18 Common Restaurant Health Code Violations and How to Prevent Them

Health code violations in restaurants can damage a reputation faster than you can say “health inspection.” A health code violation can occur due to improper food temperature, cross-contamination, or chemical misuse. Restaurants that fail to comply with restaurant health codes not only risk losing customer trust but also face penalties from the health department, including fines, temporary closure, or even license suspension. For any successful restaurant, maintaining compliance with health and safety protocols is not optional—it’s essential. To support food service establishments in staying inspection-ready, we’ve outlined 18 common violations, why they occur, and actionable strategies for preventing foodborne illnesses and staying in line with health codes.

Let’s break down the most frequent issues flagged during a restaurant health inspection, and what steps you can take to protect your guests, staff, and business.

1. Cross-Contamination

The Problem: Bacteria or allergens transfer between raw and cooked foods via unclean surfaces, utensils, or improper food storage and handling—leading to serious health code violations.

Why It Happens:

• Improper use of shared cutting boards or equipment for raw and cooked items
• Storing raw meat, such as poultry or beef, above vegetables or ready-to-eat items in refrigeration units

How to Prevent It:

• Use color-coded utensils and cutting boards for different food types
• Train employees on proper sanitizing between tasks to avoid cross contamination
• Always store raw foods on lower shelves to protect cooked or ready-to-eat items

Pro Tip: Schedule regular internal audits to monitor health and safety protocols and identify potential violations observed by health inspectors.

2. Bare-Hand Contact with Ready-to-Eat Food

The Problem: Touching ready-to-eat items—like salads or sandwiches—with bare hands can lead to contamination and trigger a critical violation.

Why It Happens:

• Not using gloves, utensils, or barriers when serving food
• Lack of training in food safety requirements

How to Prevent It:

• Provide and enforce use of gloves, tongs, or deli paper when handling ready-to-eat foods
• Reinforce personal protective equipment protocols and frequent glove changes
• Install signage near food prep stations reminding staff of safety protocols

3. Improper Cooking Temperatures

The Problem: Undercooked items—especially meat, poultry, or seafood—can harbor bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli, putting public health at risk and violating restaurant health codes.

Why It Happens:

• Relying on appearance rather than a probe thermometer
• Cooking equipment not properly calibrated

How to Prevent It:

• Train staff to use a probe thermometer and record food temperatures consistently
• Calibrate ovens, grills, and fryers regularly to maintain proper temperature control

Pro Tip: Post a health department-approved temperature chart in the kitchen for quick reference during busy shifts.

4. Failure to Rapidly Cool or Reheat Foods

The Problem: Leaving cooked food in the danger zone (40°F–140°F) for more than two hours creates a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to potential foodborne illnesses and health violations.

Why It Happens:

• Inefficient cooling methods or inadequate equipment
• Staff unfamiliar with hot holding or reheating standards

How to Prevent It:

• Use shallow containers to cool large batches quickly
• Invest in blast chillers or other rapid cooling solutions
• Log all cooling and reheating processes to demonstrate compliance during health inspections

Pro Tip: Assign a dedicated staff member to monitor cooling/reheating logs during each shift.

5. Poor Handwashing Practices

The Problem: Inadequate hand hygiene is one of the most common violations observed by a health inspector and a major contributor to foodborne illness outbreaks.

Why It Happens:

• Insufficient training on when and how to wash hands
• Sinks lacking hot and cold water, soap, or drying supplies

How to Prevent It:

• Educate all employees on proper handwashing, including before food prep, after using the restroom, and after handling raw foods
• Maintain accessible and fully stocked handwashing stations with hot water and paper towels

Pro Tip: Install timed reminders near handwashing sinks and monitor usage logs as part of your routine inspection process.

6. Improper Food Storage Temperatures

The Problem: Incorrect cold storage or temperature control can lead to bacterial growth, spoilage, and health code violations during a restaurant health inspection.

Why It Happens:

• Malfunctioning refrigeration or freezing equipment
• Overcrowded units obstructing airflow, leading to uneven cooling

How to Prevent It:

• Record and verify food temperatures daily using digital or probe thermometers
• Space out items to allow cold air circulation
• Follow a equipment maintenance routine

7. Pest Infestation

The Problem: Rodents, insects, or other vermin compromise food safety, contaminate surfaces, and often result in critical violations cited by a health inspector.

