Personal Hygiene and the Foodhandler's Health
Hands are the number one vehicle
Teach handwashing as a sequence: wet hands with running water at least 100F, apply soap, scrub for 20 seconds including forearms, between fingers, and under nails, rinse, dry with a single-use towel, then use that towel to turn off the faucet. Wash after restroom use, before prep, after touching raw meat, after garbage or chemical handling, after coughing, sneezing, or touching hair or face, after bussing tables, and between tasks. Hand antiseptics may follow handwashing but never replace it, and never replace a handwashing sink.
Exclusion, restriction, and reporting
Know the Big Five: Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, E. coli O157:H7/STEC, hepatitis A, and norovirus. A diagnosed foodhandler with any of these must be excluded, and the regulatory authority notified. Also exclude for vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice. Restrict (no work with food or food-contact surfaces, other duties allowed) for a sore throat with fever, or an infected wound with pus on the hand or arm that cannot be covered. Wait 24 hours symptom-free before returning, and obtain medical clearance where required.
Traps
- Gloves are not a substitute for handwashing; change them when tasks change, when they tear, and at least every four hours.
- Plain band ring only; no nail polish or artificial nails when working with food.
- Eating, drinking, and smoking are banned in prep and dishwashing areas; a covered cup with a straw may be allowed in designated areas.
- A wound needs a bandage plus a glove; a bandage alone is not enough.
- Work attire: clean uniform, hair restraint, no jewelry on hands or arms.
Rule of thumb: if the person is shedding a pathogen (vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, or a Big Five diagnosis), exclude. If the risk is localized to the hands and coverable, restrict.