The law forbids ill people to work. Good hygiene adds to this. It reduces the risk that germs get into food from employees who are healthy but unknowingly contagious. This lesson sums up the most important rules of hygiene at work. The rules are good practice and are based, among other things, on Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. Your business sets out the exact requirements in its hygiene plan.
Personal cleanliness
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 requires in Annex II, Chapter VIII that people in areas where food is handled keep a high level of personal cleanliness. They must wear suitable and clean work clothing and, where necessary, protective clothing.
- Come to work clean and change your work clothing regularly.
- Wear work clothing only at work, not in the street.
- Tie up long hair or wear a hair covering if the business requires it.
- Keep fingernails short and clean.
Washing hands: the most important measure
Most germs reach food through the hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water. About 20 to 30 seconds is sensible. Dry your hands with single-use towels.
Always wash your hands
- before starting work and after breaks,
- after using the toilet,
- after handling raw meat, poultry, fish and eggs,
- after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing,
- after touching waste, cleaning products or money,
- after smoking and eating.
Gloves do not replace hand washing. They also have to be changed often.
Coughing, sneezing and colds
Cough and sneeze into the crook of your arm, away from food. Then wash your hands. If you cough or sneeze a lot, you should ask your employer whether you can work with unpackaged food.
Jewellery
In many businesses, jewellery on the hands and forearms is not allowed. It can hold dirt and germs and is a risk of foreign objects in food. Your business sets the rule.
Small injuries
You must treat a small cut that is not inflamed and cover it. A waterproof, clearly visible plaster is usual and, if necessary, a glove. An inflamed or weeping area, however, is an obstacle. In that case you report it (see the previous lesson).
Toilets and break areas
- Take off your apron or overall before using the toilet, if your business provides for this.
- Eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed in production and kitchen areas.
- Keep break rooms separate from work surfaces.
Cleaning and disinfection
Work surfaces, equipment and chopping boards must be clean. Keep raw and ready-to-eat food apart. This avoids cross-contamination. Clean particularly carefully after work with raw meat or poultry.
If someone at home is ill
If someone in your household has contagious diarrhoea, your own risk of carrying germs goes up. Ask your doctor or the local health office (Gesundheitsamt) how you should behave. Take particular care with hand hygiene.
The business's hygiene plan
The employer sets out in the business's hygiene plan how hygiene is put into practice. This can include hygiene instructions, cleaning schedules and training. These duties stay with the employer. The course does not replace them.