As a restaurant owner or manager, you've seen other restaurants display a variety of restaurant safety posters in their kitchens and utility rooms. But you've never heard that there are specific laws requiring restaurants to exhibit these posters. You want to ensure that your food establishment complies with all federal, state and local regulations. And, even if there are no laws requiring you to exhibit restaurant food posters, you'd like to know why your colleagues are following this practice anyway.

The answer is that some states require restaurants to display these posters and, even in states that don't, restaurants do it because it helps them comply with food safety laws. Displaying these posters in your business shows your public that you're serious about ensuring a safe food supply and shows your employees you're serious about providing a safe working environment. Sources for laws and regulations for food service posters include:

1. Learn about federal and state agencies that provide information and literature regarding restaurant posters.

2. Get copies of a food handling poster from your state restaurant association.

3. Find out about food safety and food service posters from consumer advocacy groups.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the federal and state codes relating to food safety posters

Federal agencies and state governments help restaurants create a safe working environment by informing them of standard practices, such as proper hand washing and how to check food product temperatures, that are displayed on restaurant posters.

I recommend: The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection provides both a list of food safety publications and the state's entire food code on its website. Search the FDA's comprehensive database for food safety education posters that you can download and display in your restaurant. Get information and posters from the New Jersey Department of Health food and drug safety website. Read legislation requiring food allergen posters in restaurants in the State of New Hampshire.

Seek guidance about food handling posters from trade associations

Most trade associations can help you learn more about the practice of using restaurant posters. These associations can also provide you with a hand washing poster or a poster with practical tips on how to avoid kitchen accidents.

I recommend: Read the "Food Code" document on the Wisconsin Restaurant Association to learn about standards for food handling posters. The news page at the National Restaurant Association keeps you informed of the latest standards regarding personal hygiene posters. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network gives the latest news on laws requiring restaurants to display food allergy awareness posters. The Michigan Restaurant Association provides manuals that include posters on food safety.

Follow standards for food safety posters set by concerned citizens groups

As you search for the laws and regulations on food service posters in your state, you'll find that consumer groups offer guidance and literature on displaying these posters in your business.

I recommend: FightBac.org provides fact sheets for restaurants who want to follow standards to prevent food borne illnesses. Learn more about posters advising the public about a possible link between cancer and certain kinds of food at the Cancer Prevention Coalition website.

In any restaurant, the Department of Health may deem that a certain food handling poster be hung in your kitchen. These posters are for your employees' safety but also for your guests' well-being. Laws vary from state to state, so check with your local Health Department to find out which posters are necessary for your restaurant.

Items such as personal hygiene posters and restaurant safety posters are good things to install even without prompting from the Department of Health. They give your employees specific directions on how to keep your guests safe from food poisoning and you safe from lawsuits.

1. Hang posters on hand washing above every hand sink in your kitchen. You may want to put one in the bathroom as well.

2. Get restaurant food posters detailing food safety procedures and temperatures. Using the correct holding and cooking temperatures and times is very important.

3. Post a dish cleaning poster above your triple sink. If there are dirty dishes, your dishwasher will have no excuse.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Demand proper hygiene in your kitchen by hanging a hand washing poster

Most people think that washing their hands consists of getting them wet, rubbing a little soap around and rinsing their hands off, all in under five seconds. For food safety, proper hand washing techniques must be enforced.

I recommend: Show your employees exactly how to wash their hands with a poster from Black Mountain Safety & Health. Visualhealthresources.com also offers a great hand washing poster to install above your kitchen's hand sinks.

Ensure accurate temperature control with food service posters about safety

Proper temperatures are critical to restaurants, not just because of food waste but because of safety standards. If something is not held at the right temperature for the right length of time, bacteria can breed and you can make your customers sick. The same goes for cooking times and temperatures.

I recommend: Print out a poster of key temperatures for eggs from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can print a nice poster of general food safety rules from the World Health Organization.

Get any other food safety posters you need

In addition to food safety signs and hand washing signs, you'll need a few others, like instructional signs and general safety signs. Check with your state's Department of Health to see which signs are required in your area.

