Passing a Health Inspection

To the past, present, and future restaurant owners. Today we’re going to be talking about a multitude of things that health inspections and inspectors will be looking for when they come to your restaurant. Health inspections at restaurants, bars, and anything that has to do with food can easily be categorized into major violations and minor violations. Depending on your county and the health inspector it will vary widely what they’re going to focus on.

However, our main goal is to arm you as an owner, manager, or employee to make sure the process is the least difficult as possible. Some inspections will cause your facility to be shut down and others will require a revisit to ensure the previous violations have been corrected. First in this article we’ll let you know some of the major things that can have your equipment impounded or have your restaurant temporarily shut down. These also apply to some gas stations, smoothie stores, liquors, fast food chains, and anything that has to deal with food.

Major Inspection Violations

Now this section is going to be the most important which can cause a major issue in your life. Some of the things mentioned here can potentially cause your facility to get people sick and nobody wants to deal with sending someone to the hospital/toilet. Other factors here will be a major pain in your life including pests which will cause your facility to be shut down. Here is the list of closure, impound, or other major violations:

1. Hot water – Ensure your water heater is functioning properly giving all your sinks hot water of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Going below 100 degrees Fahrenheit will cause a closure of your facility as there is no hot water. Additionally hand wash sinks should maintain a temperature of 100 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Electricity – Without electricity at your facility there is no way to ensure your refrigerators are working properly. Do yourself a favor and call your health inspector for them to voluntarily shut down your facility which will cause you no cost as a violation. If an inspector catches you without your electricity on while you’re still operating, that will be a shut down to your facility with a violation cost.
3. Pests – Whether they’re cockroaches or rodents, you definitely have a problem. Do not try to operate with a heavy cockroach infestation or if you have a rodent infestation at your facility. In short, its considered a major violation during a health inspection and is considered a closure violation. Work with your health inspectors in your county to voluntarily shut down your facility until the problem is resolved. The closure reason is that its extremely unsanitary to have rodent droppings and cockroaches at your facility.
4. Hand Wash Sink – A facility can easily be shut down at an inspection if there is no method for employees to wash their hands. Of course gloves are a great tool to use during food preparation, but there needs to be a method for employees to wash their hands before and after glove use. If you’re sink is clogged, there is no soap or paper towels, or if the hand wash sink simply doesn’t work then it would require a facility shut down.
5. Sewage – One of the primary issues at a facility are when the floor sinks or normal sinks start backing up. When this happens there is active sewage on the facility floors which are considered to be unsanitary conditions. Employees should not be working and the facility should not operate until this issue is resolved completely. If during an inspection you have active sewage in your facility it would require an immediate temporary shut down of your facility.
6. No Restroom – Employees need a restroom for them to operate properly during work hours. If the facility does not have a restroom in the case of the restroom being under construction or if there is a major issue which requires it to be inoperable then the facility should not be operating. The straightforward answer is no, employees should not have to leave the building and use another facilities restroom.
7. Cold Holding Equipment – If in the case of a walk-in refrigerator becoming inoperable due to a mechanical failure then this would warrant a shut down of the facility. Realistically speaking if the restaurant can operate if they have more refrigerators this would not be the case. However, in most situations the walk-in refrigerator would be the lifeblood of the facility. If you can’t keep your food cold then you’re going to have bigger problems on your plate then just a shut down. Especially if you keep using it and serving people food that isn’t properly held cold.
   • All cold holding equipment should be maintained at a temperature of 41°F.
8. Exhaust Hood – The exhaust hood at the cook’s line doesn’t only keep the restaurant from stinking up the entire place. It ensures that a transfer of heat and grease is properly done. If your exhaust hood has broken down and is inoperable it would warrant a closure of the facility. During an inspection the inspector could easily check the exhaust hood with a simple trick requiring a napkin which should be sucked into your exhaust hood.
9. Major Unsanitary Conditions – These happen very rarely, but they do happen in the restaurant industry. When things get so bad that there’s grease everywhere and there is a high chance of adulteration to food it would cause an immediate shut down of the facility. The likeliness of this being the reason would be low because things would have to get really bad. Such as never cleaning the facility and having raw meat residue everywhere. You would basically have to never clean your facility up for things to get this bad.
10. No Sanitizer – Essentially this one would be an easy fix if you have a 3-compartment sink because you would just need to buy some Clorox prior to the inspector finishing their inspection. The real problem would happen if you rely solely on a dishwasher to do all your cleaning needs. Once the machine breaks down or is not properly mixing the sanitizer solution it would cause a shut down of your facility until you can properly sanitize your utensils.
11. Inoperable Plumbing – If you have a simple leak in your plumbing during a health inspection it wouldn’t cause too much of an issue. The problem here begins if your plumbing is completely broken and you’re having wastewater pouring onto your floor. This coincides with sewage in your facility especially if you’re washing your raw meaty residue hands in your sink which is overflowing or pouring onto the floor. Next thing you know you’re splashing around in wastewater which could end up on the food you’re serving to your customer.
12. No Health Permit – All food facilities in a county should operate legally with a health permit from their local agency. When this doesn’t happen and places decide to operate without a permit a health inspector has to immediately shut down that facility. This is due to no inspections at the facility since they don’t have a real permit. They could be feeding you horse meat or just completely disregarding food safety standards since there is no oversight. At a normal facility everything needs to be documented such as food sources through invoices. Regular health inspections ensure that all the standards set by the retail food code are being maintained ensuring nobody goes to the hospital due to a foodborne illness. A secondary situation could be if the owner did not pay for their health permit which would require an immediate shut down of the facility. With adequate warning you should worry at eating at such establishments because a complete disregard of the law also means they don’t care what they’re going to serve you.
13. Facility Enclosure – Every food facility needs to be fully enclosed, so please don’t operate if there’s a massive gaping hole in your building. This reasoning seems like it’s common sense, but common sense is not so common. Next time a car smashes into your building don’t operate until you’ve fixed your wall completely. Make sure your facility is fully enclosed at all times until you’re going to be serving people food.
14. Active Construction – Many facilities decide to remodel their building, but please don’t do this while serving food. Construction materials including paint, drywall, or other chemicals could easily end up in the food. If the construction is limited to a certain area away from the food then this might be okay. Contact your local health department prior to conducting any construction as they need to know if things are going to be changing at your facility.

