Resolution No. 72501
RESOLUTION NO, 7250
2
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
3 OF VERNON APPROVING REGULATIONS FOR THE CITY
OF VERNON FOOD HANDLER TRAINING AND
4 CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
5 WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 13.7 of the Vernon City
6 Code, the Environmental Health Department issues health permits to
7 restaurants and other food -related businesses; and
8 WHEREAS, Section 13.22 of the Vernon City Code provides
9 that the Health Officer is authorized to adopt reasonable rules
10 and regulations governing those businesses and vehicles specified
11 in Section 13.7, provided that such rules and regulations shall be
12 effective only after approval by the City Council; and
13 WHEREAS, this year, the state Legislature adopted AB
14 1978, which amends the California Uniform Retail Food Facilities
15 Law (Health and Safety Code S 113700 et sec.), to require, among
16 other things, that all food facilities, as defined, employ at
17 least one person who has passed an approved and accredited food
18 safety certification examination no later than January 1, 2000,
19 and further requires enforcement agencies to notify food
20 facilities of the provisions of AB 1978 by March 1, 1999; and
21 WHEREAS, AB 1978 provides that local agencies which have
22 a food safety program in effect prior to January 1, 1999, that
23 requires training or a certification examination, or both, shall
24 be deemed to satisfy the requirements of AB 1978 until January 1,
25 2001, at which time such program must fully conform with the
26 requirements of AB 1978; and
27 WHEREAS, AB 1978 further provides that on and after
28 January 1, 1999, a food safety program that was not in effect
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
prior to that date may not be enacted, adopted, implemented, or
enforced, unless the program fully conforms to the requirements of
AB 1978; and
WHEREAS, for the past 18 months, the City's
Environmental Health Department has conducted an informal food
handling training program for mobile food preparation unit
operators which has proved to be successful, and which the
Department now desires to formalize to satisfy the grandfathering
provisions of AB 1978, as noted above; and
WHEREAS, Regulations for the City of Vernon Food Handler
Training and Certification Program ("the Regulations"), as
approved by the Director of Environmental Health, acting as the
City Health Officer, pursuant to Section 13.22 of the Vernon City
Code, are attached to this resolution marked Exhibit "A" and made
a part hereof by this reference as though set forth in full; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Environmental Health has
requested that the City Council approve the Regulations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: The City Council of the City of Vernon
hereby finds and determines that the recitals contained
hereinabove are true and correct.
SECTION 2: Pursuant to Section 13.22 of the Vernon City
Code, the City Council hereby approves the Regulations for the
City of Vernon Food Handler Training and Certification Program,
and hereby orders that the Regulations be received and filed by
the City Clerk.
-2-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
191
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
SECTION 3: The City Clerk of the City of Vernon shall
certify to the passage of this resolution, and thereupon and
thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 15th day of December, 1998.
ATTEST•
BRUCE V. MALKENHORST, City Clerk
-3-
LEONIS C. MALBkJRG, May r
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
) ss
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
I, BRUCE V. MALKENHORST, City Clerk of the City of
Vernon, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution, being
Resolution No. 7250, was duly adopted by the City Council of the
City of Vernon at a regular meeting of the City Council duly held
on Tuesday, December 15, 1998, and thereafter was duly signed by
the Mayor of the City of Vernon.
(SEAL)
BRUCE V. MALKENHORST, City Clerk -
-4-
SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTS
Regulations for the City of Vernon
Food Handler Training and Certification Program
Definitions.
"Certified food handler" means a person who has successfully passed a food safety examination
and who supervises all or part of the food service operations within a retail food facility and may
be responsible for training the operation's employees.
"Food safety training program means a food sanitation education program provided by the City
of Vernon or another public or private provider approved by the health officer.
"Health officer" means the City of Vernon Health Officer, or his duly authorized representative.
The duties of the health officer are those set forth in the California Health and Safety Code.
Whenever a power is granted to or a duty imposed upon the health officer in this chapter, the
power may be exercised or the duty performed by a duly authorized representative of the health
officer.
"Mobile food facility" means any conveyance used in conjunction with the service of a
commissary or other approved facility upon which prepackaged food or approved
nonprepackaged food is sold or offered for sale at retail. Mobile food facility does not include a
mobile food preparation unit.
"Mobile food preparation unit" means any vehicle upon which unpackaged food is cooked,
prepared, processed, wrapped, handled, packaged, or portioned for service, sale, or distribution at
retail or given away to the public in the city.
"Restaurant" means any coffee shop, cafeteria, short-order cafe, luncheonette, tavern, cocktail
lounge, sandwich stand, in -plant or employee eating establishments, or any other eating
establishment, organization, or club, which gives, sells, or offers for sale, food to the public,
guests, patrons, or employees; as well as kitchens in which food is prepared on the premises for
serving elsewhere, including catering functions. The term "restaurant" shall not include vending
machines, retail or wholesale food vehicles, food processing establishments, food warehouses,
retail food markets, private homes, private clubs, churches, or cooperative arrangements by
employees who purchase food or beverages for their own consumption and where no employee is
assigned full-time to care for or operate the equipment used in such an arrangement.
"Retail food establishment" means any restaurant, retail food market, or retail food production
establishment.
