How To Be Prepared For Health Department Inspections

Dealing With Health Department Inspections

Health Department inspections always seem to happen at the most inconvenient time.

It’s Friday afternoon and lunch service is in full swing; the dining room is packed; you are down a line cook and the dishwasher called out. You have your head down digging out of the weeds, while you think about all the prep that needs to happen for dinner service. You think.. can this day get any harder passes through your thoughts! Then you glance up and in walks the health inspector. The sight of that metal clip board box puts a knot in your throat and that swinging badge around their neck screams “Game On”. 

They immediately realize you are not wearing gloves and the dishes you just plated get tossed in the trash… your blood pressure goes up as they continue to poke around your kitchen with seemingly no regard for the fact that you are busy, and they are in the way. You try to keep calm as that clip board opens and they begin writing citations. The dollar signs pile up in your mind. 

How many of you have felt this when the inspector walks in for health inspection?

Common Mistakes with a Health Inspection

1. Flatware improperly stored 
2. Dirty dry towels on the hot line 
3. Dented cans in dry storage 
4. Cleaning products stored near food 
5. Cooler temp at 47 degrees  
6. Freezer missing a thermometer 
7. Dairy stored on the produce shelf in the walk in 
8. No dates on these prepared food items 
9. And the list goes on……  

 All these things seem so trivial and why for F&*ck Sake do they have to do this during service?  

I Am Here to Help You Prepare 

Sign Up To Take ServSafe Classes

So, here’s the thing these inspections happen for a reason, and they are not going away. Good news is I am here to help things go smoother on the next health inspection.  You can sign up with your Ginsberg’s Sales Rep to take my food safety ServSafe class with your staff. The health department is usually happy to walk in and see Serv Safe certifications hanging on your wall.  

Schedule A Pre-Inspection

Another option is to schedule a pre-inspection walk-through with me. I am happy to swing by and point out possible future fines to save you the aggravation and money all while keeping your guest safe.  Please reach out to your sales rep if you are interested.