Frequently Asked Questions

Food establishments are inspected to check for compliance with food safety rules which helps ensure they are safe places to eat. The inspection reports are used as tools to measure compliance with the food safety rules, highlight areas to educate the operators, and guide corrective actions to help prevent foodborne illness.

Food Safety Inspectors look at many things during inspections, however, they focus on the high risk factors.  These are things most likely to make people sick if they are done incorrectly and are shown on the inspection report as a  “red violations”. Examples of red violations are food workers not washing their hands properly, handling ready-to-eat food with bare their hands, and food temperature violations.

“Blue violations” are the lower risk items such as cleaning and maintenance of the equipment and facilities.  This could include things like not having the sanitizer mixed correctly, floors that need to be cleaned, or evidence of rodents or insects.

Each violation the inspector observes is recorded on the inspection report and assigned a pre-determined point value. The inspection “score” is the total of all violation points found during the inspection.  A perfect inspection is zero points. The total of “red violation” points determines whether a food establishment needs a reinspection or not.  The inspection will also say if a reinspection is required.

If an imminent health threat is found to be occurring, a food establishment will be closed.  Imminent health hazards are:

• No water supply
• No hot water
• No electricity
• Sewage backing up into the establishment
• A fire
• The establishment is suspected to be the source of an ongoing foodborne illness outbreak

Occasionally, food establishments are required to close due to repeated failing inspections. A food establishment can have up to three reinspections.  If they do not pass the third reinspection, they will be closed and asked to meet with GCHD Food Safety staff to develop a plan to stay in compliance with food safety rules.

Yes! It is important to understand that inspection reports are “snapshots” of food handling practices at the establishment during the time of inspection. Conditions may be different when you visit. The inspections follow food safety practices and sanitation rules of the Washington State Retail Food Code (WAC 246-215), and do not address such items as taste, popularity, or any details about the business ethics of a food establishment. Online inspections are available for the last six years. If you need inspection reports older than that, you may request a copy of any inspections of licensed food establishments through a Public Records Request.

View online inspection reports for all annually licensed food establishments.