Inspections & Drain Records for Kitchens

Key takeaways

Inspectors may ask for trap service records
Keep dates, trap, work done and who did it
Store records where managers can find them quickly
A provider should give you a written record after each visit

Why records matter

If a health or utility inspector asks when the trap was last serviced, the answer needs to be a date and a document, not a guess. Records also help you notice changes: a trap that fills faster than before is telling you something.

Good records protect you in both directions.

What to keep

For each service: the date, the equipment serviced, what was done, who did it and any notes. Keep receipts for waste hauling or disposal, oil recycling records and any camera footage. A single binder or folder works.

Our records are written to be filed.

Rules to check

Local utilities and cities may require food businesses to service traps at a minimum frequency and keep records for a set period. Ask your utility what applies to your business, and plan your schedule to meet or beat it.

This guide gives general information, not legal advice.

Make it routine

Put the service dates on the kitchen calendar, file each record on the day it arrives and review the folder every quarter. A tidy record takes minutes a month and saves hours when it is needed.

We send reminders so dates are not missed.