Page 100 - Cityview_May_June_2014

great expectations, Doubtful results

Inspector Accountability
Refining the Process
as a result drafted placeholder legisla-

Dr. Martha Buchanan, director of
Another facet of the scoring system tion for this year’s general Assembly to
the Knox County health Department that can lead to consumer confusion
reform the inspection process. “No one

and Nease’s supervisor, takes issue with is that despite a perfect score’s being questions the necessity of making our
Kiger’s characterization: “I do think 100, the assessment is not actually a food safe,” says Massey, “but we also

our inspections are doing the job that percentage in that it does not measure have to ensure a consistent interpreta-
they are intended to. All staff are state what a restaurant gets right. Rather, tion of the statutes and codes. We don’t

trained, and there is a state-wide stan- any violation causes an establishment want to have businesses being closed
dardization process,” she says.
to lose that check box’s points. for ex- by media hype over something that’s

“We have quarterly meetings with ample, if any food is found to be at the not a health-threatening issue.”
the state for updates,” says Nease, “and wrong temperature, how much food is Massey’s legislation is contingent

we conduct training constantly at the at the right temperature is irrelevant. upon the results of other reform efforts
local level. Scott Bryan, the manager
This facet of the evaluation is why so already under way by the Tennessee

of the inspectors, looks at their reports often small eateries can outscore larger, Department of health. She intends to
daily for correct markup, and he fol- more prestigious operations. To use an look at the department’s proposals and

lows behind them to compare what ice-skating analogy, performing four “tweak” them as needed, especially
they’re doing with the standards. The triple lutzes is more difficult than regarding how scores are filed and ap-

inspector also always reviews his performing one, but in the eyes of the pealed. (Kiger says the current appeal
report with whoever is in charge at the health department, a restaurant either process can cost a restaurant $25,000.)

restaurant before leaving.”
does it right every time or does not do After looking at the KRA data, Massey
Both Buchanan and Nease say that it right at all.
concludes, “Knoxville inspections have

the inspections are as much about “A restaurant such as The orangery, been fairly inconsistent.”
education as policing. Because of the which can accommodate a 300-person Meanwhile, Buchanan says two

high turnover among restaurant staff, party,” says Kiger, “is put at a huge modifications to the inspection process
keeping employees trained and aware disadvantage compared to the corner are already in the hopper. In 2015 Ten-

of proper food handling and storage hot dog stand.”
nessee will adopt the 2009 standards
can be a challenge. To help, the health Buchanan justifies this apparent dis- established at the federal level by the

department offers free food-safety parity by saying the larger restaurant food and Drug Administration. She
training, provided eatery staff take has more staff with which to ensure adds, “The new food code will also

advantage of it. given the operating compliance and that more people are address risk-based instruction. It will
margins of small restaurants and the at risk to be affected by any problem at focus more on the proper sanitizing of

low wages associated with food service, the larger establishment.
equipment and hand-washing—viola-
carving out time for this training can The timing of an inspection can also tions known to make people sick.”

still be financially problematic, despite affect a restaurant’s score, as a viola- greater emphasis will be placed on
its being free. Nease estimates that
tion is likelier to occur when employ- listed items that put the public at

the health department trains 30 to 50 ees are rushing and stressed than greater risk, such as those that Nease
employees per month.
when business is slow. When harried, described as causing the outbreaks

Katharine Killen, the health depart- for example, a new employee might he has witnessed, like poor personal
ment’s community relations director, neglect to wash his or her hands before hygiene on the part of employees.

says that although the department
touching food after touching some-
uses the inspections and scores as thing an untrained person would think Emphasizing Safety

“teachable moments,” the department harmless, such as an article of clothing. Although Buchanan argues that the
has no control over what media does That’s a five-point violation.
inspections are working, as evidenced

with them or how the public reacts: To express the KRA’s concerns, Kiger by the scarcity of food-borne ill-
“We have to be transparent. We don’t and Joseph met with health depart- nesses in Knox County—the only such

choose which scores the media chooses ment officials, as well as Knoxville state outbreak last year was the result of
to highlight.”
senator Becky Duncan Massey, who
at-home-consumed unpasteurized

98 cityviewmag.com may june 2014