Personal hygiene means a clean body, clean clothes and clean habits. Many food illnesses can be traced to the people who handled the food.

A. Health Precautions:

1. A worker with an illness such as a cold, cough or infection, or other communicable disease, cuts or burns could easily contaminate food. If you are sick, do not go to work.
2. If you have an open sore, boil or other skin eruption, advise your supervisor so you can be assigned to a non-food area.
   A worker who has been exposed to an infectious disease should consult with a doctor before returning to work.
3. Some persons may appear healthy but still harbor bacteria that can contaminate food. These people are called "carriers." Carriers should not handle food, just as a person with a known, visible illness should not handle food. Health examinations can help determine if persons are "carriers" of communicable diseases such as typhoid.

B. Personal Cleanliness Habits:

1. Bathe daily. The skin harbors germs, and the pores trap them in. Wear clean underwear and work clothes.
2. Brush your teeth after eating.
3. Shampoo your hair as necessary to keep it clean and healthy. Wear hair in a simple, easy-to-manage style.
4. Keep fingernails clean, well-trimmed and free of nail polish.
5. Avoid excessive makeup and perfume.
6. Dress properly for the job. Change from your street clothes and wear a clean uniform or washable work clothes every day. If you wear an apron, change it when it gets soiled.
7. Wear clean, low-heeled, properly fitting shoes with nonskid soles (preferably uniform-type shoes). The heel and toe should be completely enclosed for sanitation and safety reasons. DO NOT WEAR TENNIS SHOES, BEDROOM SLIPPERS, OR SANDALS.
8. Wear a hairnet or cap which completely covers the hairline. Hair spray should not be used as a substitute for a hairnet. Avoid hairpins or barrettes (they might slip out). Men or boys with short hair should wear caps; if hair is long, they should also wear hairnets. Do not touch your hair while working.
9. Do not wear jewelry other than unadorned wedding bands. This is a precaution primarily for sanitary reasons, but it also protects the worker and the jewelry.

C. Other Basic and General Work Habits:

1. DO NOT SMOKE OR CHEW GUM in food storage, preparation, serving, dining or clean up areas.
   
2. DO NOT COUGH OR SNEEZE near food. This results in millions of germs contaminating food, work areas, equipment and coworkers. Use disposable tissues as needed and throw used ones away. Wash your hands after using a tissue. Do not carry used handkerchiefs or tissues in your pocket.
   
3. Do not use hairspray or file nails, apply makeup or comb hair in foodservice areas.
   
4. Wash your hands:

   a. Before beginning work and before beginning each food handling operation.
   b. After visit to toilet (this is imperative).
   c. After touching face or hair.
   d. After handling non-food items.
   e. After smoking.

5. Scrub one hand against the other; it gets the trapped dirt and grime out. Use handwashing basins rather than preparation or dishwashing sinks. Disposable towels should be supplied for drying hands. (Do not dry hands on dish towels, aprons or uniforms.) Turn off the water with the towel. As you wash, do not lean against the basin. You may transmit germs.
   
6. Obtain physical examinations as required.
   
7. In the event you must wipe perspiration from your face, use a paper towel, not a kitchen towel. Dispose of the towel and wash your hands.

See also:
    Training Guide for Foodservice Personnel in Programs for Young Children [PDF, 8.65MB]