Installing hand and utensil washing facilities is not always easy - or possible. For many operators who are expanding their premises or opening new ventures access to a mains plumbing isnt always an option.  Whether it be extreme cost, a leased premises, shopping centre kiosk, heritage building restrictions or perhaps even sheer impracticality, the Smart Sink can provide a solution.

Highpoint Fruit & Vegetable Market located in Highpoint Shopping Centre, Melbourne, recently opened a small pop-up for selling sugar cane juice but were unable to access mains plumbing.

As per the AUSNZ food standard they were required to provide adequate facilities for their food service setup in order for staff to wash their hands and also to prepare fruit and wash the utensils/equipment used in extracting the juice.

Our mobile dish/utensil washing unit the Smart Sink provides these facilities in an all-in-one system comprised of two basins for food prep and dish/utensil washing as well as a seperate side basin specifically for hand washing.  Water is delivered to the utensil/food prep sinks through a cold/hot mixer tap up to 77 degrees and delivered to a timed release tap on the hand wash basin at 40/45 degrees.

Why do I need separate hand washing and utensil washing sinks? What’s the difference?

Under the AUSNZ Food Standard you need a dedicated hand washing basin for Food Service with an adequate supply of warm, potable water (standard is 40/45 deg).  If you have utensils or dishes that require washing then you will generally need a dish/utensil wash sink as well.  Dish/utensil wash sinks need to be separate to the hand wash basin so as to avoid cross contamination and generally need to be double bowl as well as have a minimum hot water temp of 70/75 degrees. Further to this, you will need a food preparation sink if you are also preparing fruit & vegetables. 

Most setups require 1 bowl for food prep, 1 bowl for utensil wash and one bowl for hand washing – however this varies.  For example if you are serving pre-packaged, pre-cut food then you will likely only need a hand wash basin. In which case the Commercial Sink would be the preferred option.

If however you are cooking the food, but not preparing it, then you will likely only need a utensil wash sink and a hand washing sink.  Our most popular product in this context is the Smart Sink with optional side hand wash bowl so you have everything in one.  It is an effective solution that just slots into place, you can even get optional mains water fittings so if a site became long term you can plumb it in.

The Smart Sink – how does it work?

For food vendors and operations requiring a multi-functional unit, our Smart Sink is a versatile and highly mobile hand and utensil wash sink that incorporates a completely self-contained water system, a double bowled basin and food grade stainless steel body. Designed as a self-contained dish/utensil wash sink it is great for any situation when dish/utensil washing is required but no plumbing is available. The Smart Sink has an in built pump, hot water heater and fresh/waste water containers and is entirely self-contained, holding 25 litres of fresh and 30 litres of waste water. The Smart sink effectively mimics a kitchen sink with the built in pump and heater delivering a greater water flow and higher temperature output (up to 77 degrees) than our hand washing stations which are factory set at 40 degrees. The unit runs on only 10amp, 220/240v power.

To ensure compliance with Food Regulations, and for a quality product with a 2 year parts and labour warranty, order a Smart Sink here, or call us on 1300 537 300 (+61 3 8353 7310 for international) for more info.