Food trucks have become a popular part of the American culinary landscape, offering a diverse selection of cuisine to people on the go. Their history is rich and varied, dating back to the 19th century and evolving considerably over the decades.
Their history can be traced back to the horse-drawn chuckwagons that were built in the late 19th century to provide a hearty meal to cowboys and loggers in their efforts to tame the American wilderness.
At the turn of the century, handcarts became a common sight in American cities as entrepreneurs began selling their goods to urban workers and immigrants.
With the invention of the automobile, ice cream trucks began to drive through residential areas, proving a success as mobile food trucks. In the 1960s and 1970s, the era of Roach Coaches began, in which these mobile canteens supplied construction sites and industrial areas and offered workers hot and delicious meals.
Keven Moore works in risk management. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University and over 25 years of experience in the security and insurance field. He is also an adjuster. He lives in Lexington with his family and works from both Lexington and Northern Kentucky. Keven can be reached at [email protected]The early 2000s saw the rise of the modern food truck movement, fueled by a new wave of innovative entrepreneurs and chefs. These trucks offered gourmet cuisine, often with an emphasis on unique and high-quality ingredients. The advent of social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram allowed food trucks to connect with customers and build a loyal following.
According to Zippa.com, there will be about 36,324 food truck businesses operating in the United States by 2023, employing about 40,000 people. It is a $1.48 billion industry that has been growing at an annual rate of 9.9% since 2018.
As food trucks become more popular, insurers, health inspectors and safety experts also face new challenges because they pose unique risks: Is the food they serve hygienic and safe to eat?
The food truck industry in Kentucky is a largely new business with constantly changing laws and regulations that can often be a shambles for food truck owners.
Food trucks are essentially mobile, but their regulations are distinctly local, with different requirements in each jurisdiction. Each county and city may impose additional requirements or ban food trucks entirely.
The regulation of food trucks is largely the responsibility of local health departments. Food trucks can register in a specific county and pay a small fee for a statewide permit. The purpose of the statewide permit is to ensure that the food truck itself complies with state regulations regarding sanitation and other public health issues.
In addition to food safety concerns, food trucks also pose their own set of risks. When you’re eating out, it’s sometimes easy to forget that food trucks are actually heavy trucks designed for mobile use. They can range in size from 16,000 to 30,000 pounds, compared to the average 2-ton (4,000-pound) passenger car, and these are some heavy-duty vehicles.
A commercial driver’s license is usually only required for the largest food truck models. Otherwise, anyone can drive a food truck; no special training is required.
The operation of these vehicles is very different from that of a passenger car and there are usually several blind spots around the truck. Due to their weight and size, they also brake much more slowly and cornering behavior is also very different.
Food trucks often carry large quantities of frying oil, which is highly flammable. If hot oil is released upon impact, it can cause severe burns and potentially start a fire.
A major risk is that these vehicles often carry their own power supplies, which poses a huge risk. Most carry their own generators with additional fuel tanks and large propane tanks for cooking. These tanks are often large and mounted on the outside of the vehicle, which poses a particular fire and explosion risk if the truck crashes and a gas leak occurs. Due to the explosive power of these gas tanks, the New York Fire Department even considers food trucks a potential terrorist threat.
Although liquid propane is widely used, if handled and stored improperly it can result in a devastating explosion, causing serious injury and death to truck drivers, employees, customers and bystanders.
This happens with some regularity and sometimes with fatal consequences. For example, in July 2023, two people suffered severe burns when the gas grill of a food truck at the Kentucky Horse Park caught fire.
In addition to food handling safety, food truck operators should follow the following guidelines to reduce their liability and ensure the safety of the public:
• Only hire drivers who are at least 21 years old and have a valid motor vehicle registration verification.
• For larger commercial food trucks, only hire drivers who have the appropriate CDL license.
• Install audible reversing alarms on all vehicles and use a guide when reversing your vehicle.
• To protect pedestrians, park trucks safely away from major roads and on roads with a 25 mph speed limit.
• Install multiple wide-angle convex mirrors at the front and rear of vehicles and/or install rear view cameras to reduce the risk of vehicle and pedestrian accidents.
• Use yellow four-way flashing lights, reflective strips, child safety warning signs and rear bumper covers to prevent children from climbing onto the rear of vehicles.
• Perform a daily safety inspection of your vehicle before each use and keep the documentation for at least one year.
• On roads, only operate vehicles with service windows on the right side of the truck (curb side).
• Make sure there is no public seating in the mobile food truck and do not provide seating for your guests near the vehicle’s exhaust.
• Ensure that there is a clearance of at least 10 feet from buildings, structures, vehicles and flammable materials.
• Ensure that fire brigade vehicles have access to fire service driveways and access roads and do not block fire hydrants.
• Check whether equipment containing flammable media is protected by an approved fire extinguishing system.
• Ensure that portable fire extinguishers in accordance with NFPA 10 are selected and installed in kitchen cooking areas and train employees in the use of the fire extinguishers.
• If solid fuel cooking appliances generate fatty fumes, ensure that the appliances are protected by the listed fire-fighting equipment.
• Ensure that employees are trained in the correct procedure for shutting off fuel sources, the correct procedure for notifying the local fire department, and the correct procedure for performing a simple leak test on gas connections.
• Keep generators separated from the public by barriers such as guards, fences or enclosures and turn off generators before refueling from a portable container.
• Ensure that generator exhaust is directed at least 10 feet in all directions from openings and air intakes, at least 10 feet from all escape routes, and away from all buildings and all other cooking vehicles and operations.
• Inspect gas systems before each use and ensure that the main shut-off valve on all gas containers is easily accessible.
• Store portable gas containers upright and secure them against tipping over.
• Carry out a leak test on all gas connections affected by the swap container change and document this.
• For gas lines, ensure that a flexible connection is installed between the regulator outlet and the fixed piping system.
• If a gas detection system is installed, ensure that it has been tested according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Close the valves on the gas supply lines and gas containers when the appliance is not in use.
• Keep cooking equipment, including cooking ventilation, clean by degreasing it regularly.
• Do not store fuel over heat-producing appliances or closer than 3 feet to cooking appliances.
• Do not store fuel near flammable liquids, ignition sources, chemicals, food and packaged goods.
Take care, my friends
