I need to vent

vaderdoo · #1 06-18-2005, 01:07 PM

Last sunday the sewers backed up in the kitchen and it was about 110 degrees on top of that. It took the owner 4 days to get it fixed. Then I'm at worked yesterday, cooking on the line, plating a customers dinner and right at my feet is a drain which backed up all over the floor and all over my shoes. I WAS PISSED OFF! So I don't want to go back to work until its fixed but I don't think I can do that? Any Ideas on what to do? It is wrong to expect someone to work in backup sewage and a 100 degree kitchen. People have limits!

katbalou · #2 06-18-2005, 06:20 PM

call the board of health, raw sewerage is not a good thing.

Jim · #3 06-18-2005, 08:22 PM

Unfortunately, what comes from text books is not always 'real world.' What I mean by that, is that raw sewage is an offense that most (all?) health departments would force the closure of a facility. I am a ServSafe instructor and it is clearly spelled out that inadequate lighting & water flow, serious pest infestation and raw sewage problems are all closable offenses. That said, unless somebody reports it, it will most likely go unnoticed.
If you report it, though, you may cause some problems for yourself. Not saying you shouldn't do the right thing, but think it through. It is very easy for folks without a vested interest to say "Close it!" from a distance, however, it is your paycheck and your name. I am not contradicting Katbalou and I mean absolutely no offense, but just take a few minutes to think things through. Venting is good. Acting on the 'vent' can pose some problems. A clear head and a warm shower is good medicine.
Keep us posted!

100folds · #4 06-19-2005, 03:03 PM

We work in an industry that is constantly pushing our limits. I suppose you have to decide where your's rest.
Chef Jim is right. Before you do anything, look at the consequences of your actions. Look at all options, try to communicate your disgust to your employer and then make a decision. Just listen to your gut and decide what is more important, to you.

ricib · #5 06-28-2005, 09:13 PM

it's harder to escape the sewage problem, than 100+ degree kitchens. The health department can stop by at anytime, and make surprise follow-ups. They can even be notified anonymously, if you would prefer them to not say who they had any tip from.

Same goes for the department of labor, just incase you wonder down the road.

Again though, think things through, do what's right in your mind and heart.

pmj · #6 06-29-2005, 06:43 AM

My place has had that problem 3 times in the last month. The first two times we called a plumber out and got it all cleaned up. This last time we closed for the night...

The first two times it was in between lunch and dinner so it could get fixed inbetween rushes, but the third it was 6pm and we were SOL.

chinds85 · #7 07-05-2005, 02:49 AM

Wow... I dont know how well I could perform on the line if my feet were submerged in raw sewage. That sounds awful!

Jim, thats some great advice. Good luck vaderdoo. Hope everything works out for the best... and I also hope the restaurant that you are describing is not one that I have dined at recently.

susann · #8 07-15-2005, 08:29 AM

call the board of health(o:

vaderdoo · #9 07-15-2005, 09:08 AM

Hello again. Well since I wrote this nothing has changed. I took a weeks vacation and came back to the same situation. However, the sewers aren't backing up but the owner still hasn't had them looked at or fixed.

Now its a heat and low staff issue. Its a 104 here and the kitchen is unbearable with no airconditioning. In our staff room we have a small unit so once and a while I go in there to cool down. But......its broken. Hopefully today it will be fixed because I'm lossing my patience with these people.

We have only three cooks. When those two go on vacation I cover for both. The first lady takes 2 weeks then the other guy takes a week right after her. I repeatedly asked my boss to please hire more staff and nothing. So now in a 21 day period I have to work 18 days which normally I wouldn't mind. But in this heat I'm getting worn out.

Sometimes I think we cooks must be crazy to do what we do hehehe.Anyway, in August I'll be job hunting.

Rivitman · #10 07-15-2005, 04:01 PM

My former kitchen reached 120F on a bad night. I did myself some serious hurt on night, nearly going down in the heat.

My current kitchen is nice in that regard, topping out at around 85 on a bad day.

But the walk ins are two flights of stairs from the kitchen. The service elevators don't stop there, nor on one of the floors that is a major banquet venue. The elevator often fails so it's mountain goat time.

I'm there to learn from and support my curent chef, who is simply outstanding. When he goes, I go.

mudbug · #11 07-15-2005, 05:31 PM

Ok.. now I'm curious.

Exactly what IS the problem with the drain. Especially if a plumber has fixed it twice before? Do you know how they "fixed" it? Did they use a snake to fix it? (no, not the animal, the tool) Did they pour something down the drain? Do the pipes need to be replaced? What?

emhahn · #12 07-15-2005, 06:40 PM

The bottom line is this. It's an old drain. Full of gunk and crap that will never come out. And the only real solution is to dig up the whole thing and replace it, which the city will probably have to do.

It's a persistant problem. I haven't been in any kitchen in recent weeks that wasn't 120 degrees, so it's not the heat. But the heat can certainly add to a bad night.

I had this problem once when I worked at a country club. Every time they drained the pool, the entire lower floor would flood. And it was ugly! **** ugly!

The health department will close you on this type of situation. Calling them and asking them to do it is something that only you can decide.

I'd say, find a cool place to hang out after work. Don't say anything about to your neighbors (because you don't want to ruin the restuarant's reputation), and learn to work around it as carefully as possible until it's fixed.

Eric
RestaurantEdge.com

Rivitman · #13 07-15-2005, 07:20 PM

Anything can be cleaned out. Every roto rooter shop has a water jet system, and a TV camera that they can snake in to look at the inside of the pipes.

Offhad it sounds like the pipe itself has failed, and the camera could find it. Ive seen this happen and seen it done.

If your grease interceptor trap is full, that can cause huge problems as well.

vaderdoo · #14 07-15-2005, 10:46 PM

Ok let me clear things up here. When I say that the owners tried to "fix" the drain I'm going by what they consider "fixing" and that would be a snake then some kind of solvent. My idea of "fixing" something means that once its fixed the problem doesn't happen anymore. The owners idea of fixing it was to do a tempory fix so at least the drain won't back up.
My manager thinks its the grease traps but the owners won't listen to what he has to say because they say its too much money.
I'm happy the drains aren't backing up at the moment because its enough work just dealing with the heat.
Keep cool all fellow cooks

Rivitman · #15 07-16-2005, 01:41 AM

If the grease traps are full, and putting grease into the city sewer system, the owners are going to be in for a big fine most likely.

If the waste pipe has failed, what happens is the pipe repeatedly fills with mud. No amount of snaking or chemicals will clear it, and it will get progressively worse.

Normally, the business or residence is financially responsible for the upkeep all the way to the sewer stub out.