	May pass today but likely fail on reinspection
❌ Will Not Pass	Automatic code violation, shutdown or permit denial likely

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Fast “One-Page” Critical Pass Items (For Sales & Design)

Your dishroom WILL NOT PASS without:

Commercial NSF dishwasher or 3-comp sink
Separate hand sink
Legal indirect drain & air gap
Proper sanitizing (180°F or correct ppm)
Dedicated air-dry space
Clean storage off the floor
Test strips (if chemical)
Dirty-to-clean separation

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Aldevra Inspector-Aligned Guiding Rule

If you cannot visually trace food-contact items from dirty drop → wash → sanitize → air-dry → clean storage without crossing paths, the dishroom is not compliant.

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