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When used in the New York City Health Code:
(a) Administrative Code means the Administrative Code of the city of New York including all of its amendments.
(b) Administrative Tribunal the Health Tribunal at OATH.
(c) Board means the Board of Health of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene of the city of New York.
(d) Charter means the Charter of the city of New York including all of its amendments.
(e) City means the city of New York.
(f) Code means the New York City Health Code.
(g) Commissioner means the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene of the city of New York.
(h) Department means the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene of the city of New York. When a provision of this Code gives the Department the authority or the duty to act, such authority or duty vests in the Commissioner or in an employee of the Department specifically designated by the Commissioner, or in any employee of the Department who is given such authority or duty in accordance with the administrative procedures of the Department established by the Commissioner.
(i) Person means an individual or partnership, corporation, firm, joint stock association or any other group of individuals who carry on an activity affected, regulated or prohibited by this Code.
(j) State means the state of New York.
(k) OATH means the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
(a) The Department may inspect any premises, matter or thing within its jurisdiction, including but not limited to any premises where an activity regulated by this Code is carried on, and any record required to be kept pursuant to this Code, in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In order to determine whether the provisions of this Code or the provisions of other law which the Department has the authority to enforce are being complied with, the Department may investigate or authorize an investigation to be made of any matter, incident, thing, person or event within its jurisdiction.
(c) Subject to the provisions of this Code or other applicable law, the Department may take such action as may become necessary to assure the maintenance of public health, the prevention of disease, or the safety of the City and its residents.
(d) Where urgent public health action is necessary to protect the public health against an imminent or existing threat, the Commissioner may declare a public health emergency. Upon the declaration of such an emergency, and during the continuance of such emergency, the Commissioner may establish procedures to be followed, issue necessary orders and take such actions as may be necessary for the health or the safety of the City and its residents. Such procedures, orders or actions may include, but are not limited to, exercising the Board's authority to suspend, alter or modify any provision of this Code pursuant to subdivision b of Section 558 of the Charter, or exercising any other power of the Board of Health to prevent, mitigate, control or abate an emergency, provided that any such exercise of authority or power shall be effective only until the next meeting of the Board, which meeting shall be held within five business days of the Commissioner's declaration if a quorum of the Board can be convened within such time period. If a quorum of the Board cannot be so convened, then said meeting shall be held as soon as reasonably practicable. At its next meeting, the Board may continue or rescind the Commissioner's suspension, alteration, modification of Health Code provisions or exercise of power. An order issued pursuant to this subdivision shall be effective from the time and in the manner prescribed in the order and shall be published as soon as practicable in a newspaper of general circulation in the city and transmitted to the radio and television media for publication and broadcast. In the alternative, in circumstances where the order is directed at a finite number of known persons, the Commissioner may transmit the order to such persons in a manner the Commissioner deems practicable under the circumstances, including but not limited to mail, electronic mail, facsimile, closed electronic network, in person, or by telephone. Copies of orders issued pursuant to this subdivision shall be immediately circulated to and filed with the Board, and the Department shall maintain records attesting to the manner and timing of their publication or transmittal.
(e) The Commissioner's powers under this section are separate and apart from his or her powers pursuant to other provisions of law, including powers arising from a proclamation of emergency issued by the Mayor under section 24 of Article 2-B of the New York State Executive Law or the Mayor's directions thereunder. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the exercise of the powers granted under this section in combination with powers authorized under any other law or arising from such a proclamation or directions.
(a) The Department may seize, embargo or condemn any food, drug, device, cosmetic, article or thing that it determines
(1) is unfit for human consumption or use;
(2) is in a condition, kind, weight, quality or strength prohibited by this Code or other applicable law;
(3) is not labeled as required by this Code or other applicable law;
(4) contains false or misleading labeling;
(5) is adulterated or misbranded; or
(6) constitutes a danger or nuisance, or is otherwise prejudicial to the public health.
(b) The Department may destroy, render harmless, or otherwise dispose of all seized, embargoed or condemned material without compensation and, in its discretion, at the expense of the owner or person in control thereof, or may direct such owner or person to do so. Embargoed, seized and condemned material which is hazardous shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable law.
(c) When the Department determines that embargoed material consists in part of materials which are not in violation of the Code and which may be reasonably salvaged, or that embargoed materials or any part thereof can be reasonably brought into compliance with the Code, the Department shall permit the owner or person in control of such embargoed material, unless the public health otherwise requires, to separate the salvageable portions or to bring such materials into compliance with the Code at the place of embargo or seizure, or other place acceptable to the Department, in a manner directed by the Department. When seized material is disposed of by the Department otherwise than by destruction, it may be released to the owner or person in control if it may be rendered harmless.
(d) All activities carried on pursuant to this section shall be done in a manner consistent with the maintenance of the public health, giving due regard to the property rights of the owner or person in control of the affected material.
(e) Except where the Department determines that immediate action is required to protect the public health, the Department shall not seize, embargo, condemn, destroy, render harmless or otherwise dispose of any material pursuant to this section until the owner or person in control is notified by any effective means of communication and is given opportunity to be heard by such personnel of the Department as the Commissioner may designate. No person shall fail to comply with any order or subpoena of the Commissioner requiring disclosure of information concerning the sources or recipients of the embargoed or seized material.
(a) No person shall violate an order of the Board, Commissioner or Department.
(b) Service of any order of the Commissioner or Department shall be deemed legally sufficient if delivered personally or if mailed by ordinary first class, certified or registered mail, express or overnight mail, through the United States Postal Service or through any commercial expedited mail or parcel delivery service, in no particular order of priority, upon any person, officer, department or employee referred to in § 17-141 of the Administrative Code. The Department shall maintain records attesting to the manner of service used and the person or entity served in each instance. Service of any order issued pursuant to subdivision (d) of 24 RCNY Health Code § 3.01 shall be deemed legally sufficient if served in accordance with the provisions specified therein.
No person shall do or assist in any act which is or may be detrimental to the public health or to the life or health of any individual unless the act is authorized by law. No person shall fail to do any reasonable act or take any necessary precaution to protect human life and health.
No person shall commit or maintain a nuisance as defined in § 17-142 of the Administrative Code, and no person shall allow such a nuisance to exist or to be created in respect of any matter, thing, chattel or premises which he or she owns or controls.
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