Borough of Rutherford, NJ Food Handlers Training

All retail food establishments licensed or required to be licensed as Class D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, D-5, E-2 or E-3 establishments, as defined in Chapter 12 of the New Jersey State Sanitary Code (N.J.A.C. 8:24-1 et seq.) and in Borough Ordinance Chapter 36A, shall be required to have personnel obtain education, certification, and licensing pertaining to health, sanitation, personal hygiene, food-borne illness, dishwashing and sanitizing procedures, microorganisms, insects and rodents, and other health-related matters. The required licensing and courses shall be as follows:

The owner or highest ranking manager actively involved in the daily operation of the establishment shall possess a current certification of satisfactory completion of the eighteen-hour food manager's program given by the Bergen County Department of Health Services. The certification of satisfactory completion of the eighteen-hour food manager's program shall be effective for five years from the date of its issuance. Recertification will be required thereafter on an ongoing basis.

A manager, supervisor, crew chief, or supervisory individual(s) actively involved in the daily operations and in charge of other employees serving food on a particular shift, other than the owner or highest-ranking manager, shall possess a current certification of satisfactory completion of the minimum three-hour basic course of instruction in food handling given by the Bergen County Department of Health Services. The certification of satisfactory completion of the three-hour basic course shall be effective for three years from the date of its issuance. Recertification will be required thereafter on an ongoing basis.

§ 36B-2 Required compliance for other license classes.

The Rutherford Board of Health (N.J.A.C. 8:24-1.3 et seq.) may require that establishments licensed in Classes A, B, C, D-6, D-7, and F participate in and complete the eighteen-hour food manager's program and/or the three-hour basic course of instruction in food handling, when it is determined that the type of operation, food items prepared, and/or frequency of the food service operations requires food-handling training to protect and maintain a safe food environment.

§ 36B-3 Required date of compliance.

[Amended 9-27-2004 by Ord. No. BH 2-04]

All retail food establishments with Class D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, D-5, E-2 or E-3 shall be required to comply with this chapter by obtaining the required food handler's certifications no later than January 1, 2004.

Beginning as of January 1, 2004, each new establishment required to be licensed as Class D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, D-5, E-2 or E-3 establishments shalt be required to comply with this chapter by attending and completing the first available courses to obtain the required certifications.

§ 36B-4 Evidence of satisfactory compliance.

The Rutherford Board of Health may, as it deems appropriate, accept an individual's certification or proof of successful completion of a food handler's course from another health authority, accredited educational institution, private corporation's training program, or any other institution, provided that the course content, hours of instruction, and date of successful completion are comparable to the requirements outlined in this section.

§ 36B-5 Posting of certifications.

These certifications must be posted conspicuously near the public entrance of the establishment together with the license to operate a retail food establishment and the current inspection rating placard, so that the public may view the documents.

Each retail food establishment shall be required to submit copies of the required food handler's certifications on an annual basis, together with the annual fee and annual renewal of the license application as a food establishment under Borough Ordinance Chapter 36A.

§ 36B-6 Self-inspections and reports.

[Added 9-27-2004 by Ord. No. BH 2-04[1]]

All retail food establishments licensed or required to be licensed in Class A, B, D1, D-2, D-3, D-4, D-5, D-6, E-2 and E-3 as outlined in Chapter 36A of the Borough Code shall be required to conduct biweekly self-inspections of the establishment on forms designed, approved and provided by the Board of Health.

The owner, highest ranking manager, supervisor, crew chief or supervisory individual(s) actively involved in the daily operation of the establishment shall conduct the biweekly self-inspections of the establishment and shall fully complete the self-inspection report as it pertains to the establishment. Deficiencies noted shall be corrected immediately.

The establishment shall maintain the original copy of each self-inspection report on the premises for review by the local health authority for a minimum of one year.

Establishments that are licensed as temporary food establishments shall meet all of the aforementioned requirements, with the exception that the self-inspection report shall be conducted on a weekly basis.

[1]

This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former § 36B-6, Violations and penalties, as § 36B-7.

§ 36B-7 Violations and penalties.

Any person who violates any provision of, or order promulgated under, this chapter shall, upon conviction, be liable to a penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $590 for each violation (N.J.S.A. 26:3-70). Each day a particular violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.