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Cooking oil and grease are central ingredients in commercial kitchens, and restaurant owners must ensure they are handled properly for the safety and success of their business. Serving restaurants around Portland and Eugene, Oregon, and South El Monte and Los Angeles, California, SeQuential helps manage fats, oils, and grease (FOG) with expert trap services. Here, we describe what your employees need to know about grease collection to mitigate the risk of accidents.

Store Grease and Oil in the Correct Containers

Every restaurant needs the proper equipment to store fresh and used cooking oil and grease. Tell your employees which containers are for new and old grease, and label them to avoid mistakes. You must also instruct them not to pour used cooking oil down a drain of any type since doing so can clog drains and even result in legal issues.

If you store old cooking oil outdoors, ensure the containers are placed away from wastewater systems and locked when not in use. These precautions keep your grease and oil from entering the surrounding environment and safeguard against thieves who may try to steal and sell them.

Maintain Kitchen Equipment

Oil and grease can make surfaces slippery and increase the likelihood of a workplace incident. Purchase effective cleaning products and train your employees to clean the kitchen floors regularly. You should also instruct your employees to wipe leftover grease and oil from dishes, pans, and pots before washing them to reduce the amount of oil that flows through your plumbing system.

Frequently Clean Kitchen Exhaust Filters

Sometimes, grease and oil can gather in the exhaust filters of your kitchen. If left unchecked, these substances can reach the exterior of the building and increase the risk of a fire. Oil and grease can also wash into the sewer system when it rains, potentially creating a hazard. To avoid any catastrophes, have your employees continuously maintain the exhaust filters in your kitchen.

Minimize Grease in Dishwashers and Sinks

Limiting the amount of oil or grease that flows into your sinks and dishwashers reduces stress on your traps. Remind your employees to refrain from putting grease or oil in the sinks by posting “No Grease” signs above the basins.

Recycle Used Cooking Oil

Saving your used cooking oil for processing and recycling allows your restaurant to be eco-friendly. Numerous businesses, such as SeQuential, recycle used cooking oil to transform it into clean renewable fuel. Sign up with SeQuential for free used cooking oil recycling, and train your employees to dispose of used oil in designated collection containers.

Regularly Clean Grease Traps

Grease traps are vital for every restaurant because they prevent fats, oils, and grease from washing down the drain and entering the local sewer system. Maintaining grease traps is particularly important if they have caused problems in the past. While employees may be able to clean small grease traps, licensed professionals should clean and repair all grease traps to ensure they are running smoothly. To learn more about educating your employees on grease collection in Oregon and California, contact us today.

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