311 HelpA to Z Services

Public Health Inspection

 

Denver Public Health Inspections Division

Our mission is to protect the health of Denver by ensuring that food service establishments, child care facilities, residential health, emergency vehicles, body art establishments, boarding homes,and pools are in compliance with the respective laws while providing public education to consumers and technical assistance to businesses. As part of the Department of Environmental Health, we are committed to resolving situations posing the greatest risk to the public health. We seek to render a high level of customer responsiveness and engage in industry partnerships and training efforts through regular inspections and assessments. Browse our web site for information on our programs.

Find us on Facebook!

Did you know that you can follow the Public Health Inspections Division on Facebook? 'Like' us to get updates on upcoming classes, regulation changes, and other timely information. 'Like' us at www.facebook.com/DenverPHI

How did we do?

As a part of our continued efforts to gather input from regulated food facilities we invite you to take an anonymous survey at  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/foodinspectionsurvey  regarding your most recent inspection.

Announcements

Changes to Licensing and Inspection of Nonprofit Food Handling Operations - Tuesday, May 21, 2013
As a result of continual efforts to ensure resources are being used to protect the public’s health as effectively as possible, the Public Health Inspection Division is reinstating regular inspections of nonprofit food handling operations in 2013.  The Public Health Inspection Division in cooperation with the Denver Department of Excise & Licenses have worked to establish a no-fee nonprofit food operation license  that all nonprofit food operations must obtain in 2013.

Nonprofit food operations are being asked to apply for this no-fee license no later than August 1, 2013.  Following this initial application, nonprofit food operations are being asked to finalize licenses no later than October 1, 2013.  Licenses can be applied for at the Denver Department of Excise & Licenses located at 201 W. Colfax Ave on the 2nd floor of the Webb Building.  For more information, please review the linked letter to nonprofit food operations.

In addition to working to protect consumers, we are eager to understand how we can help meet the food safety education needs of nonprofit food operations.  Please review the food safety regulations and training resources on our website, and let us know if you have questions or if there are specific needs we can try to help with. 
PHI New Office Hours - Monday, April 22, 2013

Effective April 22, 2013, our new office hours will be 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.  This will better align with our walk-in customer traffic patterns, and our licensing interactions with the Department of Excise & Licenses.

 
Civil Penalties - Monday, February 04, 2013
A regulated business or person who violates any provision of Chapter 23 of the Denver Revised Municipal Ordinances, Denver’s Food Establishment Regulations, or an order issued by the Manager of the Department of Environmental Health may be assessed a civil or administrative penalty up to $2,000.

Inspection reports and enforcement histories for restaurants, delicatessens, cafeterias, convenience stores and other types of food establishments inspected by the Division of Public Health Inspections (PHI) within the Department of Environmental Health are available online: Denver Restaurant Inspection Reports.

Typically, PHI assesses administrative penalties for repeat violations of the same type, not including imminent health risks. A fine may be assessed on the first offense related to any situation the presents an imminent public health risk as a result for the operator’s negligence. The Division’s policy is to issue administrative penalty assessments for the amounts listed

 
New Online Training for Retail Food - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The City of Denver has partnered with State Food Safety to offer basic food safety training program. The basic program is $10, and is provided in English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Vietnamese. The course takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete. The training is not mandatory.

 
Changes in the Retail Food Program scheduled for January 2013 - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The Department of Environmental Health is making several changes within the Food Program effective January 2013, to more effectively allocate resources and enforcement tools. We believe these changes will better use existing resources to provide more oversight and better enforcement within facilities which have a history of repetitive food safety issues and less oversight at facilities which have demonstrated a commitment to food safety through a history of good compliance. These changes include:

Changes to Inspection Frequency

The minimum number of inspections each year will decrease for all establishments. For full-service restaurants, the baseline will change from three inspections to two. Please note that this is the minimum number of visits. Establishments which have high levels of noncompliance or which receive complaints will receive more visits than the minimum. 

