ELV was expecting a couple of burly old guys with pocket protectors. Instead, a couple of babes* showed up when we asked the Southern Nevada Health District if we could interview a restaurant inspector. Who knew? So we had a sit-down with them and threw out some questions we thought the public might want to know.

ELV: How many of you are there?

The health district has about 80 Environmental Health inspectors who cover the entire community. There are between 16,000 and 18,000 “permitted” food establishments in the county. . The health district has between 16,000 and 18,000 food permits in the County.

ELV: What is your training/education?

Most of the district’s health inspectors have earned a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in a science. We are all required to be a Registered Environmental Health Specialist with the state of Nevada. There are just a few of us who do not have an undergraduate degree, however, these inspectors have quite a bit of field experience and have worked for the health district for many years.

ELV: What is the general procedure for giving a rating to a restaurant?

By law, we are required to inspect every restaurant annually. Inspections are unannounced and we observe and review the location’s food processing, storage, and food handling procedures, among other things. A restaurant grade is given following the inspection.
Prior to opening, every restaurant is inspected by a plan review inspector, followed by an operations inspector who reviews all health code regulations with the owner. After opening, another inspection will be done within 30 days and another after the location is opened about 90 days.

ELV: Give us an idea of your checklist items, from most important to least?

Every inspection includes a review of the restaurant’s food preparation, handling and storage procedures and it all relates to keeping the patrons and employees safe from illness. We check food temperatures, we check for cross-contamination issues and cleanliness. Our job is to observe and to look for critical control points that can cause contamination or cross contamination. We have noticed that the science of food safety has changed radically over the years. About 10 years ago, improper cooling was considered the greatest cause of food-borne illnesses. Today, it is improper handwashing that is considered a major cause of food-borne illnesses.

ELV: How do you decide who to make return visits to?

Each food service operation is required to be inspected once a year. Re-inspections are based on the findings of a routine inspection. If a restaurant is downgraded to a B grade, it will be re-inspected in 30 days. If the restaurant received a C grade, it will be re-inspected in 10 days. Critical violations must be corrected by the restaurant within 48 hours.

ELV: How does the grading system work?

Every violation has a demerit value. The demerit scale works like this: 0-10 demerits=A rating; 10-20 demerits=B rating; 20-40 demerits=C rating. More than 40 demerits will cause a health permit suspension and closure.

ELV: What are some violations that have caused immediate closure?

Trying to remain open with a broken water main. Raw sewage backing up into the restaurant and/or kitchen(!?). Loss of power.

ELV: You mean some restaurateurs try to stay open when those happen?

Sometimes, and sometimes we get a call on our Hot Line: 702.759.1000 that something is wrong. By law we must respond within 3 working days. {ELV wishes not to ponder the olfactory sensations engaged when serving or receiving food with raw sewage in the restaurant}

ELV: How hostile are the restaurants when you show up?

Not at all. Most small operators are very cooperative, and some are very grateful for our input. We had one teacher who opened a restaurant and they didn’t have a clue about food regulations and basic food safety. People like that really appreciate the information and guidance.

ELV: Does a language/cultural barrier ever hinder your communications with chefs/owners of ethnic restaurants?

We have inspectors who speak several different languages now. We also have handouts printed in Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai.

ELV: We’ve always found the fancier, expensive restaurants to have spotless kitchens, while certain Asian joints don’t (to put it mildly) . Would you agree?

Looks can be deceiving. Some places that look spotless can have very sloppy food handling and storage techniques, while we see places that have old, time-worn looking kitchens, that are doing everything as safely and perfectly as possible.

ELV: Have you ever been offered a bribe? What do you hear about this from other inspectors?

Never…and we can’t say we’ve ever even heard of one being offered. {ELV suspected that this would be their answer – especially with a Clark County Information Officer being present during the interview – although, in all honesty, neither PHB (Public Health Babe) seemed to be the bribe-taking type.}

ELV: What are the toughest restaurants to inspect? The easiest?

The easiest are the brand new places in new shopping centers/developments. Places that have a solid education in food safety issues and have attended Safe-Serv Certification programs are also easiest. The big hotels can be murder. Inspecting 10 restaurants in the MGM in one day is like walking 5 miles…

ELV: Describe some of the most common infractions, from grossest to least stomach churning.

The most common violations involve raw food being stored next to cooked food; food in the dishwashing sink; dishwashing techniques; improper handwashing and sanitizing techniques that aren’t proper. {Try as we might, ELV couldn’t them to admit to seeing rats or other filth in the kitchens of Las Vegas}

What should the dining-out public look for if they want to test or rate a restaurant’s hygiene?

Look for the grade, that must be prominently displayed. If it isn’t, ask to see it.

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* In the spirit of journalistic excellence for which it is known, ELV asked if they wished to remain anonymous. These very nice, hardworking public servants responded that it didn’t matter. Therefore, ELV has decided only to reveal their intitials, which are: Ellen Spears and Christy Munaretto. Bon appetit and bonne chance to Ellen and Christy from ELV!