Health and hygiene for food handlers

Am I a food handler?

A food handler is anyone who works in a food business and who handles either food or surfaces that are likely to come into contact with food (eg cutlery, plates). A food handler may be involved in food preparation, production, cooking, service, packing, display or storage.

What are my responsibilities?

Under the Food Standards Code, a food handler must take all reasonable measures not to handle food or food surfaces in a way that is likely to compromise the safety and suitability of food.

Food handlers also have specific responsibilities relating to health and hygiene.

What are my health requirements?

Food handlers with symptoms or diagnosis of a foodborne disease (such as vomiting, diarrhoea or fever) must:

• Report you are or may be suffering from the disease, or that you are carrying the disease
• Not handle food where there is a reasonable likelihood of food contamination as a result of the disease
• If continuing to engage in other work on the food premises, take all practicable measures to prevent food from being contaminated as a result of the disease
• Notify a supervisor if you know or suspect you may have contaminated food while handling food

What are my hygiene requirements?

Food handlers must:

• Take all practicable measures to ensure the body, anything from the body and any clothing does not contaminate food or food surfaces,
• Take all practicable measures to prevent unnecessary contact with ready to eat food,
• Ensure clothing is clean,
• Cover bandages and dressings on exposed parts of the body with a waterproof covering,
• Not eat, sneeze, blow, cough, spit or smoke around food or food surfaces,
• Wash hands whenever hands are likely to be a source of contamination (before handling food and after using the toilet, smoking, coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief, eating, drinking or touching hair, scalp or body), and
• Wash hands before working with ready to eat food after handling raw food.

How do I wash hands effectively?

Thoroughly clean the hands using soap and warm running water and thoroughly dry hands on a single use towel.

Am I required to use gloves?

The Food Standards Code does not require food handlers to use gloves.

Even when wearing gloves, in many situations it may be preferable to use utensils such as tongs or spoons.

If gloves are used, care must be taken to avoid contaminating food by only using them for one continuous task and then discarding them.

Gloves must be removed, discarded and replaced with a new pair before handling food and before working with ready to eat food after handling raw food.

Gloves must be removed, discarded and replaced after using the toilet, smoking, coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief, eating, drinking or touching the hair, scalp or body.

What are my employer’s responsibilities?

A food business must ensure food handlers do not handle food if there is a possibility of contamination through foodborne illness.

A food business must maintain easily accessible handwashing facilities and supplies of warm running water, soap or other items to thoroughly clean hands.

A food business must ensure food handlers have skills and knowledge in food safety and food hygiene matters relevant to their work.