Summary
Commercial Dish Machine & Warewashing Training Program
Employee Name: ______________________
Trainer / Supervisor: __________________
Training Date: ________________________
Facility / Location: ___________________
1. Dishroom Safety Orientation
Personal Safety Rules
- Wear slip-resistant shoes
- Use cut-resistant gloves when handling sharp items
- Never bypass machine safety switches
Report:
- Leaks
- Electrical issues
- Steam burns
- Drain backups immediately
Chemical Safety
- Never mix chemicals
- Never touch chemical concentrate
- Always use provided test strips
- Know where chemical SDS sheets are located
2. What the Dish Machine Does (And Does NOT Do)
The dish machine:
- Washes
- Rinses
- Sanitizes
The dish machine does NOT:
- Remove food scraps
- Remove heavy grease without pre-rinse
- Clean prohibited items
- Replace the three-compartment sink
- Allow towel drying
3. What MUST Happen Before Loading the Dishwasher
Every item must go through this sequence:
- Scrape → Sort → Pre-Rinse → Rack → Verify Machine → Run Full Cycle → Air Dry
Scraping Rules
All food waste into:
- Trash
- Compost
- Scrap trough
No bones, foil, stickers, or paper into the machine
Sorting Rules
Allowed:
- Plates
- Bowls
- Glassware
- Utensils
- Stainless cookware
Never Allowed:
- Wood
- Cast iron
- Hood filters
- Floor mats
- Mop heads
- Electrical parts
4. How to Load Racks Correctly
- Glasses upside down, spaced
- Plates angled for water flow
- Bowls nested properly
- Utensils mixed orientation
- Sheet pans vertical when possible
Never overload racks
5. Sanitizing Verification Training
If Using High-Temp Dish Machine
- Final rinse must hit 180°F
Staff must know:
- Where the thermometer is
- What the number means
If Using Chemical Sanitizing
- Test strips required
Staff must know:
- Sanitizer type
- Required ppm range
- Where strips are stored
6. Drying & Clean Storage Rules
- Air dry only
- No towel drying
- No wet stacking
Store only when fully dry
Store on NSF shelving only
Store off the floor
7. Three-Compartment Sink Emergency Training
When dishwasher is down:
- Sink 1 → Wash (110°F + detergent)
- Sink 2 → Rinse (clean water)
- Sink 3 → Sanitize:
- Chlorine: 50–100 ppm
- Quat: 150–400 ppm
- Iodine: 12.5–25 ppm
- OR hot water 171°F for 30 seconds
Items must air dry.
8. End-of-Shift Dishroom Duties
- Drain and clean tanks
- Clean scrap screens
- Wipe interior
- Check chemical levels
- Shut down per SOP
- No standing water on floor
9. Inspection Awareness Training
Every dishroom employee must be able to answer:
- “How does this machine sanitize?”
- “What temperature or ppm is required?”
- “Where are your test strips?”
- “What happens when the machine is down?”
New-Hire Training Sign-Off
I confirm I understand proper dishroom operations and safety rules.
Employee Signature: ______________________ Date: __________
Trainer Signature: _______________________ Date: __________
