County of Rockland, New York :: Food and Recreation

Food Handlers Course

This course provides basic food handling procedures. Some topics covered are food preparation and storage, cooking, cooling and reheating temperatures, glove use and handwashing along with refrigeration temperatures. Sanitization of equipment and food contact surfaces will also be discussed along with ill worker policy.

This is a two day course being held on November 8th and 9th, 2023 from 2:30-5:00 PM

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Food Service Establishments

The Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) is responsible for inspecting and permitting over 1000 various food service establishments (FSE)'s, including restaurants, cafeterias, food trucks, and food stands. Additionally, staff investigate complaints from the public regarding cleanliness or suspected illness after visiting a facility.

Regulations

NYS Sanitary Code, Subpart 14-1- (Food Service Establishments)
NYS Sanitary Code, Subpart 14-2- (Temporary Food Service Establishments)
NYS Sanitary Code, Subpart 14-4- (Mobile Food Service Establishments and Pushcarts)
NYS Sanitary Code, Subpart 14-5- (Vending of Food & Beverages)
Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article VI- Food Service Establishments

Operators who fail to comply with Sanitary Code requirements can be fined or ordered closed. Prospective food service operators can obtain the relevant forms and applications below.

Some establishments, such as supermarkets and convenience stores, are not regulated by Rockland County. More information on these locations can be found at NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Inspection Search

The NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) has an online FSE database where you can instantly view the results of FSE inspections. Customers may learn if their restaurant of choice has a satisfactory inspection history.

Please Note: The NYSDOH database contains inspection information for active facilities from 2005 to the present, and the data is updated monthly. To obtain information pre-2005, on facilities that are no longer operating, or a previous FSE owner/operator, please submit a FOIL request.

Disclaimer: As a result of an inspection, the RCDOH may issue violations to the FSE. Owners of the FSE have the opportunity to dispute these violations at an administrative hearing and before the Commissioner of Health. The information presented here may reflect inspections that have not been adjudicated and have not been submitted to the Rockland County Commissioner of Health for an ultimate determination. Links on this page are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the County of Rockland of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. The County of Rockland bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links.

Children's Camps

Staff are also responsible for inspecting and permitting dozens of children's camp in the county, which are operated by private owners, municipalities and religious and charitable organizations. Staff inspection the camp before they open, review of camp staff qualifications and training, first aid and CPR certifications, camper medical forms, and a walk around the camp grounds to observe the structural integrity of buildings and swimming pools.

An unannounced inspection is conducted at least once during the camp season to observe the supervision of campers while they are engaged in the numerous activities that might pose a risk to their health and safety. Go-carts, swimming, climbing towers, zip lines, and the food service are all checked while in use by the campers.

Children's camps are regulated by the Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article VIII and the New York State Sanitary Code Subpart 7-2 (Children's Camps). Camps not in compliance could face enforcement action resulting in a civil penalty.