Why It Happens:

• Poor waste management
• Structural gaps that allow pest entry

How to Prevent It:

• Seal cracks and entry points
• Follow a standardised waste management practice
• Schedule routine inspections with licensed pest control professionals

Pro Tip: Use ultrasonic pest deterrents and keep cleaning supplies easily accessible to address food debris immediately.

8. Expired Food Items

The Problem: Using or serving food past its expiration can cause illness. Monitoring expiration dates is especially important in restaurants to ensure the safety of the food served to customers.

Why It Happens:

• Disorganized food storage and lack of rotation
• Inconsistent monitoring of expiration dates
• Overstocking beyond the need.

How to Prevent It:

• Implement the FIFO (First In, First Out) method in all food facilities
• Train employees to check and log expiration dates daily

9. Dirty Kitchen Equipment

The Problem: Unclean or neglected kitchen equipment can harbor bacteria and pose a public health hazard, often noted in health inspections.

Why It Happens:

• Missed or inconsistent cleaning protocols
• Lack of knowledge on how to properly sanitize equipments/machinery

How to Prevent It:

• Implement daily and weekly cleaning checklists
• Train staff to fully disassemble and sanitize appliances

Pro Tip: Use cleaning tags or digital logs to track sanitation history—especially for equipment used in food prep.

10. Improper Dishwashing Techniques

The Problem: Failure to properly clean and sanitize utensils and dishware results in cross contamination and possible outbreaks of foodborne illness. Maintaining clean eating surfaces is equally important to prevent foodborne illnesses and ensure customer safety.

Why It Happens:

• Inconsistent dishwashing methods
• Use of incorrect cleaning solutions or water temperature

How to Prevent It:

• Use a three-compartment sink or high-temperature commercial dishwasher
• Regularly test and log sanitizer concentration

Pro Tip: Digitize dishwashing checklists and include them in daily health and safety logs to maintain inspection readiness.

11. Cluttered or Dirty Floors

The Problem: Poor floor maintenance increases slip hazards and contributes to an unsanitary food facility environment.

Why It Happens:

• Delayed response to spills
• Inadequate floor cleaning schedules

How to Prevent It:

• Mop, sweep, and sanitize floors regularly
• Use non-slip mats in high-traffic areas and keep storage areas organized

Pro Tip: Assign staff members to zones with scheduled cleaning times to ensure safety protocols are consistently followed.

12. Inadequate Food Protection

The Problem: Uncovered, poorly labeled, or exposed food is vulnerable to airborne contaminants and cross contamination.

Why It Happens:

• Use of damaged containers or failure to cover food properly
• Disorganized storage practices

How to Prevent It:

• Use tight-fitting lids, wraps, and food-grade containers
• Label all items clearly with prep dates and contents

Pro Tip: Designate a food safety lead each shift to verify compliance and inspect storage areas.

13. Improper Employee Hygiene

The Problem: Poor personal hygiene, such as dirty uniforms or skipped handwashing, frequently leads to critical violations during restaurant health inspections.

Why It Happens:

• Employees skipping required hygiene practices
• Weak enforcement of health and safety protocols

How to Prevent It:

• Train employees in how to maintain their personal hygiene – Use LMS platforms like KNOW to make this easier
• Provide clean uniforms, hairnets, and personal protective equipment
• Conduct regular audits and spot checks

Pro Tip: Introduce team challenges or rewards to encourage adherence to hygiene standards and reduce repeat violations.

14. Unapproved Food Sources

The Problem: Purchasing ingredients from unlicensed or unregulated suppliers puts the restaurant at risk of serving unsafe or non-compliant foods.

Why It Happens:

• Cost-cutting decisions or lack of supplier vetting
• No established vendor qualification process

How to Prevent It:

• Source only from certified and health department-approved vendors
• Maintain records of supplier licenses, delivery logs, and product origins

Pro Tip: Build relationships with trusted local suppliers to improve traceability and enhance ingredient freshness while staying aligned with health codes.

15. Unclean Restrooms

The Problem: Dirty restrooms reflect poorly on overall restaurant cleanliness and can lead to consumer complaints or lowered inspection scores from the health department.

Why It Happens:

• Infrequent restroom cleaning
• Missing cleaning supplies like soap, cleaning liquids, or paper towels

How to Prevent It:

• Clean restrooms multiple times per shift
• Restock essentials like soap and paper towels regularly
• Conduct routine restroom checks during each shift

Pro Tip: Use a digital restroom cleanliness tracker to ensure accountability and document cleaning during busy hours—critical during a follow up inspection.

