The majority of food businesses still collect food safety records using pen and paper, which can be a time-consuming process and is far from infallible.
There have been a number of examples of business having their food hygiene rating slashed from a score of 5 to 1, purely on the basis of missing paperwork. Fortunately, new technology is making it simple to collect and store records electronically. Here are six reasons why you should make the switch:
- Save time and money
Pen and paper records are time consuming and take staff away from the work that directly contributes to turnover, so the more automation we can introduce the better. Automated temperature records can save hours of valuable time every week and means that staff can spend more time preparing for the next shift or delivering great service.
- 24/7 monitoring
Manual hot or cold storage temperature checks are typically done two or three times a day, but that doesn’t tell the full story as temperatures may vary at different times throughout the day. By using digital sensors to monitor storage temperatures, records are kept at regular intervals 24/7 so your records are always up-to-date.
- Instant alerts
Another advantage of 24/7 monitoring is that if there is an issue out of hours – such as a freezer door being left ajar – an instant alert would be sent to a designated mobile, tablet or desktop. The problem can be quickly dealt with and prevent valuable stock from being ruined.
- Securely stored
Handwritten paperwork can easily be lost, illegible or incorrectly filed. If this happened as was identified during an inspection, this could leave your business with a very poor hygiene rating even if there weren’t any problems with actual kitchen hygiene. By using electronic records, all of the data is securely stored in the Cloud so and always ready for inspection.
- Tamper-proof
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for manual records to be falsified. Staff are under pressure to carry out their other duties and, therefore, end up completing records ahead of time or long after the record was supposed to be taken. On the other hand, electronic records are stamped with time, date and staff member so you can see exactly who has done what and when.
- Increased visibility
When using pen and paper, the only way for a manager to view food safety records is to physically visit that location. However, when of the real advantages of electronic systems is that records can be accessed in real-time from any location. This is particularly useful for multi-site food businesses, as they can monitor all of their locations centrally.
* To learn more about how Checkit can eliminate your paperwork and ensure you are audit-ready every day come and see them at Meatup or visit Checkit.net
* Jaquie has worked in Cambridge for more than 20 years and has more than a decade’s experience in both Product Management and Product Marketing coupled to a professional marketing qualification (CIM). She is busy working on some exciting new initiatives for Checkit – the wireless food safety management system.
* Also worth checking out the many free seminars in the two theatres at Meatup and The Food Science & Technology Show.
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