I recommend: Hang dishwashing posters from Business Know-How if your kitchen isn't equipped with an automatic dishwasher. Post a sign about safety in your storeroom; this poster from Wayspan explains set up and storage procedures.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There are all sorts of restaurant posters you can buy for use in your restaurant. Some companies even offer packages of posters specifically tailored to restaurants.

Food service posters pricing and costs are an important part of any business that handles food and wants to maintain their budget. There are many different restaurant posters you may need and will have to use part of your budget to purchase. From food safety posters to a hand washing poster, all can be required by your state through the Department of Health.

While food handling posters may seem insignificant, they are an integral part of a restaurant kitchen. Employees must be reminded of safety issues and a storeroom poster can be an excellent way of making sure your food is handled safely and efficiently and that personal hygiene is being kept up. Although restaurant food posters may be tax deductible as a business expense, you will still want to save money on their purchase. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Choose laminated food handling posters to cut down on replacement costs.

2. Print out food handling posters for no cost savings.

3. Get package deals of restaurant safety posters to save on your budget.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take advantage of easy to clean laminated restaurant safety posters

Laminated restaurant safety posters are as low as under $10 each and with their easy care they won't have to be replaced constantly like non-laminated posters. Simply wipe off any stains or residue that may hinder the ability of reading the instructions.

I recommend: Business Know How offers laminated posters as low as $9.95. Poster Solution also has laminated posters on storeroom safety and ships in two to three days.

Take advantage of printable food safety posters to cut costs

Printable food safety posters can be found so that you don't have to spend money on purchased posters if you are on a tight budget. They can save you $10 and more per poster.

I recommend: World Health Organization has printable posters you can use at no cost. The FDA has printable posters such as key temperatures for egg safety and all of them can be printed.

Take advantage of a package deal of food handling posters

Package deals of food handling posters save around $20 per package if you plan to have gotten a variety of posters for your business. Most include various posters such as posters on hand washing, personal hygiene posters and a dish cleaning poster, as well as proper food handling.

I recommend: Texas Restaurant Association offers a combined kit to choose from to fit your budget. Black Mountain Safety and Health also offers package deals on their all-in-one signs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep your restaurant posters clean and easy to read so that employees will be able to follow their instructions.
• •  Place each food handling poster in a prominent place where employees have easy access.

Restaurants across America are required to place posters around the restaurant. Some, such as the hand washing procedure poster and the egg safety poster are for safety. Others, such as labor law posters, help workers to understand the law. If you're purchasing posters for the first time, you should learn a few terms to make sure that you purchase all of the posters that you need and that you can easily fit these purchases into your budget.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hand washing procedure posters

The hand washing procedure sign is a safety precaution. Illnesses can be spread if workers do not properly wash their hands, so this poster is quite important. Place it in the restrooms as a reminder to wash hands after using facilities. You can also place one near sinks to remind workers to use soap when washing.

I recommend: See a hand washing procedure poster at Black Mountain Safety.

Egg safety posters

Eggs can make customers very sick if they are not prepared properly. An egg safety poster reminds workers of how long to cook eggs and at what temperature. It also describes how to store raw eggs.

I recommend: The Food and Drug Administration offers information on egg safety.

Storeroom safety

A storeroom safety poster reminds your workers of the proper procedures for keeping a storeroom clean and safe. These tips include cleaning up spills immediately to prevent slips and using a footstool to reach items that are high.

I recommend: See the storeroom safety poster at PosterSolution.com.

Labor law posters

Besides workplace safety posters, you may be required to hang posters regarding labor laws. These include a minimum wage poster and a poster related to OSHA standards. There are posters for the federal government and posters that are specific for each state.

I recommend: Purchase a poster pack for your state at Business Know-How.

Printable posters

There are many resources that allow you to view and print posters for your restaurant. These are free, which allows you to save money. However, posters printed on paper may not be sturdy and you may have to replace them more often.

I recommend: See printable posters at the World Health Organization.

Laminated posters

Laminated posters are sturdier because they have been placed between two sheets of clear plastic. These may cost more initially, but you will not have to replace them as often, so they may be less expensive in the long run.

I recommend: The workplace posters available at HRDocs are all laminated.