The Health Department has started posting all food inspection reports online, enabling the public to check on the cleanliness of restaurants, delis, convenience stores and other places where food is served.

The posted reports include only the inspections done since January, about 4,000 reports, covering about half the food establishments in the state. The reports list any violations found, with brief comments explaining them; the full inspection report is also available with another click. The Web site is www.health.ri.gov/environment/food/inspections.php.

Additionally, the Health Department announced yesterday that it had launched a first-in-the-nation partnership with a nonprofit organization that will certify the safety of restaurants, caterers, hotels and other food-service outlets that choose to participate. NSF International will offer its seal of approval — called the Dine Safer Award — to any food establishment that meets its standards, which are tougher than state regulations.

The Health Department’s Web site will list which establishments have achieved the Dine Safer Award, and winners can also use the program’s symbol in their menus, packaging and advertising.

Ernest M. Julian, the Health Department’s chief of food protection, said he hoped the Web site and the Dine Safer program will encourage food establishments to improve safety without the Health Department’s intervention.

“Putting inspection reports online provides an incentive for a place to clean up their problems right away,” Julian said. “We don’t want to embarrass places; we just want them to comply…. We’re kind of using a social marketing concept to drive food safety.” A counter on the bottom of the Web page reminds restaurants how many thousands of people are visiting the site.

Users can search for restaurants by name or type, but not by violation. And they can sign up to receive an e-mail alert whenever certain restaurants are inspected.

The Health Department has only eight food inspectors responsible for 8,000 establishments. Lately they have been kept busy with the frequent food recalls announced by the federal government. Restaurant inspections occur sporadically in response to complaints or based on the risk, with priority given to reports of illness, places with a history of problems, health-care facilities and places that serve a large number of people.

Dale J. Venturini, president of the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association, said her group’s members didn’t want the reports online. She expressed concern that the public might not understand the health inspectors’ jargon and might jump to unfair conclusions about minor violations. But, she acknowledged, “It’s going to keep us on our toes.”

Venturini said that food establishments had long wanted the state to conduct more inspections. “We want fresh eyes to come in and make sure we’re doing everything properly,” and the absence of an inspection leaves a place no way to demonstrate that it is safe and clean, she said. But the industry had lost hope that the state would hire enough inspectors, and had begun developing a self-policing program, she said. That effort was cut short by the Dine Safer program.

Venturini could not say how many restaurants might sign up for the Dine Safer program but predicted it would be at least a year before any won the award. Many, she said, will regard the program as an additional financial burden for businesses that already pay other taxes and fees, and believe their taxes should support a stronger state inspection program.

“Our industry is one of the most highly regulated industries in the state,” Venturini said. “To add one more regulation is tough.” Although the program is voluntary, many restaurants may feel they have to get the award to compete.

NSF International is a 63-year-old Michigan-based organization that certifies products and writes standards for food, water and consumer goods. For the Dine Safer program, it will require restaurants to meet state and federal regulations — and then go beyond them to also meet industry “best practices” such as written procedures, food-safety training for the staff, certified safety managers available at all times, and twice-yearly inspections.

“It really raises the bar for food safety,” Julian said.

ffreyer@projo.com