Health and safety inspections are not to be ignored. Here is a list of common health code violations and how operators can avoid them.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article ran on Food Truck Operator, a Vending Times sister publication.)

Local health department inspections can occur at any time, without any advanced notice. Along with all the other daily stressors of operating a food commissary, worrying about a possible health inspection can be overwhelming.

Here is a list of health code violations to keep in mind. Also make sure to research the local health department rules for the specific health codes for foodservice operations in your area.

Time and temperature control is one of the most important aspects of food safety. To correctly observe time and temperature control protocols, all foods must be kept at food-safe temperatures for the appropriate length of time. This includes hot foods, cold foods, raw foods and cooked foods.

Failing to observe time and temperature control can lead to bacteria growth in your food and the spread of foodborne illness. Health inspectors will test a variety of foods throughout your kitchen to make sure they are being held safely. This includes foods in hot or cold storage, foods on display in a buffet and foods that are being reheated.

In addition to checking food temperatures, health inspectors may be on the lookout for these common violations:

Creating a plan that reveals potential TTC violations in your kitchen processes is the best way to ensure food is held safely. Train your staff on the proper use of thermometers, how to label food and how to thaw frozen food.

Any food that is not being prepped or cooked must be stored properly to maintain food safety. The correct food storage procedure encompasses the types of food containers used, the application of date and identification labels and the order and location of how products are stored on the shelves.

Food storage is important because it prevents spoilage and cross contamination. Health inspectors will be checking the food in your cold and dry storage to look for date labels and expiration dates. They'll also be observing the manner in which food is stored to make sure you're using approved containers and placing items in the correct order on your shelves. Refrigerated food must be stored from top-to-bottom in this order: ready-to-eat food, seafood, raw beef and pork, ground meats and fish, raw and ground poultry.

Health inspectors will be looking for these common food storage violations:

To avoid a food storage violation, train staff on the importance of labeling food and using a first-in,-first-out system. Stored food should be checked on a daily basis and any expired, spoiled or incorrectly stored food should be disposed of immediately.

Safe storage doesn't just apply to food, it also applies to your kitchen tools and utensils. Clean, sanitized tools should be stored properly to avoid cross contamination. Utensils must also be allowed to air dry after being sanitized, which requires being stored separately from other items with enough space for airflow all around the item.

Proper tool and utensil storage is important because if clean utensils come into contact with unclean surfaces, they can pass contaminants onto food. After washing and sanitizing, utensils must also be air dried. Failing to air dry your tools can lead to trapped moisture which encourages the growth of bacteria.

Be aware of the following common tool and storage mistakes:

Create an organized kitchen with a designated home for every tool and utensil to avoid a possible storage violation. Train dishwashing staff on the importance of air drying and make sure they know the correct location of all tools and utensils. You can also invest in shelving systems with tool organizers to make storage as easy as possible.

Successful personal hygiene is achieved by performing the appropriate behaviors like handwashing and avoiding the bad behaviors like touching your face while working or coughing over food. Hygiene also encompasses staff uniforms and the use of personal protective equipment like gloves, face masks and hairnets.

The personal hygiene of your staff is critical to maintaining food safety and preventing a health code violation. If your staff has already learned bad habits like not washing their hands correctly or failing to change their gloves at the appropriate time, it's likely they'll do this in front of an inspector without even realizing it. Not only that, poor hygiene is one of the biggest contributors to the spread of foodborne illness.

Health inspectors will be watching your staff closely to observe the following:

Help your staff build good habits by creating a hygiene training program. Perform regular follow ups with your team and always provide clean hats, face masks and aprons. Give your handwashing sink stations extra attention and make sure they are set up with soap and paper towels at all times.

The overall cleanliness of your kitchen requires that work surfaces and equipment are wiped down and sanitized regularly. This includes all the visible surfaces and the not-so-obvious surfaces that are hidden from view.

Kitchen sanitation is important because you cannot safely prepare foods on surfaces and equipment that are unclean. The buildup of grease on your equipment affects the taste of your foods and also presents a fire hazard. If you allow the unseen surfaces inside, beneath and behind equipment to collect food debris, it attracts pests to your kitchen.

Health inspectors know which areas are the most likely to be neglected and will be on the lookout for the following:

Avoid a sanitation violation by instituting a restaurant cleaning checklist. Train your staff to observe cleaning protocols on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Make sure to place a special emphasis on the areas that are often neglected, like your ice machine bin.

Avoiding cross contamination in your kitchen is one of the most important aspects of food safety. Contamination can occur at any stage of the cooking process, including the handling, storage and preparation of food. It can also occur from the misuse of tools and utensils, poor personal hygiene and neglecting to maintain a safe, sanitary kitchen environment.

The contamination of foods by pathogens, chemicals or foreign objects like glass or dirt is a hazard that can cause serious harm to your guests. Preventing the spread of foodborne illness from cross contamination requires that you adhere to important food safety protocols.

Health inspectors will be paying close attention to any signs of a cross contamination violation in your kitchen, including these common mistakes:

You can avoid the risk of cross contamination in your kitchen by encouraging your staff members to obtain a food handler's certification. Safety courses like ServSafe have been highly successful at educating restaurant operators so they can understand the risks of contamination and the necessary prevention.

Commercial kitchens require the use of powerful chemicals to clean and sanitize surfaces and equipment. Ensuring that these chemicals are used correctly and stored safely away from foods is all a part of proper chemical use.

Health inspectors catch a lot of operators off guard with chemical storage violations. It's very easy for a staff member to pick up a spray bottle of cleaning solution and accidentally set it down next to a food pan, even if it's just for a moment. If the health inspector observes any cleaning chemicals placed near food, it will result in a violation. You can also expect the inspector to test your cleaning and sanitizing solutions to make sure they are at the right concentration. Things to avoid include:

You can avoid a chemical storage violation by creating designated locations for the storage of your cleaning supplies. Use sanitizer testing strips to make sure all of your sanitizing solutions contain the right concentration of chemicals.

The best way to avoid a health code violation on the day the health inspector shows up is to have an established food safety plan in place. Keep your staff trained, provide opportunities for their education and perform regular walk-throughs to ensure safety procedures are being followed.

This article was provided by Webstaurant.com

Sign up now for the Vending Times newsletter and get the top stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Already a member? Sign in below.

sign in  or register now

You may sign into this site using your login credentials from any of these Networld Media Group sites: