In a commercial kitchen or restaurant environment, speed, heat and high-stakes operations are the norm. Here, signage is not a marketing tool; it is a safety barrier, a training guide, and the physical evidence of your commitment to food hygiene law.
At Montgomery Engravers, we specialise in creating durable, compliant, and easy-to-read operational signage that meets the "White Tick" standard for kitchen safety and traceability.
These signs and labels are fundamental to your Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. They are the constant, visible reminders that protect your staff from accidents and, crucially, protect your customers from contamination.
Eliminating Contamination with Clear Segregation Signs
Cross-contamination is one of the biggest risks in any food preparation area. It is the number one cause of food poisoning and can lead to immediate shutdown by health inspectors. Clear, permanent signage is the most effective way to enforce safe separation rules.
1. Dedicated Sink and Wash Area Signage
Every sink in a commercial kitchen must be clearly identified to prevent the mixing of different cleaning activities. These signs are non-negotiable and must be highly durable to withstand constant exposure to water, soap and cleaning chemicals.
Hand Wash Only: Placed above all designated hand washing stations, often with step-by-step graphic instructions. These are mandatory in high-traffic areas and restrooms.
Food Wash Only: Used for prepping vegetables, fruits, or thawing ingredients. This prevents staff from washing food in a sink used for raw meat or dirty equipment.
Equipment Wash Only: For pots, pans, utensils and machine parts. These sinks must be clearly separate from the food preparation process.
2. Raw vs. Cooked Food Separation Signage
Visual cues are essential for maintaining the physical distance between high-risk raw foods and ready-to-eat cooked products.
Designated Zone Markers: Permanent rigid plastic or engraved signs marking areas such as Raw Meat Prep, Fish Only, or Cooked Food Storage Area.
Chopping Board and Tool Guides: Posters or small laminated signs that display the industry-standard colour-coding system (e.g., red for raw meat, blue for raw fish, yellow for cooked meat, green for salad/fruit). This prevents staff from accidentally using a raw meat knife on a cooked sandwich.
Operational Efficiency and Traceability Signage
Beyond basic safety, compliance requires meticulous tracking of ingredients, stock and temperatures. Effective internal labels and signs are the tools that enable your team to manage the kitchen efficiently while maintaining regulatory standards.
1. Temperature Monitoring and Storage
Fridges, freezers, and hot-holding units are Critical Control Points (CCPs) for food safety.
Temperature Guidelines: Rigid plastic placards fixed to the exterior of cold storage units displaying the required safe storage temperatures (e.g., refrigerator at 5c, or below freezer at -18c)
Raw Over Cooked Reminder: Small, adhesive signs or engraved tags inside fridges or walk-in coolers stating the rule Raw Food Must Be Stored Below Cooked Food. This simple rule prevents raw meat juices from dripping onto safe products.
2. Stock Rotation Labels and Stickers
To prevent waste and ensure freshness, all ingredients must be used in the order they were received or prepared, known as the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) system.
Day Dot Systems: Rolls of small, easily removable labels or dissolvable stickers, colour-coded by the Day of the Week. These are used on all prep containers to indicate the date the food was cooked, opened or thawed.
Batch and Traceability Labels: Blank or pre-printed thermal labels for larger storage containers to track essential information: Product Name, Date, Time, and Prepared By. This allows instant recall tracing if an ingredient batch is found to be faulty.
Part 3: Personnel Hygiene and Safety Compliance
Your staff are your most valuable asset, but they are also the most common vector for transmitting bacteria. Clear hygiene signs are legally required to manage this risk.
1. Hand Washing and Protective Wear
These signs enforce the most critical safety habit in a professional kitchen.
Mandatory Hand Washing Signs: Clearly placed in the kitchen and near restrooms, often incorporating the Now Wash Your Hands mandatory symbol.
PPE Requirements: Signs listing mandatory protective equipment for specific tasks or areas, such as Gloves Must Be Worn for food handling or Safety Shoes Required in wash-down areas.
2. General Kitchen Hazard and Machine Safety
Kitchens contain numerous hazards from hot surfaces to moving machinery.
Warning Signs: Highly visible signs using warning symbols for hazards like Caution: Hot Surface above ovens, grills, and fryers, or Slippery When Wet near dishwashing stations.
Machinery Instructions: Durable, engraved tags fixed directly onto equipment like slicers or mixers, detailing mandatory safe operating procedures and cleaning instructions.
The Montgomery Engravers Difference: Built for the Heat
For kitchen signage, durability is compliance. A paper sign that peels or fades after one chemical wash is useless. Our materials are specifically chosen for the demanding environment of commercial food preparation.
ToughWash Materials: We use engraved laminate, rigid PVC, and anodized aluminium tags that are fully resistant to high heat, high-pressure washing, caustic cleaning chemicals, and grease.
Clarity and Legibility: Engraving provides a permanent inscription that will not scratch or fade, ensuring the safety message remains clear and enforceable for years.
HACCP Integration: We consult on your specific operational flow to ensure signs are correctly placed and integrate seamlessly with your existing safety management system, making your next health inspection an easy pass.
By prioritising this White Tick level of internal signage, your restaurant not only complies with the law but creates a safer, more efficient and fully traceable operation.
Secure your kitchen's compliance with permanent, professional signage.
5. Ready to Order? Here's How We Can Help
At Montgomery Engravers, we’re more than just a supplier; we're your partner in safety and efficiency.
Bespoke Solutions: We can work from your blueprints, CAD drawings, or simply a list of requirements to create a completely custom solution.
In-House Expertise: Our art and production teams are on hand to offer advice on the best materials, fonts, and fixing methods for your project.
Fast Turnaround: We understand that time is money on a construction site. Our efficient production process ensures that you get your labels and signs when you need them.
Don't Leave Crucial Identification To Chance
At Montgomery Engravers, we offer a wide range of services including screen printing, machine engraving, chemical etching and anodized aluminium labels. This diverse expertise allows us to handle everything from large-scale production runs to one-off custom projects with ease.
With over 60 years of experience, we take pride in delivering bespoke engraving, labelling, and signage solutions tailored to the unique needs of various industries. Whether you are a small business or a global enterprise, you can count on us for high-quality, durable products that meet your exact requirements.
If you want high quality printed labels without the usual hassle we are ready to help. We make it simple to get durable labels fast.
Get in touch today to discuss your project and find out how we can help - whether you’re based here in Huddersfield or further afield.
Share this post: