Ozarks Profile: Ron Lawson

Public Health Investigator III, Springfield-Greene County Health Department

What is your job?

I supervise six inspectors who do various food inspection-type jobs food protection. Five of those people do food-service inspections. One does food warehouse inspection, food processing, food manufacturing, day cares and swimming pool inspections. And then I do the retail food inspections, and that is grocery store, convenience store types that do not prepare food.

How did you get to this point in your career?

I started out in 1968 in the laboratory as a microbiologist, and I worked at that for about 4 1/2 years. When I quit, I was director of the lab, and then I was not with the health department for about three years, and came back as a food inspector or sanitarian or the title is now public health investigator and had a territory of food-service inspections under a supervisor. Through people leaving, I was made the supervisor.

How have food inspections and issues changed?

Technology has increased as far as how food is handled over the years. We operated for years under a 1943 code and 2000 the state adopted what is called the 1999 Missouri Food Code, which was modeled after the federal code. Springfield-Greene County adopted that in May 2000. We had to be as strict as the state, and we used some of the state statutes because our ordinance was so out of date.

What are some changes with the new code?

One is the holding temperatures of food. Cold holding is now 41 (degrees). It used to be 45. That's on new restaurants that go in. It's kind of complicated. Other things no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, hair restraints are more defined now. Date marking is another one any potentially hazardous food that's prepared and held more than 24 hours must be date marked with the time that this food must be thrown out. And that is up to seven days if the refrigerator is holding at 41 degrees or below. If the refrigerators run between 41 and 45, they must date mark it to be thrown out at four days, not seven.

One big thing under the new code is that managers or persons in charge must have knowledge of food safety.

What are some responsibilities of managers and persons in charge?

They have a big responsibility placed on them in restricting workers who are sick, are showing symptoms of being sick. They need to be aware of and have knowledge of diseases that cause food poisoning.

How often is a food establishment subject to an inspection?

According to our mandate, we must inspect these food-service places and the retail places two times per year. If someone calls in a complaint, we'll go out and make an inspection.

Do you like to go out to eat?

You know, I enjoy eating out some, but we don't do it very much. That's not my big thing.

What do you do in your spare time?

I live in the country and I like to be outside. I have a small farm, and I have cattle in the summertime. I like to hunt. I like to bowhunt, and I like to bow shoot.

Tell us about your family.

I have a new grandson who's about a year old. He's the pride and joy of my life right now. His name is Keaton Jeffrey Sneed.