When John Caldwell enters a restaurant, the first thing he does is wash his hands.

That’s not a bad idea for you to do also, said the man charged with inspecting restaurants and other facilities serving food in Cherokee County.

Caldwell, a Tahlequah native who received a degree in environmental health from Northeastern State University, joined the Cherokee County Health Department at the end of May, filing an environmental health specialist position that had been vacant for more than a year. Until his arrival, sanitarians from other counties had filled in performing restaurant and other inspections locally.

The role Caldwell and his colleagues play in public health received closer scrutiny after an outbreak of E. coli in northeastern Oklahoma was reported a month ago. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the person last reported to become ill with the disease became sick Sept. 6. By that time, 314 people had become ill, at least 72 were hospitalized, 17 placed on dialysis and one man died.

All known cases were associated with the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove, a popular buffet where many local residents have enjoyed dining in the past. The restaurant has remained closed since the outbreak was announced. Health Department investigators are continuing work to determine the specific conditions that created the outbreak.

When most people have lunch with friends from the office or decide to go out for dinner, they don’t worry about ending up in the hospital. And they shouldn’t have to, Caldwell said.

“Breathe a sigh of relief, because Tahlequah restaurants, cafeterias, are doing very well,” he said. “They’re clean, they’re compliant, they’re educated. They know what to do and they’re doing it. There’s not a restaurant that I couldn’t take my family to eat.”

And he’s careful about what his 3-year-old daughter consumes.

“I have not walked into any place with any violations that were a major concern,” he said.

Caldwell was asked how he goes about a restaurant inspection. He finds the owner or the person in charge, identifies himself, and looks at the permit to see if everything is up to date.

“I want my presence known. I want the employees to see me, and I want them to see what I’m doing,” he said. “First, I wash my hands, take the 20 seconds to rub them. It sets an example for everyone.”

Cleanliness is the number one principle throughout the inspection – cleanliness of the facility and the personnel, and the methods they use to prepare the food that winds up on your table or in your carryout bag.

“The next thing I do is get out my digital thermometer and clean the end of it, and start testing temperatures at the prep station,” he said.

He tests the temperature of the grill if it is in use, the temperatures in the refrigerators and freezers. He checks to see if food is stored properly, and if it is marked with the date when it was prepared. He checks to make sure the food is covered properly so nothing leaks into other food containers. He checks for cross-contamination of raw and cooked foods, especially of raw meat products.

Franchises usually supply local businesses with stickers to mark the containers properly, while a mom and pop business may have labels written on masking tape. Either is OK. Franchises also may have employee regulations in addition to those established by the health department, such as requiring workers to wear gloves while preparing sandwiches.