Just as mentioned above many of these violations are considered to be immediate closures of the facility or restaurant. You can ensure that this doesn’t happen with proper maintenance, cleaning, and contacting your inspector to let them know of things happening at your restaurant. Remember that they can be your friend if you work properly with them and communicate any issues that are happening at your facility. They are there to make sure that the public doesn’t get illnesses and keeping people’s food safe to eat.

Minor Inspection Violations

We’ve gone through some of the most important violations during an inspection including the majority of the closure violations. Here we’re going to list some of minor issues that you can easily change to get the best possible grade or inspection. Health inspectors have seen a wide variety of places going from the best to the worst. You’re not their first rodeo and they understand when you’re lying to them or trying to make excuses. The best excuse is no excuses, so make sure that you aren’t on the hot topic list of places not to visit.

1. Sanitizer Concentrations – During inspections this is one of the most common violations because sanitizer degrades with use and time. Many employees don’t realize that the sanitizer has degraded to the point where it’s no longer sanitizing anything. The best method is to keep up the correct concentrations is to test the sanitizer with test strips every two hours.  Generally the most common type of sanitizer solutions would be (QUAT) quaternary ammonium and chlorine. However, other sanitizer solutions do exist such as peroxyacetic acid, iodine, and hydrogen peroxide. Ensure sanitizer solutions are at:
   • 3-Compartment Sink – 100 PPM chorine or 200 PPM Quaternary ammonium.
   • Wiping Cloth Buckets – 100 PPM chlorine or 200 PPM Quaternary ammonium.
   • Dishwasher – 50 PPM chlorine or high heat dishwasher of 165°F to 180°F
2. Unsanitary Conditions – In reality you’re operating a food facility which means you’re going to have grease, food residue, salsa on the floor, or raw meat juice in your walk-in refrigerator. These are common because there’s a wide variety of conditions that can be cleaned. During an inspection this doesn’t necessarily mean that your facility is unsanitary, it just means that there’s cleaning that must be done. These are some methods you can use to minimize violations regarding unsanitary conditions during an inspection:
   • Continuously clean your facility daily including equipment, floors, and food storage containers.
   • Hire a cleaning crew to ensure your employees do not have to clean after tirelessly working the whole day.
   • Clean underneath hard to reach places such as in-between equipment, crevices, and underneath equipment.
3. Cold Holding Violations – When a refrigerator isn’t working properly that means that the food inside of it isn’t going to be holding at the right temperature. Some facilities will claim it’s because the door has been opened and closed a lot during a rush. This is definitely possible, but not likely. Cold holding violations could warrant the condemnation and destruction of the food. The most common causes of this is that employees leave out the food at room temperature for an extended period of time. A more serious issue is that the refrigerator has a mechanical issue and hopefully just needs more Freon. If it’s a mechanical issue it can be more costly, but I assure you that getting somebody sick isn’t worth any cost. Maintain food at the right temperature:
   • 41°F at minimum for the majority of potentially hazardous food products.
   • 45°F at minimum for certain products such as shelled eggs.
   • Main goal of keeping food temperature low is to reduce the chance of bacteria and viruses from reproducing.
   • If food is kept between 41°F to 50°F it must be thrown out within 4 hours.
   • If food is kept between 50°F to 125°F it must be thrown out within 2 hours.
4. Hot Holding Violations -Steam tables and other methods of keeping food warm such as a warming unit need to be maintained at a temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Anything below this temperature causes additional bacterial growth in the food. Especially because this is considered a sweet spot and anything that reaches near a human body temperature contributes additively to bacterial or viral growth. This is because that is the perfect temperature they prefer and grow in normally. Lets go over some facts to consider to assist during an inspection:
