Maxuod Shift

SOP · Temperature exception to documented decision

Restaurant Refrigeration Temperature and Corrective Action SOP

A high reading is the start of an investigation, not a reason to silently reset the display. The team needs to protect food, confirm the measurement, preserve time and condition evidence, identify the equipment problem, and route the decision to a qualified person.

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Direct answer

Keep refrigerators at 4°C or lower under Health Canada guidance, record unit and product checks using the approved method, and act immediately on an exception: keep the door closed, verify the reading, isolate affected food, note time and conditions, contact the responsible person, and follow local food-safety direction. Never use smell or appearance alone to clear food.

What this page covers

  • Walk-ins, reach-ins, prep tables, display units, and refrigerated deliveries
  • Door, power, equipment, airflow, loading, and temperature exceptions
  • Isolation, escalation, service impact, repair, and reopening records

What it does not decide

  • A universal discard table for every product
  • Permission to use food after an unsafe exposure
  • Replacement of provincial, local, manufacturer, or qualified-person direction

Operating sequence

Step 1

Define the normal check before the exception

A useful log names the unit and the method.

  1. 1Give each unit an identifier and record date, time, displayed reading, independent verification where required, employee, and corrective action.
  2. 2Place checks at meaningful operating points such as opening, receiving, rush handoff, after loading, closing, and after repair.
  3. 3Keep probes and verification equipment clean, suitable, accessible, and handled under the approved procedure.

Step 2

Stabilize the situation in the first minutes

Reduce further exposure while facts are collected.

  1. 1Keep the door closed, stop unnecessary loading, check whether it was left open, and prevent employees from moving suspect food into normal stock.
  2. 2Verify the measurement with the approved method and note unit air reading, product reading where appropriate, time, door history, loading, power, alarms, and visible equipment condition.
  3. 3Move food only to an approved functioning unit without creating cross-contamination or losing product identity.

Step 3

Isolate food and preserve evidence

The decision depends on product history, not one dashboard number.

  1. 1Mark affected food “HOLD—DO NOT USE,” separate it, preserve labels and lot or prep records, and list product, quantity, location, and last known acceptable check.
  2. 2Record power or equipment timelines, door openings, service use, repair action, photos if useful, and every transfer.
  3. 3Do not taste, smell, or relabel food to make the uncertainty disappear.

Step 4

Escalate the food and equipment decisions separately

Repairing the unit does not automatically clear the food.

  1. 1Contact the manager and the qualified food-safety decision owner; use the applicable local authority or emergency direction when needed.
  2. 2Contact service or facilities for the equipment and record diagnosis, temporary control, parts, repair, and return-to-service verification.
  3. 3Decide menu removal, supplier order, guest communication, staffing change, and waste record only after the food disposition is controlled.

Step 5

Verify before reopening the unit

A reset is not proof of stable operation.

  1. 1Confirm the unit reaches and maintains the approved range under realistic loading and door use, using the restaurant’s verification process.
  2. 2Record who released the unit, the evidence used, food disposition, cleaning or maintenance, and the next follow-up check.
  3. 3Review root causes such as blocked airflow, overloading, door seal, staff habit, deferred maintenance, power, or alarm response.

Shift-ready files

Print the log or adapt it in a spreadsheet

The PDF keeps a stable print layout. The UTF-8 CSV is editable for the restaurant’s approved process.

Download printable PDFDownload UTF-8 CSV

Sources and limits

The official sources below support the visible claims. Always verify the scope with the authority responsible for the activity and jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should a restaurant refrigerator be?

Health Canada advises 4°C or lower. The applicable provincial or local rule, approved food process, and product may add more specific controls.

Is food safe if the power was out for less than four hours?

Not automatically. Health Canada says an unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours, but door openings, starting temperature, product, unit, and local direction affect the decision.

Can staff move food to another refrigerator?

Yes only through an approved transfer that protects temperature, identity, labels, contamination controls, and the hold status. Do not mix uncertain food into usable stock.

What does Maxuod Shift record?

It can show who was assigned to the check, preserve a shift note, and help adjust coverage after a closure. It does not clear food or equipment for use.

Continue the operating file

Power outage incident guideReceiving and rejection logRestaurant operations hub
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