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EQUIPMENT SAFETY

FOR FOOD WORKERS

Cooking Equipment:
ELECTRIC & GAS RANGES

Purpose

Surface heating of food in pots and pans.

Equipment Safety Precautions

Always use care with any electrical or gas equipment. All ranges are hot.

• Use potholders when you handle pots and pans.
• Turn pot handles inward to prevent them from being knocked off the range top.
• DO NOT use the hot top or flat top range as a griddle; this creates a fire hazard.
  

  FOR GAS RANGES

  • When you see large, yellow, flickering flames, these may be signs of malfunction. TELL YOUR SUPERVISOR IMMEDIATELY.
  • Never set a flame larger than the bottom of the pot or pan; flames that are too large are a fire hazard and a waste of energy.
• Always follow lockout/tagout procedures for your facility.

Safe Operating Directions

1. Choose the proper pot or pan (one with a flat bottom and straight sides).
2. Place the food you will cook in the pan.
3. Turn the range on.
   

   FOR A HOT TOP OF AN ELECTRIC RANGE

   • Set the temperature knob to the desired heat.
   • Wait for range to get to the correct temperature before placing the pot or pan on the surface.

   FOR A GAS RANGE

   • Turn the burner knob to the HIGH position until the flame appears.
   • Slowly turn the knob back to a lower position to set the flame to the level you wish.
4. Place the pot or pan on the burner, and carefully tend to the food until it is cooked.
5. When finished, immediately turn off the range and remove the pan.

Safe Cleaning Directions

FOR ELECTRIC RANGES

• Unplug the range. Turn the circuit breaker* OFF.
• Make sure all hot tops are OFF.
• Wet down the hot top and gently scrub off any food.
• Clean with an abrasive* detergent and hot water.
• If food sticks, allow the surface to soak in the detergent solution.
• Rinse all surfaces and wipe dry.

FOR GAS RANGES

• Make sure all burners are OFF.
• Allow to cool.
• Remove grids and trays from beneath the burner.
• Scrub the grids and trays with a fiber and wire brush. Allow to soak if needed.
• Rinse in hot water and wipe dry with a towel.
• Brush burners with a wire brush.
• Make sure that there are no clogged holes in the ignite units**. If there are, clean them with a wire.
• To remove grease, soak burners in grease solvent and hot water.
• Put the grids and trays back together.
• Empty the grease pan (the slide-out tray underneath the burner).

FOR ALL OTHER SURFACES

• Clean with nonabrasive* detergent and water.
• Wipe down with a clean, dry cloth.
• DO NOT use steel wool or a metal sponge to clean the exterior of the range.

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DEFINITIONS:

• Circuit Breaker - A circuit breaker automatically stops the flow of electricity when the electric circuit gets overloaded. You can also switch off a circuit breaker by hand at any time.
• Abrasive - An abrasive detergent uses finely ground minerals to loosen soil from a surface.
• Nonabrasive - A nonabrasive detergent is a mild detergent that will not scratch the surface that you are cleaning. It is usually used for soil that has not hardened on.

**The Equipment Safety fact sheets are general guidelines. Final procedures for safe equipment operation and cleaning should follow the manufacturer's specifications. Check the manufacturer's manual at your site or ask your supervisor for specific equipment details .