Each game day, in stainless steel kitchens and concrete concession stands, University health inspectors work to protect Michigan sports fans from potential food-borne illnesses.

Stadiums across the country rely on county-run inspectors to investigate potential health code violations, but the University has a unique team of inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Environmental Health department. This is a self-contained bureau within the University that monitors health practices at Michigan Stadium, Crisler Arena, Yost Ice Arena and all food venues on campus.

Before each season starts, OSEH inspectors evaluate all permanent stadium vendors. Each game day, they inspect temporary food vendors before the concessions begin selling products to fans.

University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said temporary vendors who fail inspections before games aren’t allowed to open their stands.

“There is a strong incentive to do things right,” he said. “Because if they can’t open on a game day, they miss an entire day of revenue.”

Inspectors also examine permanent stadium vendors during games, monitoring employee practices and possible equipment malfunctions.

According to health officials, one of the advantages of separating University health inspections from Washtenaw County inspections is that inspectors are able to fix most violations immediately. For example, when employees do not wear hair restraints, they are corrected on site.

Eastern Michigan University uses county inspectors to check its stadium, and according to Larry Gates, director of EMU Dining Services, the inspectors come a few times a season.

Gates said even when dealing with a smaller venue, he can relate to the stress felt by the health inspectors.

“The worry can cause you to have a heart failure,” he said. “We’ve got 8,000 people, food everywhere and 6,000 hot dogs that need to be cooked at the exact right temperature. It’s a food servicer’s nightmare.”

At Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, the stadium is also under county jurisdiction.

Eva Yusa, director of communications at Levy Restaurants — the company that runs concessions at Ford Field — wrote in an e-mail interview that Ford Field vendors appreciate the sporadic inspections.

Training and certification for University health inspectors is the same as the process for Washtenaw County inspectors, and the University health code is the standard health code throughout the state of Michigan. Rather than issuing a letter or number grade for inspections, inspectors deem violations as critical or non-critical.

David Peters, OSEH representative and stadium health inspector, said practices that can contaminate food and cause illness are considered critical violations. Practices that do not cause disease or illness are non-critical.

According to 2009 OSEH reports, Michigan Stadium received eight violations during last football season but only three were critical:

Employees drinking from uncovered beverage containers

Stadium employees drinking from beverage containers are required to do so with a lid and a straw. Employees found drinking from open containers are corrected on site, and the stand is issued a critical violation.

Peters said uncovered containers offer an opportunity for the contamination of food.

“If (employees) go to handle food, they can potentially contaminate it with something that came out of their mouth, like a germ or saliva,” Peters said.

Jennifer Nord, OSEH representative and a Michigan Stadium health inspector, is present at every game to ensure employees are complying with regulations. Nord said just seeing an open cup would be a reason to hand out a violation.

Employees not wearing hair restraints

All Michigan Stadium employees are required to wear hats, bandanas or other forms of hair restraints while preparing and serving food.