LA County Dept of Public Health
Los Angeles, CA
Avg Review
21d
Rejection Rate
35%
Skill Files
8
Status
Medium
Ventilation — Kitchen Exhaust & Makeup Air
CalCode §114149.1 / CMC 507Adequate ventilation to remove smoke, steam, and grease-laden vapors. Hood system must prevent grease or condensation from dripping onto food or food contact surfaces. Makeup air required to maintain positive or neutral pressure in food prep areas.
Examiner Note: LA County Health verifies ventilation prevents contamination of food prep areas. Separate from LADBS mechanical review.
Common rejection: Ventilation plan does not demonstrate adequate coverage of cooking equipment preventing condensation over food prep
Correction: Show hood coverage extending 6 inches beyond cooking equipment on all sides on M-1. Note makeup air system maintains neutral pressure in food prep areas.
Fire — Kitchen Fire Safety for Health Review
CalCode §114149.3 / NFPA 96Health department verifies fire suppression system is designed for food equipment layout. Suppression discharge must not contaminate food storage areas. Post-discharge cleanup procedures required in operational plan.
Examiner Note: Health dept wants confirmation that suppression discharge chemicals are food-safe and that a cleanup protocol exists.
Common rejection: No documentation of post-suppression-discharge food safety protocol
Correction: Add note on plan: 'Post-suppression discharge cleanup per NFPA 96 §11.2. All food in discharge area will be discarded. Surfaces sanitized before resuming operations.'
Plumbing — 3-Compartment Sink & Handwash
CalCode §114099 / §114125 / §1141313-compartment sink required for manual warewashing: each compartment large enough to submerge largest equipment. Hot water at 120°F minimum. Handwash sink required within 25 feet of each food prep station, with soap, paper towels, and 100°F hot water. Mop sink required in each facility. All sinks must have indirect waste to floor drain.
Examiner Note: Health plan check measures handwash sink distance on the floor plan — must be actual walking path, not straight-line distance. 25-foot maximum strictly enforced.
Common rejection: Handwash sink exceeds 25-foot path distance from food prep area; missing soap/towel dispensers on plan
Correction: Relocate or add handwash sink within 25-foot walking path of food prep area. Show soap dispenser and paper towel dispenser on plan at each handwash station per CalCode §114131.
Electrical — Health Dept Electrical Requirements
CalCode §114149.2 / CEC 422Adequate lighting required: 50 foot-candles at food prep surfaces, 20 foot-candles in handwash and warewash areas, 10 foot-candles in walk-in units and dry storage. Light fixtures must be shatter-resistant or shielded over food areas.
Examiner Note: LA County Health verifies lighting levels are noted on the electrical plan. Shatter-resistant fixture specification must be called out.
Common rejection: Lighting foot-candle levels not specified on electrical plan for food prep areas
Correction: Add lighting level notes on E-1: 50 FC at food prep, 20 FC at handwash/warewash, 10 FC in storage. Specify shatter-resistant lenses on all fixtures over food areas.
Health — Food Contact Surfaces & Finishes
CalCode §114099.6 / §114271 / LACDPH Retail Food CodeAll food contact surfaces smooth, easily cleanable, nonabsorbent, and nontoxic. Floors: sealed concrete, quarry tile, or equivalent — slip-resistant, coved at walls. Walls: smooth, washable, light-colored — FRP or stainless steel behind cooking to 6 feet AFF. Ceilings: smooth, cleanable, light-colored. No exposed wood in food areas.
Examiner Note: LACDPH strictly reviews finish schedule. All wall, floor, and ceiling materials must be specified on plans with manufacturer and model.
Common rejection: Finish schedule incomplete — missing wall material specification behind cooking line or ceiling material in food prep area
Correction: Complete finish schedule on A-series plans. Specify: floors (sealed concrete or quarry tile with coved base), walls (FRP or SS to 6' AFF behind cooking, washable paint elsewhere), ceilings (washable, smooth, light-colored). No exposed wood.
Structural — Health Dept Equipment Mounting
CalCode §114169 / §114271.1Floor-mounted equipment must be on legs 6 inches minimum above floor or sealed to floor. Wall-mounted equipment must be sealed to wall or mounted on brackets 6 inches from wall for cleaning access. Equipment must be NSF-listed or equivalent.
Examiner Note: Health dept checks equipment mounting details on plans. Show clearance dimensions for all kitchen equipment.
Common rejection: Equipment mounting clearances not shown — unable to verify cleaning access around and under equipment
Correction: Add equipment mounting details on floor plan showing 6-inch leg height for floor-mounted units or sealed-to-floor condition. Show 6-inch wall clearance for wall-mounted equipment. Note all equipment NSF-listed.
ADA — Health Dept Accessible Service
CalCode §114292 / CBC 11B-904If customer service counter is provided, accessible portion required at 34 inches AFF maximum. Accessible route to customer pickup area required. Self-service areas accessible per CBC 11B-904.
Common rejection: Customer pickup counter height not specified or exceeds 34 inches AFF
Correction: Show customer pickup counter at 34 inches AFF maximum on A-1. Dimension accessible route from entry to service area. Note self-service items within accessible reach range per CBC 11B-308.
Egress — Health Dept Facility Access
CalCode §114259 / §114285Food facility must have adequate number of exits per occupant load. Aisles between equipment minimum 36 inches wide (44 inches preferred). Storage areas must not block egress paths. Employee restroom required and must not open directly into food prep area (intervening hallway or vestibule required).
Examiner Note: Health dept measures aisle widths on submitted plans. Tight layouts frequently rejected.
Common rejection: Aisle width between equipment stations less than 36 inches; restroom door opens directly into food prep
Correction: Dimension all aisle widths between equipment on floor plan — minimum 36 inches clear. Add vestibule or intervening passage between restroom and food prep area per CalCode §114259.