(a) The operator of
a food establishment shall ensure that
(1)
equipment, including ice makers and ice storage equipment, is not located under
exposed sewer lines, nonpotable waterlines, stairwells, or another potential
source of contamination;
(2)
equipment placed on tables or counters is installed for easy cleaning of the
equipment and adjacent table or counter surfaces, walls, and equipment and,
unless portable, is
(A) flush with and sealed
to the table or counter; or
(B)
mounted on legs at least four inches high;
(3) aisles and working spaces between
equipment and walls are unobstructed and adequate for employees to perform
their duties without contaminating food or food-contact surfaces;
(4) floor-mounted equipment, unless readily
movable, is
(A) flush with and sealed to the
floor;
(B) installed on a raised
platform of concrete or other smooth masonry in a way that prevents liquids or
debris from seeping or settling under, around, between, or behind the equipment
or the raised platform in spaces that are not fully open for easy cleaning and
inspection; or
(C) elevated on legs
at least six inches high, except that vertically mounted floor mixers may be no
less than four inches off the floor if no part of the floor under the mixer is
more than six inches from cleaning access; and
(5) the space between floor-mounted
equipment, adjoining equipment, and adjacent walls is closed; if exposed to
seepage, floor-mounted equipment must be flush with and sealed to the adjoining
equipment or adjacent walls; the requirements of this paragraph do not apply if
at least six inches is provided for cleaning between and behind each unit of
floor-mounted equipment.
(b) The operator of a bar or tavern who
serves food as described in
18 AAC 31.020(f) (1)(F) shall ensure that the areas and
equipment used to prepare and serve food and beverages and used for warewashing
are adequate to support the types and volume of food and beverages and methods
of preparation and service.
(c) A
semi-automated espresso machine using liquid milk must be located on the same
premises as, and operated in conjunction with, a permitted food
establishment.
(d) In this section,
"portable" means that the equipment
(1) is
small and light enough to be moved easily by an average person; and
(2) has
(A)
no utility connection;
(B) a
utility connection that disconnects quickly; or
(C) a flexible utility connection line of
sufficient length to permit the equipment to be moved for easy
cleaning.
Effective 12/19/99, Register 152, the Department of
Environmental Conservation readopted
18 AAC 31.415, without change, to
affirm the validity of that section following statutory amendments made in ch.
72, SLA 1998. Chapter 72, SLA 1998 relocated department authority to adopt
regulations in 18 AAC 31 from AS 03.05 to AS
17.20.
