When the Salt Lake Valley Health Department inspects food establishments and there are violations they take into consideration whether the entity (i.e., a large restaurant, chain or taco cart) can afford or have the means to take care of the problem quickly.
The inspector may be more willing to not cite a violation or close the establishment if it is corrected during the inspection, especially if the inspector has developed a relationship with the restaurant’s management. Those who cannot get it fixed immediately, or don’t speak English well, are more likely to be shut down immediately. There will then be follow up inspections before the establishment is re-opened.
Perhaps at first this sounds good to protect the public health, but what sounds like a good idea results in placing the smaller, non-English speaking example — taco carts, etc. — at a disadvantage. It results in an “unequal” playing field for the smaller businesses.
One study examining the effectiveness of Health Department interventions in reducing violations in food establishments is titled, “The effects of innovative changes to restaurant inspection protocols.” Its author, Allen B. Waters at the U. of U., reports that follow-up inspections do not appear to have the expected effect.
“Rather than being a learning experience that improves food safety practices, or a deterrent to avoid future sanctions, the odds of receiving a critical violation increased …”
Salt Lake Valley Health Department inspections are a subjective practice and often result in blatant discrimination of the “little guy.”
D. L. Weeks, Woods Cross
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