"Retail food facility" means any restaurant, retail food production establishment, retail food
market, caterer, food vending machine, mobile food preparation unit, or mobile food facility.
ENMBIT "A"
12/15/98
Regulations for the City of Vernon page 2 of 4
Food Handler Training and Certification Program 12/15/98
"Retail food market" means any room, building, place, or portion thereof, maintained, used, or
operated where food products, whether in bulk, canned, wrapped, bottled, or in any other form,
are sold or kept for sale at retail for consumption on premises other than where sold.
"Retail food production establishment" means any room, building, place, or portion thereof,
maintained, used, or operated for the processing or retail sale of food, except restaurants, retail
food markets, wholesale food processing establishments, and food warehouses.
Food handler requirements.
The Health Officer may require persons of any retail food facility that handle unpackaged food to
be trained and certified as a food handler.
Training.
Individuals must participate in a food safety training program and pass a food safety certification
examination approved by the Health Officer.
The food safety training program shall include, but need not be limited to, the following
elements:
(1) Foodborne illness, including terms associated with foodborne illness; microorganisms,
hepatitis A, and toxins that can contaminate food and the illnesses that can be associated with
contamination; definition and recognition of potentially hazardous foods; chemical, biological,
and physical contamination of food, and the illnesses that can be associated with such food
contamination; and major contributing factors for foodborne illness.
(2) The effects of time and temperature on microorganisms associated with foodborne illnesses,
including the relationship between time and temperature and microorganisms during the various
food handling, preparation, and serving states; and the types of thermometers used in monitoring
food temperatures.
(3) The relationship between personal hygiene and food safety, including the association of hand
contact, personal habits and behaviors, and food worker health to foodborne illness; and the
recognition of how policies, procedures, and management contribute to improved food safety
practices.
(4) Methods of preventing food contamination in all stages of food handling, including terms
associated with contamination and potential hazards prior to, during, and after delivery.
(5) Procedures for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils.
(6) Problems and potential solutions associated with temperature control, cross -contamination,
Regulations for the City of Vernon page 3 of 4
Food Handler Training and Certification Program. 12/15/98
housekeeping, and maintenance.
(7) Problems and potential solutions associated with facility equipment design, layout, and
construction.
Certification.
Individuals must pass an examination with a score of 70% correct or above in order to be
certified. Such persons shall hereby be known as certified food handlers, and shall be issued a
certification card.
Certification shall be valid for at least two years from the date the food safety training program
course exam is passed. The course of instruction shall be approved by the Health Officer.
Certified food handlers shall be recertified every two years. Recertification shall consist of
successful completion of an examination with a score of 70% correct or above.
A food facility that commences operation, changes ownership, or no longer employs a certified
person pursuant to this section, shall have 60 days to comply with this section.
Fee.
A fee, determined by the Health Officer, shall be required for the food safety training course and
examination provided by the City of Vernon. The fee paid shall be nonrefundable and valid only
for the specific day of the food safety course and examination paid for.
Reciprocity.
Reciprocity shall be granted for successful completion of another food safety training course and
examination approved by the Health Officer.
Proof of certification.
Any person required to be a certified food handler at a retail food facility shall have readily
accessible proof of certification. A certified food handler card issued by the City of Vernon, or
other card or certification issued by another provider approved by the Health Officer, shall be
considered adequate proof.
Penalties for violation.
Violation of this section may be considered just cause for revocation or suspension of a retail
food facility health permit.
The Health Officer may suspend or revoke any food handler's certification whenever any
Regulations for the City of Vernon page 4 of 4
Food Handler Training and Certification Program 12/15/98
certified food handler is responsible for an immediate danger to the public health or safety, for
repeated violations, or for falsification of a certified food handler card or certificate.
Any person whose certified food handler card or certificate has been suspended or revoked shall
immediately surrender their certified food handler card or certificate to the Health Officer upon
demand.
The Health Officer shall issue a notice to the certified food handler setting forth the acts or
omissions with which he or she is charged and informing him, or her, of the right to a hearing if
requested, to show cause why the permit should not be suspended or revoked.
A written request for a hearing shall be made by the certified food handler within 15 calender
days after receipt of the notice. Failure to request a hearing within 15 calender days after receipt
of the notice shall be deemed a waiver of the right to a hearing. When circumstances warrant, the
hearing officer may order a hearing at any reasonable time within this 15-day period to expedite
the suspension or revocation process.
Mobile food preparation units.
On and after January 1, 1999, all persons working on board any mobile food preparation unit
operating in the City of Vernon shall be certified food handlers.
Personnel training at retail food establishments.
When required, a certified food handler for a retail food establishment shall be responsible for
training the operation's employees in areas covered in the approved food safety training course.
Training by the certified food handler shall be provided for the operation's other food handlers
upon initial employment and every year thereafter. The facility shall maintain documentation of
employee training that is readily accessible for inspection at all times.
LAeaGds\Certfood
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Date: January 4, 1999
To: Lewis Pozzebon, Director of Environmental Health
FROM: Gloria J. Orosco, Chief Deputy City Clerk
RE: Resolution NO. 7250
Enclosed, for your files, is a copy of the above referenced
Resolution which was approved by the City Council on December 15,
1998.