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Salem health department puts inspection reports on website

SALEM — Inspection reports for Salem restaurants and food service establishments can be seen online, giving both health officials and area residents an advantage.

“Good enforcement tool,” Salem city health district public information officer Lynle Hayes said.

For residents, they can learn more about the places where they’re eating, such as who has a history of not following the rules and who gets good marks for cleanliness.

The topic of the inspection reports and their availability online came up during a recent city health board meeting when city Health Commissioner Alanna Stainbrook talked about a restaurant being told their COVID-19 violation would be put online for all to see.

According to the website at salemcityhealthdistrict.org, the inspection reports conducted by the city health district have been available to the public online since July 1, 2019. Hayes, who was health commissioner at the time, said that was a choice the department made. Putting the reports online isn’t mandated by the state.

To access the reports, go the the health district website and click on environmental, then look under food program for the link at healthspace.com/Clients/Ohio/Salem/Web.nsf.

Once there, visitors can look at inspection reports for food service operations, including restaurants and schools, convenience stores selling hot foods or check out the inspection reports for public pools or tattoo establishments, all in the city of Salem.

A description under environmental health said, “The Environmental Health staff is responsible for licensing and inspection of food service operations and retail food establishments including restaurants, convenience stores, mobile trailers, food vending machines, and temporary food sales at events.”

Environmental health also handles some COVID-19 related complaints, nuisance complaints and oversees inspections for public pools and tattoo shops.

With COVID-19, the sanitarian hasn’t been doing as many of the standard inspections, but has been handling complaints, along with openings of new facilities such as Chipotle. One complaint dealt with smoking in a patio area. There was a complaint about cleaning wipes for carts at a store, also. Some of the past reports can be accessed, too.

Mayor John Berlin, who serves as chairman of the health board by virtue of his position as mayor, said everybody in Salem can see their favorite establishment’s report.

mgreier@salemnews.net

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