2010 Model Practice Application (Public)

A Permanent Approach to Temporary Events

Worcester County Health Department

This practice addresses unsafe temporary food handling procedures and unapproved equipment, as well as other preventative measures, which may lead to foodborne illnesses at temporary events. Goal: To address unsafe temporary food handling procedures and decrease the risk of foodborne illnesses at temporary events, by developing a Comprehensive Temporary Event Program. Objective I: Increase the number of Worcester County Certified Food Operators by encouraging food vendors to participate in the innovative Worcester County Certified Food Operator Course. This should increase the number of food vendors familiar with our county’s expectations and standard operating procedures, thereby decreasing the likelihood of foodborne illness. Objective II: To further the development of the Comprehensive Temporary Event Program, a Temporary Event Coordinator needs to be assigned. This concept will allow for a more streamlined and efficient approach by funneling all temporary event correspondence and coordination, which should maximize productivity. Objective III: Develop a better working relationship with food vendors, event sponsors, and the event visitors. This can be achieved by our coordinator maintaining contact with all the stakeholders prior to implementation. However, the current use of our time has largely shifted from a reactionary punitive mode during an event to a proactive continuous educational approach. Objective 1: The classes continue to be offered a minimum of 4 times a year, generally in association with our major events. This allows new and out of state venders to participate in the class. To date there has been no documented food borne illnesses or outbreaks associated with Worcester County temporary events. In addition no facilities were closed due to repeat critical item violations. Objective 2: A temporary event coordinator has been hired and interacts daily/ weekly (depending on season) with sponsors of special events with temporary food vendors. Inspection staff's time is now being utilized in other assigned programs. Objective 3: Inspection staff has been able to inform and discuss violations and safe food handling in a more receptive and non-threatening manner.

This practice addresses improper food handling skills by temporary food vendors and the lack of training course geared toward these operators, which leads to an increased risk of foodborne illness. As a beach resort destination on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the small, rural County of Worcester hosts over 50 temporary events (Fairs, Festivals, etc.) each year. Some of the larger events (Springfest, Sunfest, Bike Week) include up to 45 food vendors and are each attended by approximately 100,000 people. Many of the attendees are either the very young or the elderly, making them more susceptible to foodborne illness. Due to the profitability of these type of events, we observed a rise in participation by ‘inexperienced’ food vendors with unapproved equipment and food from unapproved sources as was noted by an increase in critical item violations during our inspections. In order to provide this needed training, Worcester County Health Department staff developed a Certified Food Operator Course specifically geared toward temporary food vendors. The objective was to develop an innovative course that was unique to temporary events, where, in most cases, the food preparation and storage is taking place under a tent or temporary structure. The Certified Food Operator Course covers food transportation and temperature requirements (hot holding, cold holding, reheat, etc.), required equipment, hand washing, and proper use of disposable gloves, utensil washing and sanitizing, correct use of thermometers, insect control, basic HACCP principles, and application and plan submittal criteria. Taught by Environmental Health staff, the course is held at local libraries, fire halls, health department buildings, and the like at least four times a year and usually prior to large events. Upon course completion, each participant is awarded a Safe Food Handler Certificate. Encountering an increase in the number of inexperienced food vendors, using unapproved equipment while preparing a variety of foods, we started to research how other jurisdictions handled temporary events. After conversing with colleagues during national and state conferences and spending considerable time searching for appropriate literature and browsing sources online, several components of existing Permanent Food Service Facilities training modules were determined to be valuable, if combine within parameters more applicable to the temporary food setting. While some states and local jurisdictions have existing legislation requiring the certification of Permanent Food Service Facility operators, certification demands were not uncovered for temporary food vendors. Our Code of Maryland Regulations, COMAR, does not mandate certification. The lack of such legislation in Maryland, and in the general temporary food arena, has lead to a ‘truck driver today, food operator tomorrow-here today, gone tomorrow’ mentality among a lot of temporary vendors. As a result, we found few operators responding to existing ‘common-practice’ training methods, which are mainly geared toward permanent establishments. Some of these adopted modules morphed into the two-tier, fee-incentive based Worcester County Food Operator Course, which is part of a Comprehensive Temporary Events program-a new concept to the field of public health. Its novelty is mainly due to its innovative implementation of local, state, and federal; materials, experience, and ideas-all of which are being utilized in a way that was specifically tailored to mutually benefit all stakeholders. As result of vendor feedback obtained during our new course, and our increasingly specific requirements put on vendors, the need for more detailed applications and as such, an extended processing time was revealed. The amount and types of violations most a tool for vendors and regulators to optimize food safety implementation. This process led to the development of category-specific temporary food vendor applications such as; private label prepac

The local health department initiated, developed, and maintains a majority of this practice. The role for stakeholders other than the LHD is primarily to further the practice.

By utilizing photos, videos, music, and hands-on experience obtained from local, state, and federal sources, a PowerPoint presentation was put together allowing for the upstart and maintenance of this program without direct funding costs. In-kind costs consist mainly of staff time spent at each class and is estimated to be on average three classroom hours per staff member present. In addition, one person spends one hour of clerical work preparing course certificates. Initial staff investment prior to implementation of the course was approximately five work days dedicated to educational material development. With 39 classes taught to date and an average of two staff present at each class, the calculated time investment in this course is approximately 281 hours. It is critical to note that the staff time vested in this program as whole is believed to be akin to staff time spent prior to implementation. However, the current use of our time has largely shifted from a reactionary punitive mode during an event to a proactive continuous educational approach. This practice is part of our normal operating cost and falls under outreach and education.

