The Hawaii District Health Office sanitation inspectors began in October posting color-coded placards based on the state’s recently updated Food Safety Code. Following the completion of each health inspection, a new placard is posted at each food establishment in a location visible to all customers and the public.
After an inspection, a green or pass card is posted for those establishments with no more than one critical violation that must be corrected at the time of inspection; a yellow or conditional pass card is used for those with two or more critical violations; and a red or closed card is used for those food establishments that need to be immediately closed because they pose an imminent health hazard to the community.
If a yellow card is posted, the card will remain in place until the inspector can verify all critical violations have been corrected. At that point a green card may be posted by the inspector. If a red card is posted, it will remain posted until corrections have been made and a re-inspection done.
A critical violation is considered a violation that may lead to foodborne illness or food poisoning. This includes no hand washing by food preparation staff, improper cooking temperatures, foods not kept hot or cold at the required temperatures, improper handling of foods, and inadequate sanitization of equipment and utensils. It will take some time before all Big Island food establishments are issued placards. If there are questions, contact the sanitation offices in Hilo at 933-0917 or Kona at 322-1507.