Personal Hygiene

What is the correct handwashing procedure?

• AQuick splash
• BRinse with water
• CAlcohol hand gel rubbed in for a few seconds, which works just as well as soap and water and does not need a sink or a hand-drying step
• DWet hands, apply soap, rub all surfaces (palms, backs, between fingers, under nails, wrists) for at least 20 seconds, rinse, dry✓

Answer: Proper handwashing: (1) Wet hands with warm water, (2) Apply soap, (3) Rub vigorously (20+ seconds), (4) Rinse thoroughly, (5) Dry with clean cloth/air. Hand sanitiser does NOT replace handwashing.

When must food handlers wash their hands?

• AEnd of shift only
• BOnce per day
• CBefore handling food, after restroom use, after handling raw meat/fish, after eating/smoking, after touching face/hair✓
• DOnly at the start of the shift and again after the mid-morning break, because gloves are worn for the rest of the working day

Answer: Wash hands: before work, before handling food, after restroom, after handling raw foods, after smoking/eating, after touching hair/face, after touching non-food surfaces, whenever potentially contaminated.

What protective clothing should food handlers wear?

• AJewellery and loose clothing, so long as it is clean and changed at the start of each shift
• BClean food handler's coat/apron, hair cover, closed-toe shoes, gloves if appropriate✓
• CWhatever they want
• DOnly a hat

Answer: Protective clothing: Clean coat/apron, head covering (prevents hair in food), closed-toe non-slip shoes, clean clothes under. Change daily or when visibly soiled. Gloves when needed (not instead of handwashing).

What is the correct use of food handling gloves?

• APrevents all contamination
• BWear the same pair all day without changing them, as long as they stay intact and clean
• CPutting on a fresh pair of gloves removes the need to wash your hands beforehand
• DHandwashing before gloves, change frequently, never substitute for handwashing✓

Answer: Gloves: Must wash hands before putting on; change gloves frequently (between tasks, when soiled, every 2 hours); NEVER use gloves as a substitute for handwashing. Contaminate quickly.

What items should NOT be worn in a food prep area?

• AHair cover
• BRings (except plain wedding band), nail polish, long nails, jewelry, watches, loose clothing✓
• CA clean food handler's coat, changed daily and whenever it becomes visibly soiled during the shift
• DApron

Answer: NOT allowed: Jewelry, watches, rings (harbor bacteria), nail polish (hides dirt), long nails (break into food), loose clothing (contamination risk). Plain wedding band only acceptable.

What should a food handler do if they have a cut on their hand?

• ACover with a waterproof bandage and glove; assess if they can safely work✓
• BWork only with cooked foods for the rest of the shift and leave the cut uncovered so it can dry
• CContinue working normally and rinse the cut under the tap whenever it bleeds
• DIgnore it

Answer: Action: (1) Cover cut with waterproof bandage, (2) Put on glove over bandage, (3) Still wash hands before work, (4) Assess fitness to work (if extensive, may not be fit to handle food).

What health conditions require a food handler to report to management?

• AFeeling tired towards the end of a long shift or after a run of late nights at work
• BMinor colds and sore throats only, which never need to be reported to a manager
• CVomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, infected cuts/boils, typhoid/paratyphoid symptoms✓
• DHeadaches

Answer: Must report: Vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, infected cuts/wounds, skin infections, sore throat with fever, typhoid/paratyphoid symptoms. Must be assessed for fitness to work or excluded.

What is 'fitness to work'?

• AHow physically fit a person is, measured by the exercise they take outside work each week
• BEducation
• CExperience level
• DAbility to work safely in food business without risk of contamination (health status)✓

Answer: Fitness to work assesses whether a person's health status poses a risk. Those with vomiting, diarrhea, or certain infections are NOT fit to work with food. Must be excluded until cleared.

How long should someone with vomiting/diarrhea be excluded from food work?

• AThey can carry on working if they feel well enough
• BOne week from the first symptom, whatever happens next
• CUntil symptoms stop (typically 48 hours minimum)✓
• DOne day after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea

Answer: Exclusion period: Minimum 48 hours after symptoms stop OR medical clearance. Some bacteria (Salmonella) can be shed in feces for weeks after recovery. Strict rules for high-risk foods.

