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EQUIPMENT SAFETY

FOR FOOD WORKERS

Steam Equipment:
PRESSURE STEAMER

Purpose

Cook with moist-heat steam anything that does not need browning or a crust.

Equipment Safety Precautions

Always use care with any electrical or gas equipment.

• Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry that could get caught in the machinery.
• Before you put together, clean or take apart electrical equipment:
  1. Turn off the appliance.
  2. Turn off the circuit breaker,* wall switch or unplug from the electrical outlet.
• Put hot pans on a cart to transport. Do not carry the pans by hand. They may drip water on the floors and can cause someone to slip.
• If there is water on the floor around the steamer be sure to mop it up.
• Always follow lockout/tagout procedures for your facility.

Food SafetyPrecautions

To prevent cross-contamination, clean and sanitize pans and equipment before use.

Safe Operating Directions

1. Check that wall and machine power sources are OFF.
2. Turn the unit ON and preheat for 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. (During this time, the steam generator will fill up with water and heat.)
3. Put the food that is to be cooked into pans.
4. When the machine shows that it is preheated, place the pans of food in the cooker compartment.
5. Close the door and latch the compartment.
6. Set the timer to the appropriate time for the food you are cooking.
7. Do not open the door while the steamer is pressure cooking.*
8. Wait a couple of minutes before you open the compartment door for the pressure to release.
9. Clear the area around the steamer before opening.
10. Stand to the side of the machine and open the compartment.
11. Use oven mitts to carefully remove the hot pans from the steamer.
12. Always remove the pan from the top of steamer first, then the lower ones. (This will keep you from getting burned from rising steam.)

Safe Cleaning Directions

1. Remove all of the prepared food from the steamer when you are finished using it for the day or if food has contaminated the compartment.
2. Leave the door open and allow the unit to cool completely. Wait at least 5 minutes.
3. Check that the fan has stopped running and that the steamer is OFF and unplugged.
4. Remove any shelving.
   • Wash the shelves with a brush in the sink using clean water and mild detergent, or use the dishwashing machine.
   • Rinse well amd sanitize.
5. Inside the steamer compartment:
   • Rinse well amd sanitize.
   • Check that the drain holes at the back of the compartment are clean and clear.
   • Close the door, plug in the machine, and turn on the steamer for several minutes.
   • Open the door and allow to air dry.
6. Unplug the unit again.
7. Put the shelves back in the steamer compartment.
8. Clean the outside of the steamer.
   • Use with a clean cloth, mild detergent, and warm water.
   • Keep water and detergent away from control panel and electrical components.
   • Do not use a hose or steam cleaning methods.
   • Leave the door slightly open so moisture will not build up in the compartment.

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.
• Pressure Cooking - A cooking method where food is cooked using steam at specific levels of pressure. The higher the pressure, the higher the temperature at which water boils, the trapped steam cooks the food in less time than conventional methods of steaming.

**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 .