Archived SteriTech, why do you do this?

[Fiyero Does Good]

This is just a short rant. Feel free to give our opinion.
So, I work in several food areas st my Target, but my main one is the deli. I have only worked here for a year. Before that, I worked for a fine-dining restaurant for several years and Gould work at other restaurants during the holidays or between spring and fall semester. I even went to culinary school and took sanitation classes.
The issue I have is, every job I had, if a food inspector made a mistake and called us on something that was obviously not wrong, we could call them out and they would look it up, correct themselves and move on. However, I never worked for a company that hires SteriTech.
SteriTech seems to make rules up as they go. Just about EVERYTHING they call us on seems like they made it up on the spot. I even follow up with my own research. However, my Team Lead says we aren't supposed to challenge it, just do what they say.... but they make it so hard for us. Most recent they made us throw away the only trash can that we kept in our dish and raw chicken areas because they didn't have lids. However, in school we learned that we are required to have one trash can at every work area and hand-washing station. We also learned that kids are not required while the kitchen is in use, and if we do not leave trash in the bin when we leave. I understand it is a good idea to have a lid, but they made us get rid of it all together.
But this is only one out of many issues. I just think it's stupid that Target pays them to come in and "keep us in line" but they make things up on the spot. Seems as if they don't think they will get paid if they don't find something.

 

[Circle9]

It's Steritech. You just smile, nod and pretend to do whatever they ask you to.

 

[signingminion]

The actin plan will be to order completely new trash cans. You can't just order the lids.

Everything they call you on is something target has written down in practice. They focus on something different each quarter.

 

[Kartman]

My fav is them saying you have to wash your hands BEFORE putting on those flimsy cheap gloves.

Yea right... let me watch YOU do that, in a timely manner.

 

[NKG]

Sounds like you need to be buddy buddy with your steritech. Ours does his job but the girl TL's flirt the whole time and the guy tl's talk about sports. We got yellow last time because the usual guy was on vacation.

 

[HRZone]

It's Steritech. You just smile, nod and pretend to do whatever they ask you to.

This as a team member you have absolutely no reason to stress over Steritech. If anyone will get in trouble over red visits it's your leaders. As long as you aren't doing anything completely negligent like breaking dress code or you are a filthy slob (looking at you Starbucks tm at my store) it falls on your leader

 

[redeye58]

Yep, we had a non-critical after two baristas were having a contest on who had the filthiest apron.
The winner was the apron that crunched when folded.

 

[qmosqueen]

Yep, we had a non-critical after two baristas were having a contest on who had the filthiest apron.
The winner was the apron that crunched when folded.

 

[redeye58]

If only, lol

 

[SFSFun]

Just order a new trash can and hide it whenever a steritech visit is announced.

This as a team member you have absolutely no reason to stress over Steritech. If anyone will get in trouble over red visits it's your leaders. As long as you aren't doing anything completely negligent like breaking dress code or you are a filthy slob (looking at you Starbucks tm at my store) it falls on your leader

But it's frustrating when someone comes in and tells you that you're doing your job wrong. And I can only imagine how it must feel if you have professional food prep and food safety training and still get told you're doing it wrong.

 

[Kartman]

Announced?

LOL

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

Your TL or ETL should get together with the other stores in the district and compare notes. Each round they will basically focus on the same areas. If they find outdates on the floor they will check that product in every store. For instance, if they find a bunch olive oil that is outdated in one store, they will check that item in the next store too. One year they checked all of the oven mitts in the bakery for rips! But we knew that because another store sent out notes and that was on there! You can challenge them too! Did you know that you can keep a cheat sheet right on your clipboard of the questions they ask with the answers, AND you can reference it when they are there. As much as it irritates everyone there is valid reasons they are there. Food poisoning is real and usually the result of something that could have easily been avoided. I do think they walk around with their noses in the air. At the very least I think they should walk WITH the team and explain the reasoning behind the expectations without being condescending.

 

[redeye58]

Your TL or ETL should get together with the other stores in the district and compare notes.

My ETL does this whenever a store in our district gets hit by Steritech.
Whenever they hit a store, the ETL texts out to others in surrounding stores what they were gunning for, what they were dinged for, how thorough they were, etc.
When my ETL gets the info, he shares it with us so we know what to be prepared for.

 

[signing guy]

Steritech cannot make you get rid of anything. They are a third party auditor that we PAY to help protect us from violations of health code. The trash can thing is because it is a breeding ground for pests. A lid could have been ordered for the trash can. Someone probably decided it was just easier to get rid of the trash can. I am not suggesting this was a good idea.Steritech will sent an email and create a report and the store must develop an "Action Plan" and who is responsible for each item and log it in the system.

Source: Former Sr TL and current PMT

 

[Shoomm]

As far as I've been told, my store's always been green, for at least the past few years. But their most recent visit, I literally heard the SteriTech guy getting super nitpicky in 'bux because he, "had to write [us] down for something," even though he personally felt we did great. That is really damned annoying.

 

[signingminion]

Your TL or ETL should get together with the other stores in the district and compare notes. Each round they will basically focus on the same areas. If they find outdates on the floor they will check that product in every store. For instance, if they find a bunch olive oil that is outdated in one store, they will check that item in the next store too. One year they checked all of the oven mitts in the bakery for rips! But we knew that because another store sent out notes and that was on there! You can challenge them too! Did you know that you can keep a cheat sheet right on your clipboard of the questions they ask with the answers, AND you can reference it when they are there. As much as it irritates everyone there is valid reasons they are there. Food poisoning is real and usually the result of something that could have easily been avoided. I do think they walk around with their noses in the air. At the very least I think they should walk WITH the team and explain the reasoning behind the expectations without being condescending.

Ours always walk with us and explain what the new focuses are and why they matter. We've passed several times on my honesty when asked questions instead of lying to her face.

 

[Deli Ninja]

Steritech got bought out fairly recently by a British (I think) company. Found that out when I was reading online reviews. This evidently triggered a mass exodus, since a lot of benefits were cut. I'm sure the rules have been changed somewhat as well, for stores and for the inspectors.

At my store, the shit rolls downhill. The STL takes it out on the ETL who takes it out on the TL who (usually unintentionally) takes it out on the TMs. Then again, stress levels are at an all-time high at my store right now, so it isn't surprising that leadership is seeing many TMs and TLs as the enemy.