Open for Business: Hawaii Food Establishment
Pre-Opening Inspections Go Virtual
A Department of Health Food Safety Branch staff member conducts a pre-opening virtual inspection.
How does the DOH ensure food establishments readying to open in this time of physical distancing obtain the critical pre-operational inspections required to get up and running? The DOH’s Food Safety Branch recently turned to video-conference inspections, conducting its first virtual pre-opening inspection at a brand-new location of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers opening to drive-thru-only business in Hawaii Kai on Oahu.
Available to owners and operators of new food establishments that are not yet open, the
pre-operational inspections are conducted via video conferencing. In Hawaii’s current COVID-19-affected economy, continuing to expedite the inspection process and opening of new food establishments stimulates employment and business growth for the restaurant industry.
"We appreciate the Department’s innovative and timely use of technology to complete the process to safely open our Hawaii Kai drive-thru, allowing Raising Cane's to bring new jobs to the area and safely serve customers hot fresh chicken finger meals,” said Raising Cane's Area Operations Manager Ray Yeung. “The Food Safety Branch provided a clear and thorough procedure, which we were able to comply completely with, and we look forward to working with them in-person when the state fully reopens businesses.”
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