Restaurant inspection grades are now available on Yelp business pages, through a partnership between the County of San Bernardino Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) and the popular review site Yelp. The collaboration was part of Yelp’s initiative to allow local municipalities to display their health inspection data on the site alongside other business attributes such as service quality, parking availability, and business hours.
“Health inspection reports have been available on our web site since 2006,” said DEHS Division Chief Corwin Porter. “Although many people use our web site to find these reports, many more people use Yelp as a go-to resource for information about local businesses. We are grateful to Yelp for helping us in our efforts to improve public access to our valuable inspection data.”
The A, B, and C grades posted on food facility windows and doors are based on compliance with health and safety regulations. Consumers who visit Yelp to look at restaurant reviews will also be able to see the restaurant’s latest inspection letter grade and any violations and/or corrections. All San Bernardino County restaurants’ inspection data for the last two years are currently available on Yelp.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 48 million people become sick from foodborne illness each year, causing 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually. Almost half of reported foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States occur in restaurant settings.
“We are always striving to find new and innovative ways to better protect public health and safety through making data available to the public,” said DEHS Program Manager Josh Dugas. “The idea is to empower consumers to make informed decisions about where they eat. We are excited about this collaboration with Yelp and what it means for our residents and visitors.”
The services provided by DEHS are in line with the Countywide Vision to protect the health and safety of residents and visitors. Information on the Countywide Vision, Job Statement, and Paradigm can be found at www.sbcounty.gov/vision.
For more information please contact DEHS at (800) 442-2283 or visit www.sbcounty.gov/dph/dehs.