A list of documents, guides, and forms that can help you operate your permitted establishment according to code. 

Code and Code Compliance

• Food and Food Handling Code - Alexandria Health Department enforces food and food handling code in the City of Alexandria. 
• Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) Guide - Alexandria Health Department requires a Certified Food Protection Manager to oversee the safety of food operations within a food establishment. This guide contains guidelines about CFPMs and how to be accredited locally.
• Inspection CFPM Knowledge Guide - List of questions a food protection manager will be asked about during an inspection.

Miscellaneous Food Safety Guidance

• Canned Food
  [English Guide] 
  Pictures of when to throw out dented or rusted cans.                                                              
• Employee Health Guidance
  [English Guide]     
  Guide outlining what you should do when an employee is ill and asks to work. 
• Employee Health Policy Agreement
  [English ]    [Español]
  Form template you can use with your employees to meet the employee health requirements in the food code.
• Handwashing Posters
  [ English/Español]    [ English/Other]
  Bilingual posters that can be printed to place next to each hand sink in an establishment.    
• Non-Continuous Cooking Guidelines & Procedures
  [English Guide] 
  Guide on how to safely stop the cooking process to begin at a future time.
• Parasite Destruction Guidance
  [English Guide] 
  For those that serve salmon, sushi, ceviche, sashimi, cold-smoked fish or other seafood in a raw or rare form.
• Process HACCP Background Information
  [English Guide]
  Guide introducing the major components of a HACCP quality control plan for food service.
• Time as a Public Health Control
  [English Form]
  Form template you can used to set up a 'Time as a Public Health Control' procedures.

• Canned Food
  [English Guide]
  Pictures of when to throw out dented or rusted cans.
• Cooking for Groups
  [English Guide]    [Español]    [USDA Website]
  USDA guide for volunteers, church groups, or families who serving large groups of people.
• Food & Water Safety During a Storm
  See alexandriava.gov/80073 for what to do during a storm. 
• Take-Out Safety
  [Website]
  USDA guide talks about safety concerns for take-out, left-overs, and doggie bags.
• Helpful Websites
  • www.servsafe.com/nfsem  
  • www.fightbac.org   
  • www.FoodSafety.gov   

Smoking is banned in Virginia restaurants. However, a restaurant may create a smoking section if it requests permission from the health department and meets one of the exemptions listed under Article 2 of the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act. 

The most common exemption used by restaurants in Alexandria is when the 'smoking section' is structurally separated and separately ventilated from the 'non-smoking section.' When a restaurant qualifies for this or another an exemption, the Health Department issues a notice (poster) outlining:

1. which exemption the facility has met,
2. the description of the area that the notice refers to, and,
3. a city reference number that our office can refer to during any subsequent investigation. 

Title 11, Chapter 10 of the Code of the City of Alexandria sets ratio of smoking to non-smoking seats in a restaurant. 

See this guide or visit the  Breathe Easy website for more information about the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act. 

If you are considering hosting a pet night at your restaurant or business, call Alexandria Health Department at 703.746.4910. 

Operators need to apply for a variance from the food code and must renew this each year to allow pets into their restaurants. 

What is food defense?

Food defense means preventing or eliminating the intentional tampering or contamination of food. Tampering or contamination may be biological, chemical, physical, nuclear or radioactive.  Deliberate tampering or contamination of food includes malicious, criminal and terrorist acts. 

Why should you be concerned with Food Defense?

You and your employees are the front line in protecting the nation's food supply.  Everyday thousands of people eat, drink and snack at food establishments in Alexandria.  Retail food establishments like yours have been identified as a potential target for intentional tampering and contamination of food.  An attack on the food supply in Alexandria could cause mass illness and panic and have a huge effect on our economy.

What should you do?

The FDA, USDA and Homeland Security have created a number of food defense tools for food establishment operators and employees.  Ensure that all employees are trained in food defense and can identify potential threats to your food supply.  You can start by implementing the Employees FIRST and ALERT initiatives.

• Employees FIRST  
• ALERT initiatives  
• Creating a Food Defense Plan  
• If You See Something, Say Something!TM  Flyer 

Remember, you and your employees should trust your instincts. If something seems suspicious, it probably is.