Allegheny County Team Will Check For COVID-19 Rules Compliance

PITTSBURGH, PA — Allegheny County has created a COVID-19 field response team that will visit businesses to determine if establishments are following state-mandated safety precautions. The 10-member contracted team begins work Thursday.

The group will check to see if businesses are following the state's masking order, recent orders regarding bars and restaurants, occupancy restrictions and physical distancing requirements.

During each visit, team members will complete a checklist during their visit and provide a copy of that checklist and education materials to management. The business’ name, date of the visit and a copy of the checklist will be posted to the county website so the public can see which businesses
are complying with the safety mandates.

The site will be accessible through the county’s COVID-19 page. The first checklists are expected to be published on Friday.

Team members will initially visit bars and restaurants identified through resident complaints made to the department. If a team member finds a bar or restaurant not following all of the required COVID-19 safety measures, the Health Department’s Food Safety Program will be notified. An inspector from the Food Safety Program will be sent out to do an inspection with violations potentially resulting in the facility being shut down.

Inspections by the program will be posted on the Health Department’s website along with all other inspection reports.

At bars and restaurants, field response team members will check for:

Tables spaced far enough apart to allow for physical distancing.

• Indoor occupancy capped at 25 percent.

• Staff and customers wearing masks.

• No bar seating and no smoking.

• Dine-in service ending at 11 p.m..

• Signs reminding customers of the safety precautions.