What is 'Staphylococcus aureus' and how is it transmitted by food handlers?

• AIt is never passed on by food handlers, because it cannot survive on human skin for very long
• BA virus in food
• CA fungus
• DBacterium on skin/respiratory secretions, transferred to food via hands, coughing, sneezing✓

Answer: Staphylococcus aureus: Found on human skin and in respiratory tract. Transmitted through hand contact, sneezing, coughing. Produces enterotoxins in food (1-6 hour incubation).

What training must food handlers receive?

• AFood Safety Level 1 or 2 qualification, or in-house training covering food safety, hygiene, hazards✓
• BOnly new employees
• COnce every 5 years
• DA trained supervisor on the premises during opening hours is enough

Answer: Handlers must receive food safety training covering: pathogens, hygiene practices, cross-contamination, temperature control, reporting illness. Level 1/2 or in-house training acceptable.

How often should food safety training be refreshed?

• AAnnually or when procedures change✓
• BEvery five years, or when a new manager starts
• COnce trained, a handler is always trained
• DOnly if a food safety incident has occurred

Answer: Training should be refreshed: Annually minimum, whenever procedures change, when new staff starts, when performance gaps identified. Document all training received.

What should a supervisor do when they observe poor hygiene by a staff member?

• AIssue a formal disciplinary warning straight away without explaining what was done wrong
• BDocument the observation, provide immediate corrective action/retraining, follow up✓
• CReport to enforcement
• DSay nothing

Answer: Action: (1) Document observation, (2) Provide immediate corrective action (e.g., 'wash hands now'), (3) Retrain if needed, (4) Follow up to verify compliance, (5) Escalate if repeated non-compliance.

What is 'Hepatitis A' transmission through food handlers?

• ATransmission is by contaminated water only, not by food handlers
• BThrough water only
• CVia fecal-oral route, poor handwashing after restroom use✓
• DOnly from handling raw fish and shellfish brought in from abroad

Answer: Hepatitis A: Spread by infected food handler with poor hygiene after using restroom. Virus survives on surfaces and in food. Can cause serious illness. Vaccination recommended for handlers.

What is the role of a 'designated food safety supervisor'?

• ACleaning only
• BThe role is only needed when a customer's contract asks for it, and it can be left to the owner at other times
• CEnsure compliance, oversee training, investigate incidents, maintain records, implement corrective actions✓
• DOptional position

Answer: Designated supervisor (or manager with responsibility) must: Ensure hygiene compliance, oversee training, investigate food safety issues, maintain documentation, implement HACCP, ensure corrective actions.

What symptoms require immediate medical assessment?

• AA sore throat on its own, with no fever and no other symptoms present at all
• BA mild cough with no fever that clears up on its own within a day or two of starting
• CFatigue
• DVomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, severe abdominal pain, signs of infection✓

Answer: Seek medical assessment: Vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, high fever, severe abdominal pain, infected cuts/boils, rashes. Many require stool testing before returning to food work.

What is 'carrier status' for pathogens?

• AImmunity to pathogens
• BPerson shedding pathogen without symptoms (especially after recovery)✓
• CSymptoms of food poisoning
• DVaccination status

Answer: Carriers shed pathogens (feces) without symptoms. Can unknowingly contaminate food. Salmonella carriers shed for weeks after recovery. Stool testing may be required before clearing to work.

What personal items should not be in food prep areas?

• APersonal items (bags, phones, coats) as they transfer contamination✓
• BOnly phones
• CFood handler's coat
• DApron

Answer: Keep out: Personal bags, phones, coats, shoes. These carry environmental pathogens and contaminants. Use designated lockers/areas for personal items outside food prep zones.

What should be done if a food handler returns from being ill?

• AMedical clearance required, stool testing may be needed for some pathogens✓
• BWait a few days
• CA verbal assurance is enough
• DReturn immediately

Answer: Return to work: May require medical clearance, negative stool test (for Salmonella, Shigella, etc.), minimum 48 hours post-symptom, written confirmation. Depends on pathogen and local requirements.