# Dishwashing checks: record the machine, method and actual observation

A dishwashing record should identify the machine or process, the approved check method, actual observation and response to a discrepancy. A tick saying machine running does not explain whether the required check was carried out.

> A dishwashing record should identify the machine or process, the approved check method, actual observation and response to a discrepancy. A tick saying machine running does not explain whether the required check was carried out.

Kivloo editorial team · 2026-10-25

## Define the decision behind the record

Use the checks specified for the site and equipment. Different systems may need different observations. Make those differences explicit rather than copying one generic form across every machine or manual washing process.

## Identify the machine and check before interpreting the result

Prepare the record using the specific machine instruction and site-approved check method. Identify the asset, process or cycle reference, responsible role and acceptance basis. A form shared by different machines must preserve the relevant method rather than applying a single unexplained field to every installation.

Capture the actual observation and unit for the check performed. Identify the event time and any relevant operating context. If the method or equipment changes during investigation, make that difference explicit and connect the subsequent result without replacing the initial one. Record deviations and the prescribed response under the site procedure.

At review, establish which check the entry supports and whether required follow-up remains open. A machine display, a separate verification method and a maintenance note may answer different questions. Test two machines with different procedures and a missing method identifier; the exported record should still make the actual observation understandable.

## Worked example

A site replaces a dishwasher. The responsible person reviews the relevant instructions and updates the equipment register and checklist. The old machine’s records stay associated with it, while new checks use the replacement’s identity and approved method.

## Build a usable record

Use the fields below to capture the facts needed for this particular decision. Keep the actual observation separate from any later correction or approval.

- Machine or process identifier

- Instruction and check method

- Time, operator and actual result

- Applicable approved criteria

- Exception and follow-up

## Example record and review decision

Fictional record example: WASH-01 / MACHINE-02: cycle, approved check method, actual observed result and unit; ACT-02: response to a deviation.

Identify the machine and the specific check required by the site procedure before interpreting the result.

Do not use one machine’s display reading as the recorded result for a different machine or verification method.

## Test the review, not just the form

Ask someone to interpret a result without seeing the machine. The record should identify what was observed and the relevant procedure. Trial how a reported discrepancy is assigned and reviewed rather than looking only at successful checks.

## Does this article prescribe a wash temperature?

No. Apply the appropriate approved procedure and equipment instructions for your operation.

## Can one machine’s result cover another installation?

An observation belongs to the machine and event actually checked. Shared paperwork does not make equipment or methods interchangeable. Retain each installation’s identity and the criterion required by its approved procedure.

## Continue reading

- [HACCP guide: seven principles, food safety routines and practical records](https://kivloo.com/en/guides/haccp-guide-principles-records)

- [Commercial cleaning schedules: define kitchen tasks before scheduling them](https://kivloo.com/en/guides/cleaning-schedule-task-design)

- [Cleaning verification: distinguish completed work from verified results](https://kivloo.com/en/guides/cleaning-verification-record)

- [Cleaning product preparation records: connect the instruction and actual preparation](https://kivloo.com/en/guides/cleaning-product-preparation-record)

- [Digital HACCP records: build a temperature log your team can actually use](https://kivloo.com/en/guides/digital-haccp-temperature-records)

- [Food batch traceability: connect deliveries, ingredients and finished products](https://kivloo.com/en/guides/food-batch-traceability-records)

## Sources and further reading

- [Codex Alimentarius · CXC 1-1969 / General Principles of Food Hygiene](https://openknowledge.fao.org/3/cc6125en/cc6125en.pdf)

Operational guidance, not a certification or a legal assessment. Adapt examples to your site, approved procedures and local requirements. Product links lead to the English website; this guide does not imply a fully translated application or verified hardware compatibility.

Canonical: https://kivloo.com/en/guides/dishwashing-check-record