Modification of Fine Criteria
Effective the start of 2013, violations are considered “repeat” when they are within twelve months of one another and they are violations of the same exact section of the Denver Food Establishment Regulations. Previously violations were considered repeat when they fell in the same category on the inspection report. A single category on the inspection report covers multiple sections of the regulations.
Update Regarding Medical Marijuana Infused Foods Sold in Denver, May 2012 - Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Medical marijuana infused foods which are manufactured outside of Denver and sold in Denver can be subject to Denver licensing requirements.  To determine whether your business needs a Denver license, contact the Denver Department of Excise & Licenses by calling 3-1-1 from local area number or 720-913-1311 from out of area.  Once you have any required Denver license in place, you can sell your infused food product to consumers in Denver provided you adhere to all State laws.  You are no longer required to manufacture infused foods in Denver in order to sell them here.  For any questions, please contact us at phicomments@denvergov.org

 
Change to Mobile Retail Food Licensing Inspections - Monday, October 25, 2010
Licensing inspections for Mobile Retail Food Establishments are now scheduled by appointment. Licensing inspections are conducted between 9:30AM - 11:30AM every Wednesday. 
 
If you have questions regarding the new inspection schedule or wish to schedule an inspection, contact the department at 311 (for Denver Residents), 720-913-1311, or email us at phicomments@denvergov.org .
 

Denver Noise Control

Understanding the City's Noise Ordinance

The Noise Control Program in Denver was designed and enacted to protect, preserve, and promote the health, safety, welfare, peace and quiet for the citizens of Denver through the reduction, control and prevention of noise. It is the intent of this program to establish enforceable standards that will reduce or eliminate unnecessary and excessive traffic and community noise that is physically harmful and otherwise detrimental to individuals and the community in the enjoyment of life, property, and the conduct of business.

When complaints of excessive noise are received by the Denver Department of Environmental Health, an investigator is assigned to investigate the complaint. If the complaint is founded, the source of the noise (individual/company/organization) receives a written warning of the violation requiring the noise be reduced to legal levels. If the source does not comply with the warning, an adminstrative citation or a  court summons  is issued.

 

What IS included as noise under Chapter 36 of the municipal code?

Below are just a few examples of complaints DEH investigates:

  • Amplified noise – Concerts, DJ’s in parking lots, loud music in public areas, noise from bars/nightclubs/cabarets
  • Mechanical noises – Loud Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, and power equipment.
  • Construction noise – If outside of allowable hours which occur before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. on weekends.
  • Waste stream activity - Trash trucks, recycle trucks, parking lot sweepers and vacuum trucks operating or making pickups before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m.
  • Barking Dogs at commercial establishments - Doggie day cares, kennels, and veterinarian clinics.

 

What IS NOT included under Chapter 36 of the municipal code?

  • Federally regulated transportation – This includes loud trains or airplanes.
  • Noise reported within the same property line – Examples include any noise occurring within multi-unit dwellings, any noise occurring within the same property where the complaint originates. While not regulated under Chapter 36, some complaints can be resolved through the Denver Police Department.
  • Unamplified human voices - Arguing, profanity, loud and/or unruly neighbors, crowds, patrons.
  • Barking Dogs at residential properties – While not part of Chapter 36, complaints regarding barking dogs are reportable and investigated through Animal Care & Control.

 

Additionally, Noise Program staff are available to provideproactive analysis and technical assistance to businesses and residents in an effort to help them maintain compliance with Chapter 36. Examples of assistance provided includes guidance on the best placement of stages, speakers and musical equipment, modeling projected noise levels, issuing noise variances for large construction jobs allowing them to operate outside of normal compliance hours, and generally provide consultation for any mechanical and amplified noise.

Citizen Ride Along Program

Are you interested in learning more about the division’s programs or possibly a career in public health enforcement?  Read here how you can shadow a Public Health Investigator during the course of an inspection by participating in our Citizen Ride Along Program.  Fill out the application and email to phicomments@denvergov.org.

Topics in Public Health