   • If food is kept between 125°F to 135°F it must be thrown out within 4 hours.
   • If food is kept between 50°F to 125°F it must be thrown out within 2 hours.
5. Cross Contamination – This is one of the biggest issues at food facilities and isn’t just a concern during a health inspection. Cross contamination can easily lead you to call foodborne illnesses that don’t have to exist. During a health inspection the inspector will notice certain things such as using the same surface to cut raw and cooked meats, food storage violations, and hand washing issues.
   • Ensure food is stored in the following order from top to bottom in refrigerators:
     • Ready to eat food and washed produce.
     • Unwashed produce.
     • Raw seafood, eggs, and whole cuts of raw beef, pork, and lamb.
     • Ground meat and injected meats.
     • Poultry such as chicken/turkey and stuffed meat.
   • Ensure hand washing is done in-between tasks that involve raw meats. Gloves are not the solution as you can easily contaminate your gloves during the switching process of clean gloves.
   • Ensure areas where raw meat is handled is separate from cutting of produce or cooked food.
6. Hand Washing – During a food inspection hand washing is always a critical issue as employees either don’t understand the importance of hand washing or have become complacent in their tasks. You can easily tell if employees are washing their hands based on the sink being dry, soap not being in the dispenser, and paper towels dispensers being empty. This is one of the most common issues at any food facility during an inspection as employees believe gloves substitute for hand washing.
7. Improper Utensil Sanitization – Often during a health inspection the inspector observes how utensils are washed or cleaned. The most common issue regarding equipment or utensil sanitization is that employees do not take sanitization seriously or they do not understand how to properly sanitize their utensils.
   • In the first compartment utensils should be washed with soap and water.
   • In the second compartment utensils should be rinsed with water.
   • In the third compartment utensils should be sanitized with chlorine or quaternary ammonium (QUAT).
     • For chlorine sanitization utensils should be fully submerged in 100 ppm chlorine solution for at least 30 seconds.
     • For quaternary ammonium sanitization utensils should be fully submerged in 200 ppm QUAT for at least 60 seconds.
   • Finally utensils should not be cleaned with a cloth or paper towels, but be left upside down to air dry.
8. Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) and Food Handlers – At every establishment there needs to be one certified food protection manager (CFPM) who is either the owner or employee who works at the facility. Also all food handlers need to be certified to ensure there is a basic understanding of food safety. During an inspection this is the most common issue as employees or owners let their certifications expire.
   • CFPM expire every five years and have a deeper understanding of food safety.
   • Food handler certifications expire every three years and allow for a basic understanding of food safety.
9. Grease Filters – Another common inspection violation would be that the establishment has not cleaned their exhaust ventilation hood grease filters. This can be caused due to heavy use such as the busy times, or it can be because the restaurant is trying to cut costs and save some money on routine maintenance.
10. Holes – Surprisingly during many health inspections there are holes in the walls at the facility. Who knows how they really got there, but this is a huge issue as any entrance for vermin or pests can cause a major line down the road. This is one of the more focused inspection violations as health inspectors are doing their best to prevent the establishment from gaining a cockroach or rat/mice problems. Many restaurant owners don’t really take it too seriously as there haven’t been any issues yet, but the key word there is “yet”.
11. Unapproved Equipment or Containers – Not as much of a major issue to health, but it can be. Many restaurant owners attempt to cut costs and purchase non-commercial use equipment for their facility. Sometimes it can be a simple household use blender, but other times there can be full on refrigerators that are homemade. As you can see if surfaces they put food on or food storage equipment they use isn’t commercial it can lead to much more major issues down the line. During the inspection the owner or manager doesn’t often take it as a serious issue, but inspectors have seen it all. These small things can become very big problems if they aren’t attended to.
