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FROM THE FIELD
December 2004
Digging into the Regulatory Avalanche
Somewhere
along the line we must have transitioned from The Information
Age to The Regulation Age. Or maybe we just blended them. Every
single place you go now, somebody’s finding a new thing to
control.
It hits you even
before you get to the office. An Associated Press story in the
local newspaper today said Britain’s Parliament is looking into
banning smoking in most public places, including office
buildings, restaurants and any pub or bar that serves food.
About 80% of Britain’s pubs and bars serve food, so there you
go.
Meanwhile, on
this side of the pond, we too keep stacking up new regs faster
than you can click on Web links. Last February, at our Multiunit
Foodservice Equipment Symposium, several big chain specifiers
said they think regulatory pressures and food safety will be the
biggest issues heading into the future—even bigger than
population shifts, menu trends, pricing, etc.
So in July, when
we launched our first FER Fortnightly e-newsletter
like a digital Sputnik into the great galactic unknown, we knew
a regulatory beat should be part of it. Janice Cha started
cruising the Internet looking for clues and following up with a
whole lot of old-fashioned phone work. Along the way, she
enlisted the help of our frequent contributor Mike Sherer.
Between the two of them, they’ve opened a veritable Pandora’s
Box.
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In just the
past few months, Fortnightly has reported 50
regulatory stories.
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In just the past
few months, for example, Fortnightly has reported
50 different regulatory stories, and it doesn’t look like we’re
ever going to run out of them.
Among those 50
are a few obvious trends. The move to publicize restaurant
inspection scores is gaining momentum. Dallas right now is
considering whether restaurants will have to post their scores,
report-card style, on site. St. Cloud County, Ill., recently
decided to require Internet posting.
Louisiana,
too, is now into posting scores on the Internet, but the
Pelican
State is jazzing it up with a five-pelican rating system. The
graphics are more fun than letter scores.
Food safety
training’s big, too. Since July, Fortnightly has
reported new laws in Indiana, Maryland and Pennsylvania
requiring certified food handlers on staff.
Alaska’s new code, due early next year, also will address food
safety training.
Smoking debates
are all over the place.
Illinois shot down a proposal that would have banned smoking in
restaurants.
Idaho’s
new ban kicked in July 1. Maryland killed a similar proposal.
And this summer, the day after the
St. Paul,
Minn.,
mayor vetoed a ban, the county there passed one.
Energy
efficiency, too, is becoming a matter of law.
Maryland
has passed standards for numerous appliances including
commercial refrigeration. New Jersey right now is on the same
track.
New Food Codes?
Yep. Connecticut and Washington both announced new Food Codes
this summer, which means, among other things, a ton of
refrigeration will be facing 41°F requirements instead of the
older 45˚F standards. Alaska’s new code is coming early next
year, and
Kentucky is working on one too.
The lists go on
and on. If you want to look at what’s been happening, log onto www.fermag.com/fortnightly/info.htm,
and read the back issues. Then if you’re not already
subscribing, sign up.
Fortunately, The
Information Age will help you keep up with The Regulation Age.
Brian Ward
Chief Editor
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