EMPLOYEE HYGIENE IN THE RESTAURANT FOOD BUSINESS
Good personal hygiene practices keep the workers healthy and helps to prevent the spread of disease to food.
Clothing must be clean. Employees need to maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness during all working hours. Hair restraints must be worn by all persons in the preparation and service of food. This keeps hair from food-contact surfaces and out of food.
Shoes must be close toed, with a slip resistant sole. Socks must be worn.
Food employees must clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms with soap and running water by vigorously rubbing together the surfaces of their hands and arms for at least 20 seconds and thoroughly rinsing with clean water. Employees must pay particular attention to the areas underneath the fingernails and between the finger.
Food employees must keep their fingernails trimmed, filed, and maintained so the edge and surfaces are cleanable and not rough. Many germs get caught underneath long nails and can get into food while it is being prepared; once there, they will multiply, causing the food to become contaminated.
Food employees must clean their hands in a hand-washing sink that is equipped with hot and cold running water. Employees must not clean their hands in a sink used for food preparation, or in a service sink or a curbed cleaning facility used For the disposal of mop water and similar liquid waste.
Employees must wash their hands and exposed portions of their arms at the following times:
After touching bare human body parts other than clean hands and clean exposed portions of the arm.
After using the rest room.
After caring for or handling animals.
After coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or disposable tissue, using tobacco, eating or drinking.
Immediately before food preparation including working with exposed food, clean equipment and utensils.
During food preparation, as often as necessary to remove soil, contamination and to prevent cross contamination when changing tasks.
Food service workers should follow these rules for safe food handling practices:
Keep hands and fingers away from hair, face, nose, and mouth. Germs may be easily picked up and transmitted to food by the hands and fingers.
Use spoons, forks and other utensils when handling foods. This reduces hand contact and contamination of food being prepared.
Outer clothing must be worn over regular clothing when moving From a raw food operation to a ready-to-eat food operation. Outer coverings should be changed, as they become increasingly soiled.
Utensils, clean or dirty should be handled by their base or handle to protect both the server and customer from germs. Keep all equipment and utensils good condition to prevent germs from collecting in broken area.
Employees must not smoke or use tobacco in any form while working in the preparation or service of food or while handling food service utensils or equipment. Smoking is not permitted in food storage and preparation areas or in areas where utensils are cleaned or stored. Cigarette lighting is also prohibited in all these areas
No person is allowed to work in any area of a food service establishment in any capacity while infected with any communicable disease, while a carrier of a communicable disease, while afflicted with boils, infected wounds, sores or an acute respiratory infection, in which there is a probability of such person contaminating food or food-contact surfaces with pathogenic organisms, or transmitting disease to other individuals. Before reporting for work, approval from a physician may be required if you have been exposed to a severe communicable disease. All communicable diseases should be reported to the county health department. Only healthy people must be permitted to handle food.
