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Restaurant inspections, citations up for 2007

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By MARK ANDERSEN / Lincoln Journal Star

Monday, May 07, 2007 - 11:31:07 am CDT

It’s as if health practices in Lancaster County restaurants had suddenly slipped to Third World standards.

Daily readers of the Journal Star records may already have noticed the recent spike on the restaurant wall of shame.

There were 23 food enforcement notices issued by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department during March and April. There were 10 in the nine-month period between December 2005 and August 2006.

Restaurants can expect notices if they don’t maintain foods within prescribed temperatures, if plumbing is faulty, if ice machines or soda guns are slimy, if sanitizer solutions are too weak or too strong, if food is stored beneath oils, cleaners or toxins. Infestations of rodents and bugs don’t help matters.

Formal enforcement notices are one step below suspension. They result in stepped up inspections and requirements for written action plans.

They also earn publication in the newspaper.

In Lancaster County, the odds of being listed were 4.5 times higher over the past eight months than over the previous nine months.

A zealot among inspectors? A food Javert? Apathetic fry cooks?

Something smells suspicious in the kitchens.

Inspection numbers are also up, said Joyce Jensen, environmental health supervisor with the Health Department.

For the last fiscal year, which ended in September, the number of inspections performed fell below 2,000 for the first time in a long time. This year, they’re on track to go well over 2,000, said Scott Holmes, Health Department environmental health manager.

But that can’t explain the recent phenomenon. There’s something else in the soup.

Inspection numbers dropped last year because of a switch to a new computerized system 12 months ago. Inspectors now carry computerized devices that help them record leaking pipes, disallowed drink containers and the like.

It took several months to hire and train inspectors.

Inspections returned in earnest in September of 2006 and enforcement notices returned to their pre-computer levels in October.

And then came March and April, when data from previous inspections began triggering a buffet of food enforcements.

The system automatically flags notices when problems identified on prior inspections continue to exist.

In the past, Holmes said, a restaurant cited for pests may have passed re-inspection 30 days later, then fired its pest control service and problems returned. Before, inspectors would have had to wade through banks of file drawers to see the trend.

Now, it just jumps out.

Restaurants counting on forgetful or hurried inspectors should take this as a notice. It’s now far easier to look for repeat violations, Jensen said. “If there’s still a problem, the policy is to take it to the next step.”

“I suspect this trend may hold for a little while,” said Holmes. Then, it should fall.

“Our hope is that by identifying this, by issuing the warning notices, those establishments correct them,” Holmes said.

Restaurants without past problems need not fear more vigorous standards, Jensen said.

A department analysis shows that roughly 85 of every 100 restaurants inspected receive no significant demerits, and that was true both before and after the new system began.

Formal notices used to be issued to around 2 to 2.5 per hundred. Now, those are higher.

The decrease occurred in an intermediate category, where department concerns are privately communicated to the establishment.

The spike in notices wasn’t anticipated, Holmes said, but it will lead to safer food practices.

“We’ll be talking about this when doing food manager training,” he said. “Repeat violations are really clear to us now.”

Reach Mark Andersen at 473-7238 or mandersen@journalstar.com


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Capitolism wrote on May 7, 2007 5:45 am:
" Well, the pay is Third World standards, what do you expect? "

 Mike Honcho wrote on May 7, 2007 9:33 am:
" I would expect people to do their jobs, regardless of the pay. "

 Lindsay wrote on May 7, 2007 10:19 am:
" Incentive is a powerful thing Mike. "

 Brilliant reasoning wrote on May 7, 2007 10:48 am:
" So the fact that employees are not paid a high wage is an excuse for violating codes? Genius! Hard to argue with such solid logic. Geez "

 K-man wrote on May 7, 2007 11:15 am:
" That doesn't sound like many violations. I live in a town of 14,000 and we get at least 20 violations a month in the local restaurants. "

 previous food service worker wrote on May 7, 2007 12:01 pm:
" I worked food service on every level for 25 years. As a rule, good food service workers do a great job regardless of pay. They have a commitment to good food, fine service, and integrity! To assume they do a haphazard job because they are paid far too little, which they are, is insulting. These people work crummy hours and most certianly many weekends and holidays, prefoming jobs many people consider lowly. Those facts alone lead to a tremdous turnover rate in the food service industry. Added to that, many of the customers are inconsiderate and down right rude no matter what the food service operation --school,fast food, nursing homes, hospitals, etc. Perhaps the workers are not properly trained, filling in on a position they are not prolific in, or new to their jobs. How many times have you gone to a restaurant, fast food, school, whatever and had food service people treat you poorly? My guess is not very often--even though many of these people make minimum wage or less. "

