Food Service Working

Food Service Working

Federal Wage System Position

Work Performed

This standard covers nonsupervisory work involved in serving food and beverages and preparing simple food. It includes setting and waiting on tables where food service is informal; attending food counters; portioning and serving food; assembling trays for hospital patients; recording and retrieving patient diet and other food service information using a computer or manual file system; washing dishes, pots, pans, glasses, and silverware; transporting food, equipment, and supplies by manual or motorized carts; and assisting in food preparation by peeling potatoes, cutting vegetables, assembling and tossing salads, measuring and weighing ingredients, brewing coffee and tea, and mixing bulk fruit juices. In addition, the work typically includes sweeping, washing, mopping and buffing floors, and washing walls and ceilings.

Skill and Knowledge Requirements

to perform routine manual tasks involving few steps. They have an understanding of personal hygiene standards and safe work procedures such as wearing a hairnet and a clean uniform daily, stacking dishes carefully to avoid mishaps, and wiping up spilled food or liquid promptly to prevent falls. They have the knowledge to read and understand written material such as time and duty schedules, safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals, menus, recipes, and basic work instructions. They have knowledge of basic arithmetic such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals.

Physical Effort

described at grade 1, some food service workers at this level may be required to perform heavy work, such as scouring and scrubbing large-size cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts and trucks in unloading, storing, and delivering supplies. They also may be required to work on ladders and use powered cleaning equipment. They frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 18 kilograms (40 pounds).