The Monroe County Department of Public Health says it will begin inspecting grease traps at 2,500 businesses this week.

It comes more than a week after a 3-year-old boy fell through a cover into a grease trap behind the Tim Hortons on University Avenue in Rochester.

Starting Thursday, the county says inspectors will ask restaurant establishments if there is a grease trap on premises, if it is located inside or outside the building and will then physically inspect traps to ensure they are secure. If there are any deficiencies in the security of the trap covers, the Department of Public Health will make recommendations and will follow-up with establishments to make sure any risk has been eliminated.

"It's new to us but we welcome it. If the county can help us be better and help us be safer then we're all for it," said John Albert, owner of McArdle's in Fairport.

"Public safety is the number one concern of restaurateurs. We think about it every day, we talk about it every day. The last thing we want is for somebody to get hurt on our premises."

Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo plans to introduce legislation that would set standards for grease traps with regular safety inspections.

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