A routine health department inspection can be one of the most stressful days of the year if you\u2019re not prepared.
\nFor those who are prepared, this should be just another day of serving safe food to customers. Health departments are required to inspect restaurants to ensure safe food-handling procedures are being followed. The frequency of visits is determined by local laws and the specifics of what inspectors are looking for. <\/p>\n
Overall, they\u2019re making sure safeguards are in place to protect food and consumers from contamination introduced by food handlers or cross-contamination by food and other sources in the restaurant. Following this inspection, a report will cite violations and give an overall rating for the restaurant. This report is made available to the public and could have a positive or negative effect, pending the final grade.<\/p>\n
So what can you do to ensure you receive a passing grade? <\/p>\n
Research your local requirements and expectations. Many requirements will be standard and will depend on your federal, provincial, municipal and regional health authorities. Formal food safety training and a food safety certificate may be a requirement for managers and staff. If required, it must be current and renewed within a certain time period, in accordance with local laws. The Codex Alimentarius, or Food Code, is an internationally accepted guide for best practices regarding food standards, guidelines and recommendations. Understanding the codex can help guide you in the best practices regarding food storage, handling, and preparation. This includes the principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), which are used by inspectors.<\/p>\n
Make sure training is comprehensive, consistent, and covers the following:<\/p>\n
Hand hygiene. <\/strong>Teaching employees when and how to wash their hands can be one of the most important things you do. It\u2019s one of the most common health violations; a person can host dangerous pathogens that can cause illness when transferred to food.<\/p>\n Post signs in hand-washing areas to remind employees of when and how to wash their hands; make sure you set an example:<\/p>\n \u25a1 When entering a food-prep area. Temperatures.<\/strong> Educate staff about temperature guidelines for checking products when they arrive, are stored, and prepared. Post signs in all areas to ensure they know the correct temperatures as well as what\u2019s acceptable and what can cause harm. Have logs and forms available so this information can be recorded and made readily available to the manager and inspector upon request. Don\u2019t forget about temperatures for proper ware washing. It\u2019s vitally important that equipment, plates, and utensils are washed at the correct temperature to destroy bacteria that may be present. According to the Government of Canada, about 1 in 8 Canadians are affected by food-borne illness each year. This results in about 11,600 hospitalizations and 238 deaths each year. <\/p>\n Cleaning.<\/strong> Stress the importance of hand washing and clean surfaces\u2014not just those that come into contact with food. An analysis of Canada\u2019s health inspection reports by CBC\u2019s Marketplace revealed that hand washing was a significant problem in most cities, as was general kitchen cleanliness. For a more favourable health inspection, ensure that staff follow proper hand washing techniques, and that they follow a regular cleaning schedule for all surfaces in your establishment, including equipment, walls and floors. <\/p>\n Create a food safety culture.<\/strong> A food-safety culture will define what is acceptable for your employees and put emphasis on behaviors. Changing behaviors takes time, but setting goals and implementing accountability will drive the desired result. Food safety goals need to be specific and measurable, and managers and staff need to be clear about potential consequences of not following them. Reward positive behaviors, have plans for improvement, and set the standard yourself. Employees will look to leadership staff to set an example and hold others accountable. Making food safety a part of your operation\u2019s culture will place high value on this important practice.<\/p>\n The bottom line? Careful attention to food-safety matters helps to keep customers safe, food quality high, and preserves your restaurant\u2019s reputation. And, as a bonus, when the health inspector arrives, everyone on staff will be confident and prepared because it\u2019s just another day. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A routine health department inspection can be one of the most stressful days of the year if you\u2019re not prepared. For those who are prepared, this should be just another day of serving safe food to customers. Health departments are required to inspect restaurants to ensure safe food-handling procedures are being followed. The frequency of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":26976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122,123,112,69,111,113],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-catering-small-business","category-hotels-hospitality","category-restaurant-bars","category-running-your-business","category-healthcare","category-university"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u25a1 Before putting on gloves and between glove changes.
\n\u25a1 Before handling clean equipment and serving utensils.
\n\u25a1 Before handling or serving food.
\n\u25a1 After handling raw foods and working with ready-to-eat foods.
\n\u25a1 After handling soiled dishes, equipment, or utensils.
\n\u25a1 After returning to a food-prep area from any other area (including the washroom).
\n\u25a1 After taking a break, eating, drinking, or smoking.
\n\u25a1 After sneezing, blowing the nose, or coughing.
\n\u25a1 After touching the face, hair, or exposed parts of arms,<\/p>\n