Food Worker Cleanliness

ASK: What causes the most foodborne illness in food establishments?

ANSWER: Employees with dirty or unwashed hands.

ASK: Can food employees use hand sanitizer instead of washing their hands?

ANSWER: No. However, hand sanitizer may be used in addition to hand washing.

ASK: When must food workers wash their hands? ANSWER: 1) Before starting any food preparation, 2) Before putting on gloves, 3) After using the toilet, 4) When switching from working with raw food to working with ready-to-eat food, 5) After handling soiled utensils or equipment, 6) After touching body parts other than clean hands, 7) After touching animals, 8) As often as necessary to remove soil and contamination and prevent cross contamination when changing tasks, 9) After any activity that contaminates the hands such as using a cell phone, and 10) After coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or tissue, using tobacco, eating, or drinking.

ASK: Where should food employees wash their hands?

ANSWER: Only in a handwashing sink. Culinary, warewashing, service, & mop sinks can’t be used for hand washing.

ASK: Can a food employee wear fingernail polish or artificial fingernails?

ANSWER: Not unless they are wearing gloves when they are working with exposed food.

ASK: What should a food worker do if they have a cut or burn on their hand or finger? ANSWER: Wear an impermeable bandage or finger cot to cover the wound and then wear a single-use glove over that.

ASK: For how long should food employees wash their hands?

ANSWER: For at least 20 seconds.

ASK: Without recontaminating one’s hands, how can one turn off the faucet on the hand sink or open the restroom door?

ANSWER: Use a clean paper towel.

ASK: What parts of the hands should one pay particular attention to when washing your hands?

ANSWER: Under your finger nails and between your fingers.

ASK: What about long or dirty fingernails?

ANSWER: Fingernails must be kept trimmed and filed. They may not be rough or dirty.

ASK: What about wearing jewelry?

ANSWER: Except for a plain ring such as a wedding band, food employees may not wear jewelry on their arms and hands (including medical ID bracelets).

ASK: Are there any rules about the clothes food workers can wear?

ANSWER: Food employees must wear clean outer clothing to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, and linens. Fresh clothing should be worn daily. Aprons should never be worn into a restroom or to take the trash out.

ASK: Are hair nets required?

ANSWER: Food employees must wear hats, hair coverings or nets, beard restraints, and clothing that covers body hair so as to keep hair out of food.

ASK: Can food workers eat or drink while preparing or serving food?

ANSWER: A food employee can drink only from a closed beverage container with a straw. They may not eat while preparing or serving food.

ASK: Can food workers use tobacco while preparing or serving food?

ANSWER: No.

ASK: What if a food worker has a runny nose, is persistently sneezing or coughing, or has a discharge from their nose or mouth?

ANSWER: They may not work with exposed food, clean utensils, linens, or equipment, or unwrapped single-use or single-service articles.

ASK: Can a food worker pet a customer’s dog or otherwise touch or care for an animal? ANSWER: No. The only exceptions are for service animals or fish or shellfish in display tanks IF the food worker washes their hands after touching them.

CLOSING THOUGHT: Regular Hand Washing Prevents Foodborne Illness