SHORTAGE IN FOOD HEALTH INSPECTORS
The FDA requires that inspections occur at least every 6 months; however, health departments may do inspections less frequently if facilities meet certain criteria, like if they only sell coffee or prepackaged foods.
Yes,
there is a shortage of health inspectors
:
Fewer inspections: Health departments may conduct inspections less frequently if a facility meets certain criteria, such as only selling prepackaged foods or coffee.
Fewer inspectors: There may be a shortage of health inspectors.
Health inspectors work for multiple agencies: Many health inspectors work for federal, state, or local government agencies.
Health inspectors enforce health and environmental laws. They work for agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency, regional water quality control boards, and local bodies that regulate environmental policies, standards, and laws.
HEATH INSPECTOR SHORTAGE CONSEQUENCES
A lack of food health inspectors can lead to a number of issues, including:
- Food borne illnesses
Foodborne illnesses can cause 48 million hospital visits, 128,000 long-term hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths annually.
- Health code violations
Health code violations can include improper food storage, inadequate food temperature, and sick food workers.
- Facility closure
A food establishment can be closed for a number of reasons, including contaminated food, food borne illness outbreaks, or inadequate refrigeration.
Health inspections are important because they ensure that food is prepared and handled according to legal regulations. Some common reasons for restaurants to fail health inspections include: Dirty food preparation equipment, Filthy dumpster areas, Pest infestations, Not keeping food preparation stations clean and tidy, and Broken equipment.
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FOOD TRUCK ISSUES
PROS AND CONS - MOBILE FOOD BUT NO LICENSE THEY CAN JUST MOVE TO ANOTHER LOC
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THEY CAN HAVE THE BOSSES WITH THE DEGREES THAT CAN BE OVER THE DEPARTMENT
TRAINING AND A CERTIFICATION SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR "HIA’
IF ITS SOME LAW THE LOC ATION HAS TO BE INSPECTED BY LICENSED HEALTH INSPECTORS THATS FINE THE “HIA” CAN GO OUT AND KEEP AN EYE ON RESTAURANTS AND DOCUMENT WHAT THEY SEE THEN ADVISE THE INSPECTORS SO THEY CAN MAKE A VISIT
BUT LETS FACE IT NOT EVERY ONE HAS A DEGREE FOR WHATEVER REASON BUT YOU SHOULD NOT NEED A DEGREE TO KNOW THAT UNSANITARY CONDITIONS DON’T NOT NEED TO BE IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
HAVING HIA (HEALTH INSPECTOR AGENTS)
INCRESE IN JOBS / LOWERS UNEMPLOYMENT
MORE EYES ON THE GROUND
KEEPING BUSINESS ON THEIR TOES BECAUSE WITH THE WORK FORCE INCREASE THEY KNOW THEY CANT SLACK LIKE THEY BEEN HAVE BECAUSE THE LARGE GAPS IN THE INSPECTIONS VISITS WILL DECREASE SUBSTANTIALLY
I WORKED IN A KITCHEN AT A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY FOR 10 YEARS AND I SAW THE CITY HEALTH INSEPCTOR MAYBE…5 TIMES
THE LACK OF INSPECTORS HAVE LED TO INCREASE IN FOOD BORN PATHOGENS FOOD POSENING
A LACK OF INSPECTORS HAVE ALSO INCREASED THE NUMBER OF UNLICENSED FOOD TRUCKS
THEY CAN LITERALLY POP UP AND SET UP SHOP AT ANY LOCATION. BUT ITS NOT ENOUGH INSPECTORS TO CHECK ALL OF THESE MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS.