Food Handler Hygiene

At Work

Food service operations must ensure that all food handlers are free of signs of communicable diseases that could be transmitted by food.

A program should be in place to handle communicable illnesses.

Sickness at Work

Sick employees with communicable diseases are a threat to any food service operation.

Infected employees are the 3 rd largest cause of communicable diseases. If a food handler is sick from a communicable disease this must be reported to management.

The food service operation must have a policy in place where employees are encouraged to report illnesses particularly involving digestive upsets and infections to management.

The following conditions should be reported to management so that the need for medical review can be considered: fever, sore throat, jaundice, diarrhea, visible infections and discharge from ears, eyes or nose.

If a doctor diagnoses an employee with a communicable disease this incident must be reported to local health departments.

Employees should also obtain written clearance from the treating physician before return to work.

The manager or operator must instruct sick employees (cold, flu etc.) not to work in contact with food or food services.

If the nature of the disease allows, employees may be reassigned.

Employees with open wounds/sores must not participate in food preparation.

If an employee has a cut, burn or boil, skin infected wound:

•  Any areas where the injury occurs should be cleaned and sanitized.

•  The food handler should be removed from food handling.

•  The injury should be bandaged with a clean, dry, and tight fitting covering bandage, with a waterproof disposable plastic glove overtop.

•  Employees wearing bandages should not handle food or food contact services.

Employees must be aware and follow good hygiene practices set by the establishment

All food preparation personnel must wear clean outer clothing. Aprons must be changed when a food handler moves from raw to ready to eat food preparation.

Aprons and working clothing must be clean comfortable and material suited to the purpose. Clothing must be laundered daily.

•  Uniforms should be changed when contaminated wearing street clothes in food prep areas should be discouraged.

•  Working attire should likewise not be worn outside work. Sweaters should not be worn over the uniform (unless they are part of the uniform).

•  Shoes should be clean, non-slip and only be worn at work.

Personnel in food preparation should wear hair restraints. Where required, beard nets may be used.

•  All people entering a food prep area should wear a hair restraint such as a clean hat or hair net.

Food handlers must avoid behaviours that could contaminate food:

•  Smoking

•  Dirty tissues

•  Juice, water bottles

•  False fingernails, nail polish, and false eyelashes

•  Chewing gum

•  Sneezing and coughs

Jewelry should be removed before working with food. Medical alert bracelets and necklaces may be worn under clothing.

Employees should follow handwashing and disposable glove procedures.

  8 Steps to Handwashing

•  Wet hands and exposed arms (at least wrists) with warm running waters.

•  Apply liquid soap

•  Vigorously rub lathered hands and arms for at least 20 sec.

•  Use a brush under the fingernails and other dirty areas.

•  Rinse with clean warm water.

•  Soap and lather again.

•  Rinse hands and wrists again.

•  Dry hands with single use towel. Use a paper towel to turn off tap.

Never dry hands on apron or dishtowel, as this would recontaminate hands.

Employees should wash hands before work, frequently during shifts and also after:

•  Using toilet

•  Meal/drink break

•  Coughing

•  Sneezing/blowing nose

•  Handling raw food

•  Smoking

•  Handling money

•  Before and after hazardous foods.

•  Changing workstations from raw prep.

Disposable Gloves

When contaminated should be changed. Employees must wash before putting on gloves.

Visitor Policy

All visitors to food handler areas should observe the same hygiene and dress code as food handlers.

This includes handwashing and hair restraint. Visitors should refrain from contact with food and food equipment.

Skylark Medical Clinic

264 Tache Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2H 1Z9

Ph: 453-9107 Fax: 453-9115