Rodents, a hot-water tank failure and failing to comply with inspection orders.
For people who eat out at restaurants on a regular basis, some of these problems would be considered a nightmare, they’re also the type of infractions that can shut down a business.
In 2015, a dozen restaurants in New Westminster found themselves running afoul of health inspectors for a range of reasons, and were ordered to close up shop.
In some cases, the closures were just for a day, while at other times they were for a week or more.
Overall, Fraser Health issued 14 closure orders to 12 restaurants in New Westminster last year.
Timothy Millard, a health protection manager with the health authority, explained the inspection process to the Record and what can ultimately lead to a closure. He noted restaurants face routine inspection twice a year and on a complaint basis.
Inspection officers are looking to make sure the eatery is complying with regulations, to point out any deficiencies and if there are, to assess whether they are critical or not. It’s the critical violations that can eventually lead to a closure order.
Millard said critical violations are followed up within 30 days, and if the operator still hasn’t corrected the problem or changed behavior, the process will progress with a closure order as the last step.
“The goal is to help a restaurant owner offer safe food to the public,” he said, adding inspectors try to treat every restaurant in the region the same.
Millard did point out a couple of situations that will lead to an immediate closure: a hot water tank failure and a major rodent infestation.
And if a restaurant is re-opened, that means it’s in compliance.
The health authority also has the power to shut a restaurant permanently, but Millard only recalls a couple of instances over the years where that has happened.
But what most people really just want to know is whether their favourite joint is safe.
“Because we’re in them on such a regular basis, I would consider most restaurants safe to eat,” Millard said.
He also cautioned people not to read too much into the closure orders, which are posted online.
“What I tell people is, don’t base it on a single event. Look at the history,” he said.
Millard suggested if an establishment is getting a lot of “high” ratings in their inspection reports or are closed repeatedly, that would be a sign the restaurant might not be up to snuff.
To view the inspection reports and closures, go to http://www.fraserhealth.ca/your-environment/food-safety/restaurant-closures/restaurant-closures.
According to Fraser Health’s closure orders, a few restaurants in New Westminster found themselves closed for a number of days.
Victoria Sushi Japanese Restaurant at 15 Royal Ave. was closed for a month over several infractions including having pests on the premises and not having adequate hand washing stations available for employees.
The Taco Del Mar at 531 Sixth St., which is now closed, was also shut down over a number of infractions including failure to stop an employee who was suffering from a communicable disease from handling food.
