65 East Main Street
Avon, MA 02322
508-588-0414

Board of Health - Frequentley Asked Questions

Health Agent: Jeanmarie Kent Joyce
e-mail: jkjoyce@avonmass.org
Phone: 508-588-0414
Fax: 508-559-0209

Address:

Town Office
Buckley Center
65 East Main Street
Avon, MA 02322

Frequently Asked Questions:

Food Establishments

1. My friend makes great apple pies. Can she just bake them in her home and sell them to the public? State and Federal laws require that anyone who serves food to the public have a valid food permit from the local board of health. Although most of us prepare foods in our own kitchens daily, a higher standard of care is required when we prepare foods for the “public”. Potentially hazardous foods are not allowed to be prepared in a home kitchen and are required to be prepared in properly licensed commercial kitchens. All food served to the public must be labeled as to ingredients and place of origin to ensure that the food are safe for consumption.

2. When are food handlers required to use gloves in food establishments? One of the primary routes of exposure to a contagious or infectious disease is from one hand to our mouths. Washing and covering hands while preparing ready-to-eat foods is the best way to prevent this type of contamination. A ready-to-eat food is a food that will not be cooked again before being served to the public. Salads, subs, all fresh fruits and vegetables and cooked food items are all ready-to-eat items. Food employees handling these items must wash their hands and wear gloves or use utensils while handling these items. Vinyl gloves are required instead of latex gloves since latex can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

Title 5 Septic

1. I am just selling my house to a relative. Do I need a Title 5 inspection? Under 310 CMR 15.00 if you are selling to a person and your name is not remaining on the title of the property, then the Title 5 inspection is required. If you are adding your relative's name to the property, the Title 5 inspection is not required by the Board of Health but may be required by the lending institution.

2. I am remodeling my house and adding a room to the back. Do I have to do a Title 5 inspection?
The regulations require an inspection if there are no records available to the Board of Health that show the location and capacity of the septic system. If our office has records, then the Health Agent can determine if the proposed addition meets the required setbacks and if the septic system has the capacity to handle the additional design flow for the proposed addition. If that information is not available, then an inspection is necessary.

3. The 30 year old property we want to purchase has a Title 5 Certificate. What does that mean?
The Title 5 certificate is the septic equivalent of a home inspection. The septic system was located and assessed according to specific criteria. Although the system is thirty years old, it works well at the time it was inspected. Septic systems typical lasted 25- 40 years and you should expect to repair or upgrade this system within the next ten years.

4. We found our dream house but it failed the Title 5 inspection. Who's responsibility is it to repair the septic system? The regulations require that the septic system be repaired or upgraded within two years of a transfer of title or a shorter time if it is considered an “imminent public health threat”. The regulations do not say who is responsible for the repair. If a mortgage lender does not require the system to be repair prior to the passing, they typically require placing up to 2.5 times the estimated cost of the repair in an escrow account.

Avon Town Hall | 65 East Main Street, Avon, MA 02322 | 508-588-0414 Fax: 508-559-0209