High Priority Violations
10 points deducted per violation
These violations pose a direct risk to public health. They can directly cause foodborne illness if not addressed immediately. Health inspectors often require immediate correction for these violations.
Common Examples
- •Food held at unsafe temperatures (below 135°F hot or above 41°F cold)
- •Raw animal food not separated from ready-to-eat food
- •Employees not washing hands properly
- •Food from unsafe or unapproved sources
- •Inadequate cooking temperatures for meat, poultry, or eggs
- •Contaminated or adulterated food
- •Toxic substances improperly stored near food
Intermediate Violations
5 points deducted per violation
These violations could lead to high priority issues if not corrected. They represent lapses in food safety practices that increase risk but may not pose an immediate health threat.
Common Examples
- •No certified food manager on duty
- •Inadequate handwashing facilities
- •Improper food date marking or labeling
- •Food time/temperature records not maintained
- •Insufficient water supply or pressure
- •Improper use of bare hands on ready-to-eat food
Basic Violations
2 points deducted per violation
These are best practiceviolations related to general cleanliness and maintenance. While important for overall hygiene, they typically don't pose direct food safety risks.
Common Examples
- •Non-food contact surfaces not clean
- •Floors, walls, or ceilings not maintained
- •Improper trash container use or placement
- •Missing required signage
- •Minor equipment maintenance issues
- •Wiping cloths not properly stored
At a Glance
| Category | Points | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| High Priority | -10 | Direct health hazard |
| Intermediate | -5 | Potential hazard |
| Basic | -2 | Best practice |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a high priority violation?
A high priority violation is a condition that directly contributes to foodborne illness or injury. Examples include food held at unsafe temperatures, raw meat contaminating ready-to-eat food, and employees not washing hands. These carry the heaviest point deductions (10 points each) in the SafeDine scoring system.
Should I avoid a restaurant with violations?
Not necessarily. Most restaurants receive some violations during inspections — it's part of the inspection process. What matters is the severity and pattern. A restaurant with a few basic violations is very different from one with recurring high priority violations. SafeDine scores help you distinguish between these scenarios at a glance.
What happens when a violation is corrected on site?
When a violation is fixed during the inspection (corrected on site), SafeDine reduces the penalty by 50%. This rewards restaurants that take immediate action to address issues, while still noting that the violation occurred.
Do all cities use the same violation categories?
While violation categories vary by jurisdiction, SafeDine normalizes all inspection data into three tiers: High Priority (direct health hazards), Intermediate (potential hazards), and Basic (best practices). This allows consistent scoring across all cities regardless of the local inspection format.
Want to understand a specific score?
Visit any restaurant page to see a detailed breakdown of their violations and how they affect the score.
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