In order to implement the goals and objectives of this program, we first had to gain the support of temporary event sponsors and food vendors. This was started in October, 2000 when the Health Officer and Environmental Health Director met with a small group of major event sponsors and food vendors to discuss the implementation of a 10-day deadline for application submittal. This deadline decreased the number of applications being submitted on the day of the event, giving inspectors more time to review applications prior to the date of the event, but did not address the problems with food handling training on the part of the temporary food vendors. The next step was to address the lack of food handling training on the part of the temporary food vendors. Inspectors were finding that many vendors were only participating in temporary events to supplement their incomes. In other words, truck driver by day, temporary food vendors on the weekends. Staff knew safe food training course existed for food handlers but this type of training did not cover the uniqueness of transporting food to an event and preparing and serving it under a tend or temporary structure. Staff did not think that this existing lecture format would work for temporary vendors, so a more interactive, hands-on training format was developed. This new course was designed to provide training that was unique to the situation and audience in question. Our next task was to provide an incentive for course participation. Current Maryland Food Service does not require any type of training or certification for food handlers. The decision was made that the best way to motivate vendors to take the course and become certified, was to offer them a reduced license fee. With the assistance of the Health Officer, our operating plan was presented to the County Board of Health (County Commissioners). By Resolution, the County adopted a deadline for application submittal, a $500 late fee, and a two-tier fee schedule with a two-thirds fee reduction for food vendors who participate and pass the certification course. This process was completed by April, 2003 and the first certification course was held in September, 2003. Since 2003, we have designed a staff person as our Temporary Event Coordinator. This person interacts with food vendors and event sponsors on a regular basis answering questions, setting up certification courses, forwarding, and determining the proper application based on food served, and providing general information. Determining the need for change started in 2000. The legalities of the process were completed by April, 2003 and the first certification course was held in September, 2003. This is now an ongoing practice.

There are numerous factors helping to perpetuate the practice. They are as follows: i. the reduced license fee for temporary food vendors who become certified. Due to the number of temporary events and vendor turnover, there are constant requests from new vendors for certification. The event sponsors have also encouraged their vendors to receive certification. If we observe a vendor is not practicing safe food handling, then we have the ability to require that the vendor participate and successfully complete the Certified Food Operators course prior to attending the next event. In order to sustain this program, all temporary food vendor certifications expire every three years. Certification cards are reissued if the food handler has not had any documented critical violations while they were certified. If they are found to have critical violations or repeatedly leave non-certified operators in charge of their Certified Operator licensed booth, the department has the ability to suspend their certification. The Certified Temporary Food Operator Course is part of our normal operating cost and falls under outreach and education.

To address unsafe temporary food handling procedures and decrease the risks of foodborne illnesses at temporary events, by developing a Comprehensive Temporary ProgramObjective I: To better educate temporary food vendors by encouraging participation in the innovative Worcester County Certified Food Operator CourseTo date 74% of our commercial operations and 98% of our not-for-profit organizations have sent individuals to become Certified Temporary Food Operators in Worcester County. Certified Temporary Food Operator post-course exam sheets are graded and collected by staff at the end of each class to ensure operators meet our certification criteria. Data is collected in the form of the Certificates from the training classes as well as from our inspection data after each temporary event. On the spot feedback received during and post-course, in addition to exam results, by health department staff, lead to continuous modifications of the course to better meet the needs of all parties involved. This innovative course has increased the participating vendors’ familiarity with our county’s expectations and standard operating procedures, resulting in fewer observed critical item violations during events. Modifications are ongoing as regulations change and we also consider and implement practices suggested by vendors. Safe Food Handler Certification are numbered and tied to specific operators’ name (and often business). To receive a reduced fee operating license at future events, a certified operator must be present at all times during the event. If a certified operator cannot be there, non-certified colleagues may apply, but at the standard fee. This innovative course has increased the participating vendors’ familiarity with our county’s expectations and standard operating procedures, resulting in fewer observed critical item violations during events. Objective II: To further the development of the Temporary Food Event Program a Temporary Event Coordinator needs to be assigned A Temporary Event Coordinator has been assigned to the Temporary Event Program A Temporary Event Coordinator assigned responsibilties and duties list has been incorporated into the coordinators' general job description and is re-evaluated during periodical performance evaluations. Staff in gneral and supervisor during performance evaluations Data is collected from applications, certificates, and supervisor during performance evaluations.ll correspondence regarding temporary events and vendors is screened and reassigned exclusively through the Temporary Event Coordinator at an ongoing basis. The data results are received by our Temporary Event Coordinator and staff in general as this practice is ongoing. Stakeholders involved in our temporary events, as well as our staff, have responded postively to the practice of having one contact-person as expressed during phone conversations and during our classes. The Temporary Event Coordinator has been able to adjust responsibilities based on improved efficiency and communication with staff.This concept has allowed for a more streamlined and efficient approach by funneling all temporary event correspondence and coordination through the Temporary Event Coordinator, which has maximized staff productivity. Outcome was intended Objective III: To develop a better working relationship with our food vendors, event sponsors, and the event visitors. We have found that this program has resulted in increased communication between all parties, as is particularly evidenced by how the creation of 'certified' and 'non-certified' operators has contributed to vendors largerly becoming self-regulated. We have observed fewer late submittals than prior to this program, as our coordinator has increased contact with stakeholders. General staff and Temporary Event Coordinators are the ones that collect the data. Data was collected through feedback from all stakeholders. On-the-spot feedback received during and post-course,