Hawai‘i Department of Health issues $2,000 fine to Shaka Shaka Tea Express for removing yellow placard
Posted on Oct 15, 2019 in NewsroomHONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Sanitation Branch has issued a Notice of Violation and Order against Maggie Feng, dba Shaka Shaka Tea Express, located at 2600 S. King St. in Honolulu, with a penalty fine of $2,000 for unlawfully and intentionally removing a yellow “Conditional Pass” placard from their facility.
The facility was issued a yellow placard on Sept. 24, 2019 for four critical violations cited during the routine inspection that day. On Sept. 26, 2019, a DOH inspector went to the facility for a follow-up inspection and observed that the placard had been removed and was not posted. The company has 20 days to request a hearing to contest the notice.
“The public has a right to know when violations occur during inspections at local food establishments for their own health and safety, which is why placard removal is a serious public trust violation with substantial consequences,” said Peter Oshiro, environmental health program manager. “Since the start of the new placarding program, we’ve seen excellent compliance with the food industry; this is only the sixth incident involving tampering with a placard.”
According to Hawai‘i Administrative Rules 11-50-9 (b), only authorized DOH agents may post or remove a color-coded placard indicating the compliance status of a food establishment.
Under the state’s restaurant placarding program, DOH’s Food Safety Program has conducted more than 40,000 inspections and issued over 6,500 yellow “Conditional Pass” placards for occurrences of multiple major food safety violations. Of the 6,500 yellow placards issued, only six have resulted in red “Closed” placards due to repeated non-compliance. Hawai‘i’s restaurants, hotels, retail and food manufacturing industry have embraced the state’s food safety regulations and earned an impressive 99.8 percent compliance rate since the program’s inception in 2014.
The DOH Sanitation Branch protects and promotes the health of Hawai‘i residents and visitors through education of food industry workers and regulation of food establishments statewide. The branch conducts routine health inspections of food establishments where food products are prepared, manufactured, distributed, or sold. The branch also investigates the sources of food borne illnesses and potential adulteration; and is charged with mitigating foodborne outbreaks and/or the prevention of future occurrences. Health inspectors work with business owners, food service workers, and the food industry to ensure safe food preparation practices and sanitary conditions.
For more information on the department’s new restaurant placarding program go to https://health.hawaii.gov/san/
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