16. Grease Buildup in Exhaust Systems

The Problem: Excess grease in exhaust hoods creates a fire hazard and is a health and safety concern for food service establishments. Ensuring safety and compliance is a top priority.

Why It Happens:

• Skipped or irregular exhaust cleaning
• High-volume frying or grilling with no grease control practices

How to Prevent It:

• Schedule professional exhaust system cleanings per local health codes
• Conduct weekly visual checks of hoods and filters
• Educate staff on reducing grease output during food prep

Pro Tip: Install grease-trapping filters to slow buildup and reduce risk of violations during a restaurant health inspection.

17. Failure to Properly Label Allergens

The Problem: Unlabeled allergens in dishes pose a significant public health risk and could result in severe reactions and health code violations.

Why It Happens:

• Lack of allergen labeling procedures
• Poor communication between employees in the kitchen and front of house

How to Prevent It:

• Clearly mark allergens on all menu items and food containers
• Train staff to respond accurately to allergy-related questions
• Maintain an up-to-date allergen registry in both digital and printed formats

Pro Tip: Use digital menus or boards for instant allergen updates across your facility to avoid miscommunication during serving food.

18. Inadequate Training for Employees

The Problem: Staff unfamiliar with food safety procedures are more likely to trigger critical violations and compromise overall compliance.

Why It Happens:

• No formal onboarding or training program
• Limited knowledge of health and safety or restaurant health codes

How to Prevent It:

• Conduct recurring training programs on health codes, hygiene, and safe food prep
• Use real-time demonstrations for cleaning, temperature control, and allergen handling
• Assess learning with quizzes and hands-on evaluations

Pro Tip: Use mobile learning platforms with gamified modules to reinforce engagement and retention—an effective approach for food establishments striving for smooth operations and fewer violations.

How KNOW Can Help Avoid Restaurant Health Code Violations?

With so many moving parts, even the most diligent managers can miss something. This is where KNOW comes in, acting as your digital restaurant operations assistant.

From compliance to staff management, KNOW offers a set of solutions designed to help you meet regulatory requirements, improve efficiency, and provide a safe environment for both your customers and staff. Here’s how KNOW can support your restaurant in key areas:

1. Ensure Food Safety and Hygiene Standards

KNOW helps you set up customizable checklists and automates reminders for hygiene practices, ensuring your kitchen consistently meets food safety standards. Real-time tracking lets you stay on top of sanitation tasks and monitor compliance with health codes.

2. Streamline Staff Training and Onboarding

With KNOW, you can provide your team with comprehensive training modules and track their progress. New hires can get up to speed quickly with bite-sized learning journeys, while ongoing training ensures everyone stays updated on food safety protocols.

3. Manage Checklists and Daily Tasks

KNOW makes it easy to assign tasks, set reminders, and monitor progress to ensure that daily operations are always aligned with food safety guidelines. You can create tailored checklists for every shift, so nothing falls through the cracks.

4. Track and Resolve Equipment and Facility Issues

KNOW helps you log maintenance issues in real time, track repairs, and schedule regular upkeep. Whether it’s pest control, equipment malfunctions, or fire safety concerns, KNOW helps you resolve problems quickly before they impact food safety or operations.

5. Simplify Health Audits and Compliance

With KNOW, audits become a streamlined process. All your food safety checks, sanitation logs, and compliance data are digitized and stored in one place. This ensures you’re always prepared for inspections and can quickly address any compliance gaps.

6. Enhance Scheduling and Attendance Management

KNOW lets you create efficient work schedules, track attendance, and ensure proper staffing levels during peak times. It also helps you stay compliant with labor laws by managing shift hours, breaks, and overtime accurately.

7. Digitize Documentation and Reporting

Forget the hassle of paper trails. KNOW digitizes all documentation and generates easy-to-access reports for audits, inspections, and daily tasks. With centralized, up-to-date records, you’ll have the data you need at your fingertips, saving you time and reducing errors.

Final Thoughts

Managing food safety, hygiene, and daily operations can be overwhelming, but with KNOW , you have a powerful tool to streamline your processes and ensure compliance with ease. From staff training to task management and scheduling, KNOW helps your restaurant stay organized, efficient, and ready for audits, inspections, or any challenge that comes your way.

Ready to simplify your operations and enhance your restaurant’s efficiency?