RAMW - Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington
09/18/2024 | News release | Archived content
September is Food Safety Month: Week 3: How to Prevent Foodborne Illnesses in Your Restaurant: Essential Tips
During week three of National Food Safety Month 2024, we're focusing on ways to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses in restaurants.
Proper prevention practices can significantly reduce the risk of contamination and foodborne illnesses. Follow these essential tips to protect your staff, your customers, and your reputation from outbreaks.
Putting Personal Hygiene First
Most foodborne outbreaks at restaurants are caused by food handlers unknowingly transferring pathogens from their body onto food. Neglecting personal hygiene greatly increases the risk of transferring harmful pathogens to food.
The number one way to avoid a foodborne illness outbreak at your operation is to ensure your staff are following proper hygiene protocols. One of the most important personal hygiene practices food handlers should follow is knowing when, where and how to wash their hands.
Practicing proper hygiene in the restaurant also includes knowing when and how to use gloves, keeping hands and nails clean, wearing appropriate work attire and not showing up to work sick.
Here are more essential tips for maintaining a clean, healthy crew:
DO'S
● Hang posters near handwashing sinks that clearly indicate when, where and how employees should wash their hands.
● Regularly stock your handwashing stations with soap and paper towels.
● Talk to staff about dirty hands and nails, unkempt hair, soiled clothes or inappropriate jewelry and provide your reasoning.
● Let staff know where they can eat, drink, smoke and chew gum or tobacco.
● Look out for employees who are coughing, sneezing, vomiting or displaying other signs of illness and remind them of your sick policy.
DON'T'S
● Let employees use rags, aprons or their clothes to dry their hands.
● Use the hand washing sink for anything other than washing hands.
● Let employees come into work sick.