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Guidelines for Personal Cleanliness and Hygiene in Food Handling Areas

Reporting Illness and Maintaining Cleanliness

Responsibilities for food handlers regarding illness and personal hygiene:

  • Report immediately to the manager if you have an illness likely to be passed on through food or are using skin creams that could contaminate food.
  • Exclude yourself from food handling duties if symptoms develop at work.
  • Maintain high personal cleanliness and wear suitable, clean, and protective clothing.

Handwashing Best Practices

Key actions for effective handwashing to prevent contamination:

  • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before handling food, especially after using the toilet.
  • Wash hands after handling raw food, changing dressings, touching open wounds, or contact with faeces, vomit, animals, waste, bins, cleaning, and after breaks.
  • Regularly wash hands throughout the day, especially after touching face, nose, mouth, ears, or hair.
  • Dry hands thoroughly to prevent bacteria spread, especially focusing on the back of hands and tops of fingertips around nails.
  • Keep nails short to facilitate effective handwashing; use liquid soap to clean under long nails.

Use of Gloves

Understanding the role of gloves in hygiene and their limitations:

  • Gloves can cover damaged skin and protect against dermatitis from prolonged food handling and wet work.
  • Gloves are not a substitute for proper hand hygiene; hands and gloves can both harbour bacteria.
  • Change gloves regularly and wash hands before wearing new gloves.