 Nate wrote on May 7, 2007 12:06 pm:
" Where are all the hypocrites complaining, "This is an unacceptable intrusion by the government into business owners' rights to run their business as they see fit"? Oh, wait, this isn't about the smoking ban... "

 Dave M wrote on May 7, 2007 12:23 pm:
" b.b...but that's private property! The restaurant owners should be able to decide how they run their business! This is becoming like communist Russia! The market should decide whether people want food storange, handling and cleanliness. If you don't like grimy soda dispensers don't go in there! Darn bliss ninny nanny staters telling us that we can't go in to our neighborhood bar and enjoy a (literally) greasy burger! "

 Jodie wrote on May 7, 2007 12:24 pm:
" Interesting. Your town has no pride in food preparation. Try eating in Omaha. 5,000+ restaurants to choose from. Our town supports & takes pride in eateries. "

 Mike Honcho wrote on May 7, 2007 12:40 pm:
" I agree, incentive is very powerful...unfortunately people like yourself have put the emphasis in "incentive" on the "cent". What's even more powerful than incentive? Initiative. I've worked very hard jobs for menial pay because I wanted to do the job well...it's about work ethic. Either you have it, or you don't. Employers should not have to bribe their employees into doing a good job...people should perform their best because they are fortunate enough to have a job! My wife worked in food service for many years...she worked very hard, some might say she worked too hard for the pay, but she did so because of a strong work ethic and a desire to excel. The argument that sub-standard pay justifies sub-standard work is a trademark of the lazy..."I'll work just hard enough not to get fired..." "

 Chef wrote on May 7, 2007 12:58 pm:
" The Lincoln Lancaster Health Department also has a certificate program whereby they recognize the TOP restaurants for meeting and exceeding standards. LLHD has excellent training/food prep certification programs AND great trainers. "

 Lil' Ike wrote on May 7, 2007 1:14 pm:
" Personally, I think that the government shouldn't be telling businesses what to do so it should be left up to the individual to decide what is safe and not safe. "

 Jeff Larsen wrote on May 7, 2007 2:36 pm:
" How can so many people miss the point of this story? It is not about food establishments being dirtier or having more problems than in the past. It is about the Health Dept. being more efficient in their inspections and doing a better job of finding repeat violations. I was worried about the first sentence of the article from the first second I read it this morning. Obviously my fears that the masses would not read the whole story and only focus on the headline and first sentence were correct judging from the comments posted here. By the way, I have run a restaurant here in Lincoln for the past 12 years and as a whole the LLCHD has been fair and objective in their evaluations and practices. We are lucky to live in a city where the Health Dept. is fairly strict and has the best interest if the public in mind. "

 A wrote on May 7, 2007 2:38 pm:
" Seriously...are you serious? If buisness owners were allowed to make their own decisions about safety, how would they communicate their standards to the customers? Do you think they would hang signs in the bathroom that read, "We don't believe it is necessary for our employees to wash their hands. Eat at your own risk."? "

 Yep wrote on May 7, 2007 2:39 pm:
" Let corp America tell us what's safe to eat. If you want business to dictate food safety, go to Mexico where there is no food inspection and tell me the food is safe after you spend your day in the bathroom. It used to be that way also until people wised up and found out food businesses won't police themselves. "

 Want a pin to pop that bubble you live in wrote on May 7, 2007 2:49 pm:
" It's pretty simple really....not suprised most of you don't understand. If one does not receive good pay, one might not like or care about thier job. If one does not like or care about thier job, one might not work with pride and care. The other approach, what percent of an educated class are you going to hire for 10 dollars and hour to work at VI or Olive Garden? It is logic and to Mike...some of it depends on the type of personality you hire but most of it depends on pay. As you stated, some may say your wife worked too hard for the pay. All that means is that your wife's employer used her and was laughing all the way to the bank. I would not feel very good about that. If we follow your logic, we should all be on the same pay scale. Doctor's should be payed just as much as a waiter. After all, they will still perform to the same standards as before and are just happy to be working! "

 are you serious wrote on May 7, 2007 3:09 pm:
" when someone in your family or that is close to you gets sick from a place not preparing their food correctly then are you going to complain. When I worked fast food I followed the rules (that are posted every where) because when I went out to eat I expected they were following the rules, so I could be eating safe food "