    • Ensure all equipment is NSF (ANSI Approved), ETL sanitation, or UL sanitation.
    • This allows for equipment to be easily attended to during equipment failures.
    • Household use equipment or homemade equipment cannot properly be used for commercial facilities.
12. Diligent Food Preparation – Here is another big one during inspections which is way too common. During facility or restaurant operations the employees tend to want to do things in big batches. Whether it’s cutting many pounds of raw meat, leaving salsa on a counter to cool, or leaving milk out on the counter for future use. This creates a problem during the inspection because often times the food is not properly held out of the danger zone where bacteria or viruses can form.
    • Ensure food is prepared in small batches.
    • Take out only what you need.
    • Do not leave any potentially hazardous food or beverages outside of temperature control (41°F or below + 135°F or above).
13. Improper Cooling – A violation which should be taken much more seriously as it can contribute to foodborne illnesses. This one happens when food is prepared in large batches such as rice, soup, or beans. Once the buckets of food are cooked they are placed in the refrigerator in those large containers. The reason this is a major issue is that the outside portions of the food will reach the proper temperature, BUT the middle portions of the food can stay in the danger zone for a 24 hour period. How to avoid this?
    • Place food in smaller and shallower containers after it is cooked.
    • Ensure all food is immediately stored in the walk-in or reach-in refrigerators.
    • Use ice baths to cool food faster.
    • Use ice paddles to place inside the large batches of food.
    • Rapidly cool food using blast chillers or shock freezers.
14. Improper Thawing – Food is often removed from the freezer and placed outside on a counter or sink. This becomes an issue as the food will remain in the danger zone in that middle portion of being thawed. This is a common inspection violation that many restaurants and facilities do not follow. The proper methods of thawing food include:
    • Placing frozen food under cold running water in the food preparation sink.
    • Thawing food as part of the cooking process.
    • Thawing food using a microwave.
    • The best method is to thaw food by placing it in the refrigerator which should be holding temperature at 41°F.
15. General Maintenance and Repair – A common inspection violation would be damaged flooring, walls, or coved base. Other common violations include damaged equipment, missing grout in-between floor tiles, and missing caulk or sealant by the sinks. Now these don’t seem serious and many restaurant owners place it second or third or fourth on their to-do list. However, during inspections these small issues can cause major issues in the long run. With all of the issues listed above it makes a facility harder to clean, manage, and take care of.

Conclusion

In the intricate world of health inspections, diligence is key. Regular maintenance, adherence to proper procedures, and effective communication with health inspectors can transform potential challenges into opportunities for improvement. Remember, inspectors are partners in ensuring public health and food safety. By proactively addressing concerns and maintaining a commitment to best practices, you not only enhance your inspection outcomes but also contribute to the well-being of your patrons. Safe and enjoyable dining experiences begin with a dedication to health and hygiene in your establishment.

The best part of eating at established restaurants are that they are regularly checked on through restaurant inspections. These established restaurants are much better to eat it than unpermitted food vendors due to the fact that nothing from the unpermitted vendors has inspections associated with them. There are many dangers from eating from the taco stands or unpermitted food vendors. Additionally, foodborne illnesses are a major issue with millions getting sick from these type of illnesses every year. Health inspections which are random and facilitated by local county or city officials help make the world a safer place for your family, loved ones, friends, and you.