Hotel Industry and Food Service

 Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points

Personal Hygiene

Cross-contamination can cause foodborne illnesses. Foodhandlers usually are the cause

of cross-contamination. A foodhandler is a worker who is in direct contact with food. You can help prevent foodborne illnesses by practicing good hygiene.

Hygiene is using good grooming habits to maintain health. You also must know how to properly wash your hands, wear protective clothing, and report illnesses. Tiny microorganisms can be spread to food by foodhandlers in many ways. Good hygiene is the best defense.

Good grooming means that you should arrive at work clean. Bathe daily with soap and water, and wash your hair regularly. Always wear deodorant to work. Your fingernails should be clean, short, and trimmed neatly. It is never appropriate to wear acrylic fingernails or nail polish while working in a commercial kitchen. Acrylic fingernails can fall off into food and become a

physical hazard. Nail polish can chip off and fall into food, becoming a chemical hazard.

In brief personal hygiene includes the following:

Clothes

Hands are not the only way microorganisms can spread. Clothes can also spread bacteria to the food you handle. Dirt can be tracked into the workplace on your shoes and clothes.

Always wear clean clothes to work. Most foodservice establishments will provide, or make available, a uniform for you to wear. Uniforms help protect you from spills and cuts, and also make you look more professional on the job.

Your shoes also should be appropriate for the workplace. Make sure they are comfortable.

You will be on your feet for many hours at a time. Choose shoes with slip-resistant soles. These will help you avoid accidents. Never wear open-toed shoes at work.

Protective Clothing

In addition to the clean clothes or uniform you wear to work, you will wear protective clothing. It  is clothing that is worn to help lower the chances of food contamination.

Foodhandlers often wear gloves to help prevent cross-contamination. Gloves act as a wall between your hands and the food you handle. This helps prevent cross-contamination.

Wash your hands thoroughly before putting on gloves. Never use soiled or torn gloves.

You must change gloves after each separate task. Change gloves every four hours if you perform the same task. Always change gloves immediately after handling any raw food.

Hair

Many microorganisms live in human hair and can be easily transmitted to food.  Make it a habit to always have clean hair when you arrive at work. Microorganisms can

easily grow in dirty, oily hair. Tie back longer hair in a hair restraint. A hair restraint is any barrier that holds back head or facial hair to keep it from contaminating food.

Some establishments have regulations aboutthe type of hair restraints to be used. In general, a good hair restraint, such as a hairnet, will keep your hair away from food. It also

will keep you from having to touch your hair while on the job. Some foodhandlers wear a chef’s hat. These hats can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they all keep hair away from food and off of the face. Foodhandlers with beards should wear beard restraints.

What should you do with your hair when working in a kitchen?

Personal Health

Foodservice professionals need to be in good physical health when they work with food. Otherwise, harmful bacteria could be spread from the foodhandler to the food that will be served. A foodborne illness outbreak could be the result.

Proper Hand-Washing

You may think that wearing gloves canreplace hand-washing. However, proper hand sanitation is very important in the foodservice industry. This is true even if you wear

gloves for most tasks. Hand-washing is the most important thing you can do to prevent

the spread of foodborne bacteria.

 You need to learn how to wash your hands, a proper hand-washing technique, or

method, can make the difference between a safe workplace and a potentially deadly one.

This is because harmful bacteria are so easy to spread by hand. To clean your hands and arms properly, thoroughly scrub any exposed surfaces with soap and warm water. You should wash your hands every two hours to help prevent crosscontamination.

Always remember to wash your hands:

• Before you start work.

•After any work breaks, including those to eat, smoke, drink, or chew gum.

• Before and after you handle raw foods such as meat, fish, and poultry.

• After you touch your hair, face, or body.

• After you sneeze, cough, or use a tissue.

• After you use the restroom.

• After you use any cleaning or sanitizing product.

• After you take out the garbage.

• After you clean dirty dishes and tables.

• After you touch anything that might contaminate food, such as a phone, money, door handles, or dirty tablecloths.

Hand sanitizers can be used after handwashing. A hand sanitizer is a special liquid that kills bacteria on your skin. It is often used without water. While these products can reduce bacteria on your hands, you should never use a hand sanitizer instead of proper hand-washing techniques on the job.

Illness

If you have symptoms of a disease that can be spread to others, such as fever, sneezing,

coughing, vomiting, or diarrhea, call your employer immediately. You should not come

to work sick. You may spread germs and bacteria to other workers or to customers. If you feel sick while you are at work, it is your responsibility to tell your supervisor  immediately. This is the only way to prevent contamination of the foods and work surfaces you will touch. Your supervisor will most likely send you home to recover. This will not only help prevent the spread of illness, but will help you recover more quickly. You cannot do your best work if you are sick.

Wounds

If you have a wound that may be infected, or a cut, burn, boil, or other sore, you might not feel sick. However, any bacteria that might be in the wound could easily spread to any of the food that you handle. This could cause a foodborne illness outbreak. Because of this, it

is very important that you wash your hands and the wound area thoroughly. Keep cuts completely covered. Make sure the bandage is kept clean and dry. Change the bandage several times throughout the day.

If the wound is on your hand, wear gloves whenever possible as you perform your duties.

Make sure your gloves do not become ripped or torn.

If you have a wound on your hand, even if it is covered by a bandage, you may be reassigned to a work area where you will not come into direct contact with food. This might include washing dishes, running the cash register, or cleaning kitchen or dining room areas.

What is the most important thing you can do toprevent the spread of bacteria?

Explain the proper use of gloves.

Describe what to do if you have a wound.