(A) The Health Authority shall classify each food service establishment or retail food store in one of the following three risk categories based upon the relative risks of causing foodbome illness: high risk, medium risk, and low risk. Classification criteria for each group are stated in division (D) below.
(1) (a) High risk facilities shall receive three inspections per year, or two inspections per year if one of the following conditions is met:
1. A certified food service manager is present at all times the facility is in operation; or
2. Employees involved in food operations receive a HACCP training exercise, in-service training on another food service sanitation area, or attend an educational conference on food safety or sanitation.
(b) Medium risk facilities shall receive at least one inspection per year.
(c) Low risk facilities shall receive at least one inspection per year.
(2) Additional inspections of food service establishments or retail food stores shall be performed as often as deemed necessary by the Health Authority for the enforcement of this chapter.
(B) The Health Authority, after proper identification, shall be permitted to enter, at any reasonable time, any food service establishment or retail food store within the county for the purpose of making inspections to determine compliance with this chapter. The Health Authority shall be permitted to examine the records of the establishment to obtain information pertaining to food and supplies purchased, received, or used and persons employed.
(C) Whenever an inspection of a food service establishment or retail food store is made, the findings shall be recorded on an inspection report form. The inspection report form shall summarize the requirements of this chapter and shall set forth a weighted point value for each requirement. Inspectional remarks shall be written to reference, by item number, the item violated, and shall stated the correction to be made. The rating score of the establishment shall be the total of the weighted point values for all violations, subtracted from 100. A copy of the completed inspection report form shall be furnished to the person in charge of the establishment at the conclusion of the inspection. The completed inspection report is a pubic document that shall be made available for public disclosure to any person who requests it, according to law.
(D) For food service establishments or retail food stores shall be based upon the following classifications and criteria:
(1) HIGH RISK means that a facility presents a high-relative risk of causing foodborne illness based on the large number of food handling operations typically implicated in foodborne outbreaks and/or the type of population served by the facility. The following criteria shall be used to classify HIGH RISK facilities:
(a) Whenever cooling of potentially hazardous foods occurs as part of the food handling operations at the facility;
(b) When potentially hazardous foods are prepared hot or cold and held hot or cold for more than 12 hours before serving;
(c) If potentially hazardous foods which have been previously cooked and cooled must be reheated;
(d) When preparing potentially hazardous food for off-premises service for which time-temperature requirements during transportation, holding, and service are relevant;
(e) Whenever complex preparation of foods, or extensive handling of raw ingredients with hand contact for ready-to-eat foods, occurs as part of the food handling operations at the facility;
(f) If vacuum packaging and/or other forms of reduced oxygen packaging are performed at the retail level; or
(g) Whenever serving immuno-comprised individuals where these individuals comprise the majority of the consuming population.
(2) MEDIUM RISK means that a facility presents a medium-relative risk of causing foodborne illness based upon few food handling operations typically implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks. The following criteria shall be used to classify MEDIUM RISK facilities:
(a) If hot or cold foods are not maintained at that temperature for more than 12 hours and are restricted to same day service;
(b) If preparing foods for service from raw ingredients uses only minimal assembly; and
(c) Foods served at an establishment that requires complex preparation (whether canned, frozen, or fresh prepared) are obtained from approved food processing plants, high risk food service establishments, or retail food stores.
(3) LOW RISK means a facility presents a low-relative risk of causing foodborne illness based upon few or no food handling operations typically implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks.
(a) The following criteria shall be used to classify LOW RISK facilities:
1. Only pre-packaged foods are available or served in the facility, and any potentially hazardous foods available are commercially pre-packaged in an approved food processing plant;
2. Only limited preparation of non-potentially hazardous foods and beverages, such as snack foods and carbonated beverages, occurs at the facility; or
3. Only beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) are served at the facility.
(b) The Health Authority may reclassify a facility based upon its experience with such facility if, in his or her opinion, a health hazard will not result from such reclassification or such reclassification will provide better protection for the public. Factors to be used when considering reclassification of a facility include inspection history, number and frequency of violations and their severity, and corrective actions taken.
(Prior Code, § 4-1-7) (Ord. passed 4-21-1987; Ord. passed 8-18-1992; Ord. passed 3-21-1995; Ord. passed 12-16-1997; Ord. passed 8-19-2003)