18 AAC 31.415. Equipment installation and location

(a) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that

(1) equipment, including ice makers and ice storage equipment, is not located under exposed sewer lines, nonpotable waterlines, stairwells, or another potential source of contamination;

(2) equipment placed on tables or counters is installed for easy cleaning of the equipment and adjacent table or counter surfaces, walls, and equipment and, unless portable, is

(A) flush with and sealed to the table or counter; or

(B) mounted on legs at least four inches high;

(3) aisles and working spaces between equipment and walls are unobstructed and adequate for employees to perform their duties without contaminating food or food-contact surfaces;

(4) floor-mounted equipment, unless readily movable, is

(A) flush with and sealed to the floor;

(B) installed on a raised platform of concrete or other smooth masonry in a way that prevents liquids or debris from seeping or settling under, around, between, or behind the equipment or the raised platform in spaces that are not fully open for easy cleaning and inspection; or

(C) elevated on legs at least six inches high, except that vertically mounted floor mixers may be no less than four inches off the floor if no part of the floor under the mixer is more than six inches from cleaning access; and

(5) the space between floor-mounted equipment, adjoining equipment, and adjacent walls is closed; if exposed to seepage, floor-mounted equipment must be flush with and sealed to the adjoining equipment or adjacent walls; the requirements of this paragraph do not apply if at least six inches is provided for cleaning between and behind each unit of floor-mounted equipment.

(b) The operator of a bar or tavern who serves food as described in 18 AAC 31.020(d) (6) shall ensure that the areas and equipment used to prepare and serve food and beverages and used for warewashing are adequate to support the types and volume of food and beverages and methods of preparation and service.

(c) A semi-automated espresso machine using liquid milk must be located on the same premises as, and operated in conjunction with, a permitted food establishment.

(d) In this section, "portable" means that the equipment

(1) is small and light enough to be moved easily by an average person; and

(2) has

(A) no utility connection;

(B) a utility connection that disconnects quickly; or

History: Eff. 5/18/97, Register 142; readopt 12/19/99, Register 152; am 12/31/2000, Register 156; am 6/28/2001, Register 158

Authority: AS 17.20.005

Editor's note: Effective 12/19/99, Register 152, the Department of Environmental Conservation readopted 18 AAC 31.415, without change, to affirm the validity of that section following statutory amendments made in ch. 72, SLA 1998. Chapter 72, SLA 1998 relocated department authority to adopt regulations in 18 AAC 31 from AS 03.05 to AS 17.20.

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