Periodically school food service as well as the building will inspected by the Miami-Dade County HealthDepartment M-DCHD. Food service inspections focus on conditions that are related to pest control, foodhandling and the overall sanitation of the kitchen and cafeteria area. The M-DCHD inspector must beaccompanied by the site administrator or designee during the inspection. The site administrator shoulduse this time to clarify and discuss the findings with the inspector. If at all possible, staff should correct

deficiencies while the inspector is onsite.  It is the responsibility of each site administrator to immediately provide a copy of the health departmentinspection to the Division of Safety and Emergency Management via fax 305-995-4924 or by e-mail to the

District Director, Division of Safety and Emergency Management. M-DCHD inspections are handwrittenand may not legible if faxed. In that case the site administrator should summarize the deficiencies in an emailand send a hard copy of the report to the Division of Safety and Emergency Management.

Corrective action for a typical Health Department inspection will normally require several departments toprovide assistance. Responsibilities for the correction of deficiencies are defined below:

Food Service staff is responsible for ensuring the kitchen is cleaned daily to remove any food, dirt, dust and debris from floors, walls and equipment. Kitchen deficiencies related to cleaning must be addressed immediately by initiating intensive cleaning by the Food Service staff under the direction of the principal.  Procedures and processes must be reviewed to determine the cause of the inspection deficiencies.  Corrective actions must be sustained to ensure satisfactory inspection results are obtained in subsequent inspections. The principal may also want to consult with the District Food Service Department to determine if standard work practices are being adhered to.

Custodial staff is responsible for ensuring the cafeteria and associated rooms i.e. stage and ancillary rooms are cleaned daily. Cafeteria deficiencies related to cleaning must be addressed immediately by initiating intensive cleaning by the custodial staff under the direction of the principal. Procedures and processes must be reviewed to determine the cause of the inspection deficiencies. Corrective actions must be sustained to ensure satisfactory inspection results are obtained in subsequent inspections. The principal may also want to consult with Plant Operations to determine if standard work practices are being adhered to and the custodial allocation is appropriate for the school building.

Maintenance staff is responsible for correcting deficiencies related to the building. Eliminating pest entry points, replacing ceiling tiles, repairing holes and equipment may be included in the corrective action that must be implemented immediately by the maintenance department.

District kitchens and cafeteria receive twice monthly service by a Board Pest Control vendor. The contract for service is administered by the Department of Food Service. If deficiencies require pest control activities the principal must immediately notify the Board Contracted Pest Control vendor as well as Food Service to ensure corrective action is taken.  Custodial staff should also be utilized to supplement these efforts.

The following depicts a sample pest control inspection received at a school site. The text in red highlights some of the key information contained in the report. Each report must be discussed with the affected staff to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities and the timelines to complete the corrective action.

Custodial staff is responsible for ensuring the school building and associated rooms are cleaned daily. Building deficiencies related to cleaning must be addressed immediately by initiating intensive cleaning by the custodial staff under the direction of the principal. Procedures and processes must be reviewed to determine the cause of the inspection deficiencies. Corrective actions must be sustained to ensure satisfactory inspection results are obtained in subsequent inspections. The principal may also want to

consult with Plant Operations to determine if standard work practices are being adhered to and the custodial allocation is appropriate for the school building.

Maintenance staff is responsible for correcting deficiencies related to the building. Eliminating pest entry points, replacing ceiling tiles, repairing holes and equipment may be included in the corrective action that must be implemented immediately by the maintenance department.

additional information and assistance at 305-995-4900.

Principals should meet periodically with Food Service and Custodial staff to discuss the

challenges with ensuring the sanitation standards for the building are maintained. Periodic

informal walkthroughs of kitchen, cafeteria and classrooms can identify areas that require

additional cleaning and/or maintenance. Staff should report items such as missing door sweeps, holes, pest activity, and potential pest entry points. Proactively inspecting and correcting deficiencies enhances the districts ability to provide a safe learning environment as well as obtaining satisfactory inspection results.