How to Record a Personal Hygiene Video for Your Food Safety Management System

Step 1: Set the scene and context

Poor personal hygiene can seriously impact the safety of food we prepare and serve to customers. Every food handler carries potential contaminants—bacteria on their hands and skin, allergens on their clothing, physical hazards like hair or jewellery, and chemical hazards from perfumes or lotions. Your personal hygiene policy isn't about being fussy; it's about ensuring that food handlers don't become the source of contamination that makes customers ill.

Your team needs to understand that they are one of the biggest variables in food safety. Excellent systems and procedures can all be undermined by a food handler who doesn't wash their hands properly, wears prohibited items into the kitchen, or comes to work in a dirty uniform.

Where to film this video:

Film at your hand wash station in the kitchen—this is where you'll demonstrate the correct hand washing technique. You'll also want to show your uniform and locker area where staff change and store personal items. Have examples of correct uniform to hand, as well as a blue waterproof plaster to demonstrate wound covering.

What to have ready:

• Your hand wash basin with antibacterial soap, paper towels, and pedal bin
• Example of correct uniform (light coloured, long sleeves, no exterior pockets or buttons)
• Clean aprons for demonstrating when to wear them
• Blue waterproof plasters
• Hairnet or chef's hat if you use them
• Examples of prohibited items to discuss (jewellery, false nails, etc.)

Start your video by explaining:

"This video covers personal hygiene—one of the most important controls in our food safety system. Poor personal hygiene is one of the leading causes of food contamination incidents. I'm going to cover three main areas: hand washing—when and how to do it properly; uniform standards—what you must wear and why; and personal hygiene rules—what's prohibited and why. Every person who handles food needs to understand that their personal hygiene directly affects the safety of the food we serve."

Step 2: Plan what to record versus what to write down

Personal hygiene training combines hands-on demonstration with extensive lists of requirements. Split your content strategically.

Best for video (on camera):

• Demonstrating the correct hand washing technique step by step
• Showing where hand wash basins are located and why you must use them (not food sinks)
• Demonstrating correct uniform standards and what 'fit for purpose' means
• Explaining the reasons behind prohibited items (jewellery, false nails, perfume, etc.)
• Showing how to cover wounds with blue waterproof plasters
• Leading by example—managers demonstrating good practice

Best for supporting written text:

• Complete list of when hands must be washed (all 20+ scenarios)
• Uniform specification (food industry grade, light colour, long sleeves, etc.)
• Full list of prohibited items with reasons
• Hand wash basin requirements checklist
• Corrective actions for hygiene breaches
• Record-keeping requirements

Example written reference to include:

When to Wash Hands - Critical Times:
□ On entering the kitchen or food preparation area
□ Before handling high-risk, cooked, or ready-to-eat food
□ Before AND after preparing allergen-free meals
□ After handling raw meat, fish, poultry, seafood, shell eggs
□ After handling unwashed vegetables, fruit, or salad
□ After using the washroom (wash again on entering kitchen)
□ After handling waste
□ After handling or removing external packaging from deliveries
□ After cleaning or mixing chemicals
□ After a break
□ After changing a dressing or plaster
□ After dealing with a cut, burn, or ill/injured person
□ After coughing, sneezing, or blowing nose
□ After smoking or eating
□ After handling money
□ After touching phones, computers, door handles, taps, or frequently touched surfaces

Prohibited Items in Food Areas:
✗ Jewellery (except plain wedding band with no stones)
✗ Watches and bangles
✗ False nails and nail varnish
✗ Fake eyelashes
✗ Facial piercings, tongue piercings, earrings
✗ Strong perfume, aftershave, or deodorants
✗ Strong-smelling ointments or medications

Step 3: Core rules and requirements

Cover the essential knowledge your team needs about hand washing, uniforms, and personal hygiene standards.

Why personal hygiene matters:

Begin with the context: "Diligent personal hygiene procedures help control four types of contamination hazards: microbiological—bacteria and viruses; allergenic—allergen proteins transferred on hands and clothing; physical—hair, jewellery, plasters falling into food; and chemical—perfumes, lotions, and cleaning chemicals. Your personal hygiene isn't just about you—it's about protecting every customer who eats the food you prepare."

Hand washing basin requirements:

Explain the infrastructure that must be in place: "Hands must only be washed in hand wash basins—never in food preparation sinks or pot wash sinks. Hand wash basins should be positioned at entrances and exits to food preparation areas, and in specific locations within the kitchen to maintain a linear workflow and avoid cross-contamination.

Each basin needs: hot and cold potable water that can be mixed to a suitable temperature; antibacterial liquid hand soap from a dispenser using a cartridge system—no bars of soap; single-use paper hand towels or rolls for drying; a pedal-operated waste bin so you don't have to touch it after washing; and hand wash signs displayed above the basin.

Basins must be cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis. A dirty hand wash basin defeats the purpose."

Hand condition requirements:

Explain the prerequisites: "Before we even talk about technique, your hands need to be in the right condition. Keep nails short—long nails harbour bacteria underneath and are harder to clean properly. All wounds, cuts, and sores must be covered with blue waterproof plasters. Blue so they're visible if they fall into food, waterproof so bacteria from the wound can't seep through."

Jewellery restrictions:

Be clear about what's not allowed: "Jewellery must be removed before starting work when working with food. The only exception is a plain wedding band with no stones. No watches, no bangles, no earrings, no facial piercings, no tongue piercings. Jewellery harbours bacteria in crevices, can fall into food causing physical contamination, and makes proper hand washing impossible. Stones can come loose from rings and end up in food. Remove everything except that plain wedding band."

Uniform standards:

Cover the protective clothing requirements: "Uniforms are provided to protect food from the wearer—not the other way around. Your uniform controls contamination by providing a clean barrier between your street clothes and the food you handle.

For your uniform to work as protection, it must meet these standards: it must fit properly; it must be food industry grade; it should be light in colour so contamination is visible; it should have long sleeves to cover arm hair and protect skin; it must not have exterior pockets or buttons that could fall into food; and it must be kept clean and in good condition.

Uniforms must be washed and disinfected daily with the correct time and temperature wash combination. You should not wear the same uniform on two consecutive days without washing. And critically—uniform should not be worn anywhere other than at work. Don't travel to work in your whites and don't wear them to the shops on your way home."

Additional clothing requirements:

Cover aprons and headwear: "Staff should wear aprons when required for certain tasks—handling raw products or cleaning duties in particular. Aprons provide an extra layer of protection and can be changed easily if they become contaminated.

Headwear is advisable and best practice. If headwear is not worn, long hair must be tied back securely to prevent hair falling into food. Staff should have suitable storage areas provided for personal clothing and belongings—outdoor clothes should never be stored near food or clean uniforms."

Prohibited items beyond jewellery:

Cover the full list: "Several other items are prohibited in food areas:

False nails and nail varnish are not allowed—false nails can fall off into food and varnish can chip and flake. Fake eyelashes are not allowed for the same reason.

Food handlers must not wear strong perfume, aftershave, or strongly scented deodorants. These can taint food and compromise its quality and taste. The same applies to strong-smelling ointments and medications—if you're using something with a strong scent, speak to your manager before working with food.

Food handlers must not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum whilst working in a food area. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the premises, and no smoking signs should be displayed in and around food areas."

Behavioural requirements:

Cover the habits that matter: "Human behaviour and poor personal hygiene habits can seriously compromise food safety. Food handlers must avoid touching their hair and face when working around food—your face and hair harbour bacteria, and touching them transfers those bacteria to your hands.

It's best practice to keep facial hair to a minimum. