Health,
Hygiene and Safety issues
We
all tend to agree Health and Hygiene issues can "go
a little too far at times".
When
"we" were young, we played in the
dirt and it never did us much harm. Is today any different
from the past? Unfortunately YES and NO!
A
Chocolate Fountain business is a catering business.
One is dealing with food (fresh fruit produce, pastries,
confectionery and so forth), chocolate and the general
public.
It
is a fact that when people are 'having a good time'
(usually when alcohol is present) the general public's
sense of reasoning and thinking logically seems to disappear.
This
is the gory page and not for the squeemish! In an ever
growing litigation world we live in and the ever changing
health and fitness environment we inhabit, we as Chocolate
Fountain people need to preserve the saftey and wellbeing
of out clients and their guests. However small the potential
risk is, it still needs to be addressed, resolved and
not swept under the carpet as insignificant because
it might affect 'my business'.
The
main concerns for all Chocolate Fountain companies are:
-
Double
dipping
- Man-management
of the fountain
- Safety
aspects of running the Chocolate Fountain
Double
dipping
Double
dipping is a situation where a guest standing at the
fountain edge picks up a skewer, selects and skewers
an item to dip, places the dip into the fountain, withdraws
the chocolate covered dip, eats the dip THEN selects
another dip using the same skewer and once again places
it back into the fountain.
MANY
Chocolate Fountain companies will 'swear blind' they
do not allow Double dipping, but when asked what safety
precautions are in place to avoid Double dipping, unfortuantely
the answers tend to be rather evasive, oblique or darn-right
vague!
The
potential for contracting or passing on a contagious
saliva disease is there - as a guest has placed a skewer
in his/her mouth and then back into the fountain. Saliva
will be present on the used skewer and can thus potentially
infect the Chocolate Fountain. The amount of saliva
is dependent on the actual guest; their state of mind
and demeanour (sober, slightly intoxicated or quite
drunk), their eating behaviour and methods (do they
eat with their mouth wide open, slightly open or closed,
how much saliva do they produce?)... there is a potential
risk.
There
are fifteen (15) diseases contagious from saliva:
Given
any function where there are say, 100 guests in attendance,
what is the percentage chance that one guest will have
one of the disease on the above list? One can argue
either way that the chances are slim or there is a great
threat of catching, say a cold sore, a cold or something
greater?
All
Chocolate Fountain Association members sign an agreement
where they will monitor double dipping and advocate
"One dip, one stick" to each
guest.
We
advocate a fresh skewer be used EVERY time a guest wishes
to use the fountain. Chocolate Fountain Members are
given help and advice on this matter.
Man-management
of the Chocolate Fountain
The
Association advocates as far as possible and where possible
the Chocolate Fountain company's personnel are in attendence
at the fountain's side throughout the event.
A
Chocolate Fountain is just about every child (and adult's)
Willy Wonka fantasy. The temptation to stick one's finger
into the fountain is almost irrisistable! Without a
reasonably strict health regime or policy, things can
quickly get out-of-hand.
Who's
to say one of the guests at a function has just been
to the toilet, not washed his/her hands, walks past
the Chocolate Fountain and slips his/her fingers into
the Chocolate Fountain? The chances of this happening
are not slim but a reality unless eagle-eyed catering
eyes are watching the fountain and the guests at all
times when the fountain is 'open'.
Safety
aspects of running the Chocolate Fountain
Safety
is almost the buzz word of this decade. For Chocolate
Fountain companies, hazards and safety-compliance comes
in all shapes and forms, for example (not an exhaustive
list):
-
Electrical
-
HACCP
-
Man-mangement
of guests
Health
and safety at times can go too far and restrict the enjoyment
and fun of having a Chocolate Fountain. For any organizer
or booker of a Chocolate Fountain, should satisy themselves
the Chocolate Fountain company they select is 'up to the
job' and will provide a safe, reliable and 'good'
environment for all guests attending the function.
