The most common way an infection gets into food is through the hands. That is why the rules of personal hygiene are precise and apply to everyone. You will find them in Decree No. 137/2004 Sb. (§ 50) and in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (Annex II, Chapter VIII).
The general rule
Everyone working in an area where food is handled must maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and wear suitable, clean and, where necessary, protective clothing.
Washing your hands
The Decree says when you must wash your hands. You must wash them:
- before you start work,
- when you move from dirty work to clean work,
- after using the toilet,
- after handling waste,
- whenever they get dirty.
They are to be washed in warm water with a suitable washing or disinfecting product. Also follow these rules:
- Wash your wrists and between your fingers as well. Then dry your hands thoroughly, ideally with a disposable paper towel.
- After working with raw meat, poultry, eggs and unwashed vegetables, wash your hands before you touch ready-to-eat food.
- Wash your hands again after sneezing, blowing your nose, smoking and eating.
- Use the washbasin intended for hands, not the sink where dishes or raw materials are washed.
Work clothing and footwear
- You wear clean work clothing, work footwear and a head covering. Hair must be covered.
- Clothing is changed when it gets dirty.
- For higher-risk work, disposable gloves and a face mask are used.
- You do not leave the premises in your work clothing and footwear during working hours. You do not go out in them onto the street or for a cigarette either.
- Used work clothing and your own clothes are kept separately, in the places provided for them.
Gloves do not replace handwashing. Hands sweat under gloves and bacteria multiply. Gloves are changed when you move to a different task and when they are damaged.
Hands and body
- Fingernails should be cut short, clean and without nail polish.
- No jewellery is worn on the hands: rings, bracelets, watches. Dirt and bacteria collect under them.
- Wounds and cuts are covered with a waterproof dressing, and a glove is put on over it when working with food. A festering wound on the hands is a reason not to work with food.
- Long hair is tied back. Do not touch your hair, face or nose.
Behaviour that is not allowed
The Decree rules out any unhygienic behaviour. It names, for example, smoking and doing your hair and nails. In food handling areas people usually also do not eat, drink or chew gum. Follow the rules of your workplace.
- Tasting is done with a clean spoon, which you do not put back into the food after use. Never with a finger.
- Do not cough or sneeze over food.
- Personal belongings go in the changing room, not in the kitchen.
Health
Anyone who is ill must not work with food and must report it. You learnt this in the previous lesson. Also report it if you have an infected wound, a skin infection or diarrhoea.
An example from practice
A cook is cutting up raw chicken, the phone rings and he picks it up. Then he goes back to the salad. Bacteria from the meat have stayed on the phone and on his hands, and they get into the salad, which will not be cooked. The right thing is to stop work, wash your hands, dry them and only then carry on. The phone does not belong in the kitchen.
Summary
Personal hygiene is a set of simple habits. It works only when everyone keeps to it every time, even when they are in a hurry or nobody is watching.