This week marks part three and the final addition to our series on
how to make the health inspector’s “nice list” this holiday season, inspired by
a past article published in RCI’s Kettle
Talk magazine by Pat Huffman of Blommer Chocolate Co. Keep reading for five
tips on how to best prepare your staff for a visit from your friendly, local
health inspector.
STAY INFORMED
With today’s increased emphasis on food safety, the simple act of reading
the new federal and local regulations and keeping your staff updated on new
requirements is critical. Consider conducting brief meetings to cover a specific
topic or provide updates on a regular basis.
IN-HOUSE INSPECTIONS
Get ahead of the inspector by designating a manager to perform
weekly inspections. Contact your local health department to request the form
they use to during inspections as a reference.
GET ORGANIZED
Every time we have to search for the right tool to do a job, we
lose time and money. By keeping tools clean and stored properly, they are ready
for use and keep us productive. More important, a neat manufacturing area
immediately tells inspectors that we know what we are doing.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Getting the buy-in from your employees can be a constant struggle.
It’s important to recognize that a commitment to food safety begins with an organization’s managers and owners. Every time we walk by a dripping faucet or
step over a scrap of paper or a chocolate spill, we fail to teach our
employees. By witnessing management who are as dedicated to keeping equipment
clean as they are making quality candy, they teach their team by example.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS
Signs, reminders, and brief, yet, oft-repeated videos, keep the
message in the forefront of every employee’s mind, but nothing works better
than setting an example personally.
One of the best ways to ensure your business makes it on the
inspector’s coveted “nice list” is to assemble a team of trained and confident
staff, who understand the big picture of why maintaining clean stores and manufacturing
facilities is so important. After gaining this understanding, it is critical that
your team be given proper guidance and tools to efficiently and effectively
manage your business’s food safety initiatives.
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