Restaurant health inspections are conducted by public health agencies to ensure safe and hygienic conditions. Inspectors check for food safety, cleanliness, and staff knowledge. Violations can result in closure or re-inspection. Some restaurants prepare with mock inspections.
A restaurant health inspection is an inspection of a restaurant conducted by a representative of a public health agency that confirms that the restaurant’s conditions are safe. The goal of health inspections is to prevent foodborne disease outbreaks by keeping restaurants safe, clean, and hygienic. Many cities maintain public records of restaurant health inspections, allowing citizens to search for their favorite restaurants to see their past inspection performance, and some cities require restaurants to publish the results of their most recent inspection for the benefit of customers.
Typically, a restaurant health inspection is conducted at random, so that the restaurant does not have time to prepare. The health inspector’s goal is to see the restaurant in normal operating condition, to get a sense of what day-to-day operations are like. He enters the restaurant, presents credentials, and then inspects the restaurant from top to bottom for any signs of a health code violation.
Health inspectors are particularly concerned with issues such as proper food holding temperatures, restaurant cleanliness and staff knowledge. The health inspector may ask random staff members about food safety to confirm that they know how to handle food safely, and the health inspector may also take samples from various areas of the restaurant to look for bacteria and other disease-causing agents. During a restaurant health inspection, the inspector typically also points out any problems she identifies.
When a problem is identified, the health inspector takes note of it. Some types of health code violations are considered grounds for immediate closure, in which case the restaurant will need to address the issue and undergo another restaurant health inspection to prove the issue has been resolved. Other problems are considered major, but more minor, and the health inspector will verify that they have been resolved the next time he inspects the restaurant. Too many minor violations can trigger a close order.
While a restaurant health inspection is incidental, it can also be specifically ordered in response to advice from a customer or employee. If a restaurant refuses an inspection, the health inspector can return with a warrant for compliance. Health inspectors are usually not considered with employee immigration status, as they are more concerned with food safety than anything else.
Some restaurants prepare for health inspections by holding random drills in which a manager or other staff member conducts a random mock inspection of the restaurant. This is designed to keep employees on their toes and to identify problems that will be identified by the health inspector. Practice inspections can be performed using the same checklist used by the health department, to ensure that all aspects of a true restaurant health inspection are covered.
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