N.J. Admin. Code § 8:24-4.8

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 12, June 17, 2024

Section 8:24-4.8 - Manual warewashing equipment

(a) Manual warewashing, sink compartment requirements shall include the following:

1. A sink with at least three compartments shall be provided for manually washing, rinsing, and sanitizing equipment and utensils, except as specified in (a)3 below.

2. Sink compartments shall be large enough to accommodate immersion of the largest equipment and utensils. If equipment or utensils are too large for the warewashing sink, a warewashing machine or alternative equipment as specified in (a)3 below shall be used.

3. Alternative manual warewashing equipment may be used when there are special cleaning needs or constraints, such as described in (a)2 above. Alternative manual warewashing equipment may include the following:

i. High-pressure detergent sprayers;

ii. Low- or line-pressure spray detergent foamers;

iii. Other task-specific cleaning equipment;

iv. Brushes or other implements;

v. Two-compartment sinks as specified under (a)4 and 5 below; or

vi. Receptacles that substitute for the compartments of a multi-compartment sink.

4. The Department or health authority with jurisdiction shall approve the operator's use of a two-compartment sink when the operator meets the following requirements:

i. The nature of warewashing shall be limited to batch operations for cleaning kitchenware such as between cutting one type of raw meat and another or cleanup at the end of a shift;

ii. The number of items to be cleaned shall be limited;

iii. The cleaning and sanitizing solutions shall be made up immediately before use and drained immediately after use; and

iv. A detergent-sanitizer shall be used to sanitize and shall be applied as specified under (m) below or a hot water sanitization immersion step may be used.

5. A two-compartment sink shall not be used for warewashing operations where cleaning and sanitizing solutions are used for a continuous or intermittent flow of kitchenware or tableware in an ongoing warewashing process.

(b) The limitations on warewashing sinks include the following:

1. A warewashing sink shall not be used for handwashing.

2. If a warewashing sink is used to wash wiping cloths, wash produce, or thaw food, the sink shall be cleaned before and after each time it is used to wash wiping cloths or wash produce or thaw food. Sinks used to wash or thaw food shall be sanitized before and after using the sink to wash produce or thaw food.

(c) When used for warewashing, the wash compartment of a sink, mechanical warewasher, or wash receptacle of alternative manual warewashing equipment as specified in (a)3 above, shall contain a wash solution of soap, detergent, acid cleaner, alkaline cleaner, degreaser, abrasive cleaner, or other cleaning agent according to the cleaning agent manufacturer's label instructions.

(d) The wash, rinse, and sanitize solutions shall be maintained clean.

(e) The temperature of the wash solution in manual warewashing equipment shall be maintained at not less than 110 degrees Fahrenheit or the temperature specified on the cleaning agent manufacturer's label instructions.

(f) Drainboards, utensil racks, or tables large enough to accommodate all soiled and cleaned items that may accumulate during hours of operation shall be provided for necessary utensil holding before cleaning and after sanitizing.

(g) If immersion in hot water is used for sanitizing in a manual operation, the temperature of the water shall be maintained at 171 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

(h) If hot water is used for sanitization in manual warewashing operations, the sanitizing compartment of the sink shall be:

1. Designed with an integral heating device that is capable of maintaining water at a temperature not less than 171 degrees Fahrenheit; and

2. Provided with a rack or basket to allow complete immersion of equipment and utensils into the hot water.

(i) In manual warewashing operations, a temperature-measuring device shall be provided and readily accessible for frequently measuring the washing and sanitizing temperatures.

(j) A chemical sanitizer used in a sanitizing solution for a manual or mechanical operation at exposure times specified under 8:24-4.7(c) shall be listed in Tolerance exemptions for active and inert ingredients for use in antimicrobial formulations, 40 CFR § 180.940, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented, shall be used in accordance with the EPA-approved manufacturer's label use instructions, and shall be used as follows:

1. A chlorine solution shall have a minimum temperature based on the concentration and pH of the solution as listed in the following chart:

Minimum Concentration	Minimum Temperature
mg/L	pH 10 or less	pH 8 or less
25	120 degrees Fahrenheit	120 degrees Fahrenheit
50	100 degrees Fahrenheit	75 degrees Fahrenheit
100	55 degrees Fahrenheit	55 degrees Fahrenheit

2. An iodine solution shall have a:

i. Minimum temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit;

ii. pH of 5.0 or less or a pH no higher than the level for which the manufacturer specifies the solution is effective; and

iii. Concentration between 12.5 mg/L and 25 mg/L;

3. A quaternary ammonium compound solution shall:

i. Have a minimum temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit;

ii. Have a concentration as specified under 8:24-7.2(f) and as indicated by the manufacturer's use directions included in the labeling; and

iii. Be used only in water with 500 mg/L hardness or less or in water having a hardness no greater than specified by the manufacturer's label;

4. If another solution of a chemical specified under (j)1 through 3 above is used, the operator shall demonstrate to the health authority that the solution achieves sanitization and the use of the solution shall be approved; or

5. If a chemical sanitizer other than chlorine, iodine, or a quaternary ammonium compound is used, it shall be applied in accordance with the manufacturer's use directions included in the labeling.

(k) A test kit or other device that accurately measures the concentration in mg/L of sanitizing solutions shall be provided.

(l) Concentration of the sanitizing solution shall be accurately determined by using a test kit or other device.

(m) If a detergent-sanitizer is used to sanitize in a cleaning and sanitizing procedure where there is no distinct water rinse between the washing and sanitizing steps, the agent applied in the sanitizing step shall be the same detergent-sanitizer that is used in the washing step.

(n) If washing in sink compartments or a warewashing machine is impractical such as when the equipment is fixed or the utensils are too large, washing shall be done by using alternative manual warewashing equipment as specified in (a)3 above in accordance with the following procedures:

1. Equipment shall be disassembled as necessary to allow access of the detergent solution to all parts;

2. Equipment components and utensils shall be scraped or rough cleaned to remove food particle accumulation; and

3. Equipment and utensils shall be washed as specified under 8:24-4.6(m).

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:24-4.8