BUREAU OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

The Bureau of Inspection and Enforcement is responsible for conducting sanitation inspections of establishments that possess a Sanitary Permit to ensure their compliance with governing statutes and rules and regulations. These health-regulated establishments (HRE) include: Eating and Drinking establishments; Retail Food establishments; Hotels/Motels; Cosmetics establishments; Institutional establishments; Public Laundromats and Dry Cleaners; Public swimming pools; Commercial animal establishments; and mortuaries.

Establishments with violations must be re-inspected to ensure compliance within the provisions of Title 10 GCA, Chapter 21, §21107. Demerit scores are 0-10/A, 11-20/B, must be inspected after 30 days of the initial inspection, or sooner if the establishment submits a written request. Demerit score of 21-40/C, must be inspected after 15 days of the initial inspection, or sooner if the establishment submits a written request. Critical violations (demerit score of 6) must be followed-up after 10 days of the initial inspection, or sooner if the establishment submits a written request. A follow-up inspection (Eating & Drinking, Retail Food Service, Laundry/Dry Cleaners) that results in the citing of the same violation previously noted in the initial inspection may cause the lowering of the grade for that establishment.

Duties and Responsibilities of BIE

Performs routine inspections of regulated establishment and private premises to ensure these facilities and sites conform to the requirements of the following sanitation statutes and their respective rules and regulations. Title 10 GCA Chapter 20 General Provision/Public Nuisance, Chapter 21 Sanitation, Chapter 22 Health Certificate, Chapter 23 Eating and Drinking, Chapter 24 Food Establishment, Chapter 25 Institutional Facilities, Chapter 26 Hotel sanitation, Chapter 27 Cosmetic Establishment, Chapter 28 Laundries & Dry Cleaning, Chapter 29 Swimming Pools, Chapter 30 Cemetery & Mortuary, Chapter 33 solid waste, Chapter 35 Livestock & Poultry, Chapter 39 Wastewater & Toilet, Chapter 51-Article 2 Littering and Chapter 90 Smoking.

Performs routine inspections of consumer commodities (foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, and hazardous substances) for compliance at ports of entry and retail establishments to ensure all imported, distributed, and retailed commodities are properly labeled and safe for human use in accordance to Title 10 GCA, Chapter 32 Hazardous substances and chapter 40 Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.

If necessary, the employee will also perform routine investigations relating to consumer commodities through interview of individuals, review of documents, and examination of commodities.

Performs routine surveillance and control of vectors and pests to prevent their introduction and proliferation because of their potential to transmit diseases or become a significant public nuisance, as mandated by Title 10 GCA Chapter 36 Mosquito control, Chapter 37 Rodent control, and Chapter 38 Fly control and the WHO’s International Health Regulations. Such surveillance and control involve the trapping of vectors, their identification through use of field and lab equipment, mounting and preservation of specimens, maintenance records, and simple statistical analyses of data and application of pesticides.

Find a rule or regulation (Guam Complier of Laws) Division 2 – Environmental Health Chapter 20: General Provisions Chapter 21: Sanitation Chapter 22: Health Certificates Chapter 23: Eating & Drinking Establishments Chapter 24: Food Establishment Chapter 25: Institutional Facilities Chapter 26: Hotel Sanitation Chapter 26a: Temporary Workforce Housing Chapter 27: Cosmetic Establishment Chapter 28: Laundries and Dry Cleaners Chapter 29: Swimming Pools Chapter 30: Cemetery and Mortuary Chapter 31: Radiological Health Chapter 32: Hazardous Substances Chapter 33: Solid Waste Chapter 34: Keeping Animals Chapter 35: Livestock and Poultry Chapter 36: Mosquito Control Chapter 37: Rodent Control Chapter 38: Miscellaneous Chapter 39: Wastewater and Toilets Chapter 40: Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act Chapter 51: Solid Waste Management and Litter Control Chapter 90: Regulation of Smoking

How do I obtain a copy of Rules and Regulations?

Contact the Division of Environmental Health at Tel. 300-9579 or Fax 300-9577 and pick up a copy at the DPHSS/DEH office located in the Guam Environmental Public Health Laboratory.

How do I request for an inspection of my regulated facility?

You can contact the Division of Environmental Health at 300-9579 and request for the inspection of your business.

How do I obtain a Re-inspection Request Form? The Re-inspection Request Form can be downloaded from our website (www.dphss.guam.gov).

What kind of complaints does the Bureau of Inspection and Enforcement respond to?

The Bureau responds to the following types of complaints: Unsanitary conditions caused by littering, smoking, sewage backup; Unsanitary conditions observed at a health-regulated establishment, such as restaurants;

What would constitute a Public Nuisance that can be reported to the Bureau of Inspection and Enforcement?

A public nuisance is a condition that is dangerous to life, injurious to health, or renders soil, water, or food impure and unwholesome. Some examples are:

Potentially contaminated food being sold at a grocery store; Sewage backup at a restaurant; A swimming pool without life safety equipment; Draining of wastewater directly to the ground; or Broken playground equipment at a public park.

How do I file a public nuisance complaint?

Complete the public nuisance complaint form available for download at our website (www.dphss.guam.gov), which may be submitted to the Bureau of Inspection and Enforcement at the Division of Environmental Health by:

Fax at 300-9577; or

Postal Mail at Division of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health and Social Services, 155 Hesler Place, Hagatna, Guam 96910; or

Email to DPHSS-DEH@DPHSS.GUAM.GOV; or Hand delivered to our office located in Hagatna at 155 Hesler Place, previously the old Legislature building.  Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/XHcyWDVsRaeqQP4YA.  

What are the types of facilities that are regulated by the Bureau of Inspection and Enforcement? 

Eating and Drinking Establishment; Retail Food Establishment; Institutional Facilities; Hotel Establishments; Cosmetics Establishment; Dry Cleaning/Laundry Establishment; Swimming Pools.

How to report a Foodborne Illness complaint?

Complete the public nuisance complaint form available for download at our website (www.dphss.guam.gov), which may be submitted to the Bureau of Inspection and Enforcement at the Division of Environmental Health by:

Fax at 300-9577; or

Mail to Division of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health and Social Services, 155 Hesler Place, Hagatna, Guam 96910; or

Email to DPHSS-DEH@DPHSS.GUAM.GOV; or Hand delivered to our office located Hagatna at 155 Hesler Place, previously the old Legislature building.  Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/XHcyWDVsRaeqQP4YA.

What do the letter grades posted at a regulated facility mean?

A:  0-10 Demerit Scores B:  11-20 Demerit Scores C:  21-40 Demerit Scores D:  41-Above Demerit Scores will result in a Closure.

What should I look for before I eat at a restaurant?

Look at the overall sanitation of the establishment. Employees practicing good personal hygiene. Food being adequately cooked. Proper holding temperature of food.

Inside the Bureau of Inspection and Enforcement