How to Use a Three Compartment Sink

This HACCP plan documents how to use a three-compartment sink to properly wash, sanitize, rinse, and dry kitchen equipment and utensils in a commercial kitchen setting. The procedure follows the training standards issued by Kirby Chemical Company and covers each control point from initial soap setup through final drying, so kitchen staff can consistently protect food-contact surfaces from biological, chemical, and physical hazards.

Process Scope

Product: Kitchen equipment and utensils that come into direct contact with food, including metal mixing bowls, rectangular pans, and green cutting boards.

Location: A commercial kitchen three-compartment sink station equipped with wall-mounted racks for utensils, a wall-mounted soap dispenser, and a wall-mounted chemical (sanitizer) dispenser.

Preparation steps: Before washing begins, staff gather cleaning supplies — a pink "Ultra Suds" cleaning solution, a sponge, a cutting board, and a metal mixing bowl — and organize utensils on wall-mounted racks so they are accessible during the cycle. The "Ultra Suds" solution is loaded into the wall-mounted dispenser, which connects to the sink by a clear hose, and items to be washed are staged near the sink.

Service method: Once washed, sanitized, and rinsed, items are transferred to a metal drying rack on the stainless steel counter to air dry before being returned to kitchen use. Items are spaced on the rack to allow proper air circulation.

Intended consumers: Kitchen staff and, indirectly, all customers served food prepared using the equipment cleaned through this process.

Hazard Analysis

The three-compartment sink is divided into wash, sanitize, and rinse compartments, each marked with a sign showing the correct water fill line. Filling each compartment to the correct level is the first control against hazards carried over from prior use of the equipment.

Critical Control Points

Each compartment of the sink functions as a distinct critical control point (CCP) in the wash-sanitize-rinse cycle.

Monitoring

Monitoring confirms that the sanitize compartment is holding the correct chemical concentration before items are returned to service. Staff check this by holding a test strip up to the sanitizer instruction chart posted on the wall, which provides a color comparison guide, and by comparing the strip against the reference chart printed on the "NOBLE" test strip container itself.

Corrective Actions

The source material shows staff confirming that the sanitizer concentration matches the recommended levels before continuing but does not describe a specific corrective procedure for when a critical limit is missed. A complete corrective actions section would specify the exact steps to take when a test strip does not match the recommended range — such as re-dispensing sanitizer, refilling the compartment to the marked line, or holding items out of service — along with how affected product or equipment should be handled.

Verification

The sanitizer instruction chart, posted on the wall and issued by Kirby Chemical Company, serves as the reference standard against which test strip results are validated during the sanitizing step. The source material does not show a supervisor review, dispenser calibration check, or formal audit activity; a complete verification section would define who reviews monitoring results, how often the chemical dispenser is calibrated, and what periodic audits confirm that the wash-sanitize-rinse cycle is being followed correctly.

Records

The source material does not show any logbooks, checklists, or record-keeping activity associated with the wash, sanitize, or rinse steps. A complete records section would list the specific logs to maintain — such as sanitizer test strip results and dispenser refill records — along with the retention period for each log and the staff role accountable for maintaining them.