New regulations that will revise how Denver restaurants are punished for health violations are a welcome change to an important system.
Fines will be stepped up for those establishments that have repeated critical violations.
But the new system also will not include the requirement that restaurants hang violation notices in their windows for less serious offenses.
The changes were crafted by regulators and restaurant interests, and the cooperation is evident.
We’re also glad to see that the public will have improved online access to restaurant inspection results at . Such information always has been public, but it has not been as convenient to review.
To be clear, the new regulations continue to call for strong action against businesses engaging in practices that pose imminent public health risks.
Those restaurants are closed immediately, face big fines, and a violation notice is posted on a front door or window. An example would be an infestation of rodents or insects.
Less serious infractions — say, if a cook isn’t wearing a hat — won’t necessitate a violation notice in the window.
The reworking of the system makes the punishment more appropriate to the particular transgression. Restaurants avoid an embarrassing notice in the front window for minor violations.
Yet the increased fines — as high as $500 for the third critical violation in a year — will provide a potent economic incentive for restaurants to get things right.