 Jamie wrote on May 7, 2007 3:46 pm:
" I don't understand why anyone is complaining about how the employees are compensated. The employee is the one that asked to work for the company in the first place and they agreed with the pay. They signed up for it. If the governemnt wasn't involved with inspections, there would be a higher rate of ill people and many lawsuits. Which only costs the country more money and raises our healthcare costs. To me it sounds like they should be inspecting more resturants. I think that the employees that are currently working during the inspection, with a permit, should also be fined, or given a warring. They are aware of what they should be doing and what they shouldn't. If the employee has the 'I don't care' attitude due to working bad hours with bad pay, then that is their own fault. No one says that they had to work there. It is time that people start to take their own individual actions into account, and not always blame others. "

 Sarah wrote on May 7, 2007 3:46 pm:
" Yeah Jodie, and none of those 5000+ restaurants in Omaha have ever had a violation. I would go to Omaha to eat but would probably get shot pulling into the restaurant parking lot. "

 JW wrote on May 7, 2007 4:25 pm:
" Dave M says the market should decide whether people want good food handling. If we don't like dirty soda machines, don't go that restaurant. That's why we have inspections, to see the non-public areas of restaurants. It isn't government intrustion. I want to know what restaurants have poor food storage, but without access to their kitchens, that information is not available to me. If anything, I would like to see more inspections, not fewer. Armed with public information from the inspections, I use that information to decide which establishments to avoid. "

 Want a pin to pop that bubble you live in 2 wrote on May 7, 2007 4:55 pm:
" Let me state that I as well do not want to eat at "dirty" establisments and welcome the inspections. They do us good. Just don't know why anyone is suprised. Like "Capitolism" said, what do you expect. "

 Don't like barfing wrote on May 7, 2007 5:16 pm:
" I personally would like to see more inspections done. Anyone who has ever had a case of food poisoning would want this as well. It's not a pleasant experience and if it can be avoided by someone taking the appropriate steps to keep their establishment clean and their employees following the rules, then it needs to be enforced. And as Jaime said, it's your choice if you want to work in the food service industry and the pay you accept. If you don't like it, get out and find something else. Low pay is no excuse for poor work ethic. "

 logic goes both ways wrote on May 8, 2007 12:34 am:
" As an employer, does the pay increase sound like a good experiment? I have a lazy cook who skips work without calling in, shows up late, and takes too many smoke breaks...You want me to INCREASE his pay with the hopes that he suddenly finds his purpose in life? Somehow I don't find that likely to work. "

 yum yum wrote on May 8, 2007 2:15 am:
" Jodie—I don’t ever want to try eating at Omaha restaurants – I worked up there. Omaha has some of the filthiest backrooms and fridges around. Yum yum—enjoy your next visit. "

 Dave M wrote on May 8, 2007 8:18 am:
" ermm....sarcasm sin't just a seven letter word beginning with 's' guys. Didn't any of those tongue in cheek arguments sound familiar? They are just as stupid when applied to complaints about smoking bans as they are about inspections - but since people aren't addicted to mishandled food, everybody can see how stupid they are in this case. Well almost everbody... "

 Not that hard to figure out wrote on May 8, 2007 8:48 am:
" You have a lazy cook because you hired a lazy cook. What else can you expect with the pay that you are giving the position. If you put an ad in the paper for a ten dollar an hour cook then you are going to attract a ten dollar an hour cook. You obviously know that or you would have fired your cook by now. But, what are the chances you are going to find an outstanding cook unless you increase the pay? Little. Again, as many said, what do you expect? "

 Heather wrote on May 8, 2007 10:42 am:
" Thank you for publishing this information. I read the inspection reports before going out to eat. I was disgusted by the news that numerous eating establishments in the N 27th street area were infested with roaches in various stages of development. I applaud your hard work and letting the public know what goes on behind the scenes! "

 brad wrote on May 8, 2007 1:15 pm:
" I took Jodie advice last night and tried one of the 5,000 places to eat in Omaha. Advice to the rest of you. There are better places in Lincoln. There might be 4,999 good restaurants but the place I ate on west maple wasn't one of them. "

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