The Safe Foodhandler

4-1
How Foodhandlers Contaminate Food

Behaviors That Can Contaminate Food

A
B
A Scratching the scalp C E Touching a pimple or
D
open sore
B Running fingers E

through hair F Wearing a dirty uniform

C Wiping or touching G Coughing or sneezing into
the nose the hand
F
D Rubbing an ear H Spitting in the establishment

4-2
Components of a Good Personal Hygiene Program

Good personal hygiene includes:

 Maintaining personal cleanliness
 Wearing proper work attire
 Following hygienic hand practices
 Avoiding unsanitary habits and actions
 Maintaining good health
 Reporting illnesses

4-3
Hygienic Hand Practices: Handwashing
Proper Handwashing Procedure
The whole process should take 20 seconds

1 Wet hands with running 2 Apply soap 3 Vigorously scrub hands

water as hot as you can and arms for ten to fifteen
comfortably stand (at least seconds Clean under
100°F/38°C) fingernails and between
fingers

4 Rinse thoroughly 5 5 Dry hands and arms with

under running water a single-use paper towel
or warm-air hand dryer
Use a paper towel to turn
off the faucet.

4-4
Hygienic Hand Practices: Hand Antiseptics

Hand Antiseptics
 Must comply with Food and Drug
Administration standards
 Should be used after handwashing (if
used in the establishment)
 Must never be used in place of
handwashing

4-5
Hygienic Hand Practices: Bare-Hand Contact

Bare-Hand Contact with

Ready-to-Eat Food

Some jurisdictions allow it but require

written policies and procedures on:
 Employee health
 Handwashing
 Other hygienic practices

4-6
Hygienic Hand Practices: Hand Maintenance

Requirements for Foodhandlers

Keep fingernails Do not wear false Bandage cuts and

short and clean nails or nail polish cover bandages

4-7
Hygienic Hand Practices: Gloves

When to Change Gloves

 As soon as they become
soiled or torn
 Before beginning a different
task
 At least every four hours during
continual use and more often
when necessary
 After handling raw meat and before
handling cooked or ready-to-eat food

4-8
Proper Work Attire

Foodhandlers should: A

A Wear a clean hat or other B

hair restraint
B Wear clean clothing daily
D
C Remove aprons when leaving
food-preparation areas C

D Remove jewelry from hands and arms

E Wear appropriate, clean, and closed-

toe shoes E

4-9
Handling Employee Illnesses
IF: THEN:
 The foodhandler has a  Restrict the employee from working
sore throat with fever with or around food
 Exclude the employee from the
establishment if you primarily serve a
high-risk population

4-10
Handling Employee Illnesses
IF: THEN:
 The foodhandler has  Exclude the employee from the
one or more of the establishment
following symptoms:  Do not allow employees with vomiting or
 Vomiting diarrhea to return to work unless they:
 Have been symptom-free for 24
 Diarrhea hours
 Jaundice or
 Have a written release from a
medical practitioner
 Do not allow employees with jaundice to
return to work unless they have been
released by a medical practitioner

4-11
Handling Employee Illnesses
IF: THEN:
 The foodhandler has  Exclude the employee from the
been diagnosed with a establishment and notify the local
foodborne illness regulatory agency
caused by:
 Work with the employee’s medical
 Salmonella Typhi practitioner and/or the local regulatory
agency to determine when he or she can
 Shigella spp. safely return to work
 Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli
 Hepatitis A virus
 Norovirus

4-12