Community Corner

Kentucky Fried Chicken Fined $200,000 For Unsafe Ovens

The Los Altos-based Harman Management Corp and KFC cooperated with prosecutors during the investigation.

 

The Los Altos-based Harman Mangement Corporation and the KFC Corporation, the corporate parents of Kentucky Fried Chicken have paid $294,000 to settle a lawsuit for health and safety violations, including improperly installing ovens which billowed smoke inside kitchens.

The money will be split by the counties of Santa Clara, San Mateo, Los Angeles, and Napa, whose district attorneys brought suit against the iconic fried chicken purveyor.

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According the Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen's office, in 2009 the company and its franchisees rolled out its grilled chicken line with its new Blodgett ovens. But some facilities in Northern California began experiencing unsafe smoke ventilation issues, and the district attorneys alleged that KFC Corporation and Harman Management Corporation violated provisions of the California Retail Food Code when they did not properly advise or supervise their franchisees in complying with the requirements for submitting plans and obtaining prior approval from local environmental health authorities.

Investigators also found plumbing and electrical issues at some franchises. District Attorney Rosen acknowledged Santa Clara County’s and other counties’ environmental health officials for their vigilant enforcement efforts. Local franchises in Santa Clara County quickly fixed the problems.

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The Retail Food Code is in place to protect not only the health and safety of consumers, but also of the employees of food facilities," Rosen said. "KFC workers deserve to work in a healthy environment.”  

KFC and Harman Management Corp. cooperated with prosecutors during the investigation. KFC and Harman agreed to pay $200,000 in civil penalties and $94,000 in costs to settle the lawsuit, which will be dedicated to further consumer protection actions in the four counties, Rosen's office said.

The companies have also agreed to an injunction that prohibits them from violating California Health & Safety Code sections in the future, and will provide specific notice to their franchisees of California’s environmental health requirements. 


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