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Governor Eric J. Holcomb
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Environmental Health Services

The mission of the Environmental Division is to improve and protect the environmental health of Union County.
Food Protection Services
  • The Union County Health Department is authorized by law to ensure that foods are safe, wholesome, sanitary, and regulated products are honestly and accurately represented and in compliance with the state laws and regulations.
  • Maintains the retail food establishment's annual permit records and
  • Conduct inspections and investigations of the retail food establishments to determine compliance with this Rule 410 IAC 7-24.
  • Public Health Protection
    • Uniformly apply this rule to all retail food establishments in a reasonable manner that promotes its underlying purpose of safeguarding public health and ensuring that food is safe, not misbranded, and honestly presented when offered to the consumer.
Certified Food Handlers Rule
  • Indiana's Certified Food Handler Rule requires at least one (1) food handler at a food establishment must be a Certified Food Protection Manager. A Certified Food Protection Manager's 5-YEAR certification must be recognized by ANSI-CFP Accredited organizations certification examination as determined by the Indiana State Department of Health.
  • See Food Protection for details, codes, Home Based Vendor Rule and ServSafe schedules.
Temporary Food Establishment
  • Title 410 IAC 7-24 Temporary Food Establishment Section 98 "Temporary Food Establishment" defined:
    "Temporary Food Establishment" means a retail food establishment that operates for a period of no more than fourteen (14) consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration with the approval of the organizers of the event or celebration.
  • Application for a Temporary Food Permit
  • Please complete the application form and return it with your fee payment to the Union County Health Department, 6 West South Street - Ste 2, Liberty, Indiana 47353, prior to the event.
  • Copy of the Certified Food Protection Manager's 5-YEAR certificate and a government-issued picture ID must be provided with the application.
  • Temporary Food Establishments shall have their Certified Food Protection Manager at the event for each day.
  • For persons applying for a temporary food permit, a fee of Thirty dollars ($30.00) shall be paid for days One (1) thru Five (5) of operation, and Ten dollars ($10.00) for each day after five (5) days for one event. Fees shall be sent to the Union County Health Department prior to the event and permits shall be issued after an inspection of your temporary food establishment.
  • Vendors without a fee payment receipt at the time of inspection will not receive a permit and will not be able to open and serve food for the event.
  • All permit fees must be received in the Union County Health Department office for payment receipts to be issued prior to the event.
    Normal hours for the Health Department are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and I:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m

Starting a Retail Food Establishment

  • Requires knowledge of Indiana food laws and any federal regulations. A retail food establishment is briefly defined as "an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption" ( 410 IAC 7-24-79). The term includes a delivery service or a mobile or temporary facility where consumption is on or off the premises, and regardless of whether there is a charge for the food.
  • The Indiana State food law requires that all food establishments be registered through the state or the county health department. The county health departments have jurisdiction over a retail food establishment not on state property
  • Union County Ordinance requires a permit and a fee to operate a retail food establishment.
  • Prerequisite for Operation:
    • Section 107 of 410 IAC 7-24 states that the retail food establishment shall notify the regulatory authority with an intent to operate at least 30 days prior to registering under this rule.
    • Section 110 of 410 IAC 7-24 requires that plans be submitted to the regulatory authority. The submission of plans is also required by other state entities, such as Fire and Building Services; your architect or engineer should have that information.
  • The following shall be required prior to the operation of a retail food establishment:
    • A pre-operational facility inspection
    • A food establishment permit issued by the Union County Health Department
  • A Short Check List:
    • Plans and Registration/Permit Applications are submitted to the regulatory authority.
    • All food employees shall be free from infection or illness that is transmissible by food and shall practice excellent hygiene.
    • A person who is responsible for food safety at the establishment shall be trained in food safety.
    • All foods/ingredients must be obtained from an approved source and received in good condition and at the proper temperature.
    • Keep the facility secure from insects, birds, and rodents.
    • Refrigeration/freezer/hot and cold holding equipment must meet the needs of the operation.
    • Equipment must be designed, constructed, and installed properly.
    • The facility must have accurate thermometers.
    • The facility must have adequate water and sewage systems.
    • The facility must have sinks for handwashing, equipment/utensil cleaning, and a mop/service sink.
    • The floors, walls, and ceilings must be smooth and easily cleanable.
Oversees the permitting process for residential onsite sewage systems in compliance with Indiana State Department of Health Rule 410 IAC 6-8.3
  1. Inspection of all septic system installations prior to covering
  2. Site visits before, during, and after construction

Environmental health inspections for:

  1. Surface water pollution
  2. Disposal of solid waste

Certified Lab Water Testing Kits (Available in Office)

Septic Permit Plan Review Process:

  1. Submit Septic Permit Application
  2. Submit a site plan of the property
  3. Obtain a soil evaluation analysis - A Certified Soil Scientist must perform the soil evaluation
  4. Letter of Availability for Sanitary Sewer Service
    (a) Required if the property is located within the Brookville Lake Regional Waste District boundaries and must accompany the application
    (b) This is obtained from the Brookville Lake Regional Waste District, 21 East Union St, Liberty, IN
  5. Site plans, system design, and installation of residential onsite sewage systems must comply with Indiana State Department of Health Rule 410 IAC 6-8.3 Residential Onsite Sewage Systems and local ordinances.

See the Septic Permit Procedure Information Booklet for elements of the Plan Submittal