Inspections, such as the one that took place at Tank N' Tummy in Las Animas on Dec. 9 are made regularly and are unannounced, Andrew Koehn, environmental health specialist and food program manager for the Southeast Environmental Health Department said.
“The inspection conducted at Tank N Tummy in Las Animas was a regular, unannounced inspection. It was conducted as a part of routine environmental public health inspections and duties in Bent County on that particular day. It is indicated as such on the inspection report,” Koehn said. “Prior to arriving at the establishment, there had been no call or other notice of any kind regarding the establishment or any issue thereat. Regular public health inspections (retail food or otherwise) are regulatory, should be taken seriously, have Colorado State statutes and supportive regulations backing them and can involve immediate or future enforcement actions like those taken at this inspection.
Other regular, unannounced inspections include public schools with laboratories and or industrial/vo-ag shops, elementary schools, school kitchens and child care facilities and pre-schools.
All are inspected once a year, with the exception of elementary schools, which are inspected once every three years.
Inspections can vary and can range from 40 minutes to three or more hours, depending on the type of inspection, the number and type (level of severity) of violations and their implications to public health and any necessary enforcement activity.
Schools typically take the longest and the length of time of the inspection is also dependant on the compliance level/knowledge of the operator or staff of the establishment.
Other activities:
· Follow-up inspections for all the above types of regular inspections (and, regarding retail food establishments, the assessment of civil penalties for non-compliance as necessary).
· Investigate alleged unlicensed food vendors (a.k.a. – “burrito bandits”) and assessment of civil penalties as necessary.
· Enforcement of violations at currently licensed retail food establishments and assessment of civil penalties as necessary.
· Conduct plan reviews of proposed retail food establishments prior to licensing and operation.
· Public health and safety nuisance complaints as received (in municipalities and unincorporated areas of the county).
· Investigate complaints on child care facilities, schools and retail food establishments.
· Odor emission complaints as received.
· Zoonotic disease surveillance (West Nile virus, rabies, plague, tularemia).
· Emergency preparedness involvement.
“It’s important to note that our agency is regional and includes Baca, Bent, Kiowa and Prowers Counties. We have authority and responsibility county-wide (including non-incorporated areas) in each of these and we are the official representatives of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Consumer Protection Division in each,” Koehn said. “We encourage citizens of Bent County to address any questions and concerns about environmental public health topics or to provide helpful insights to us by contacting our agency at any time.”
For more information, contact Southeast Environmental Health Department at (719) 336-8721.
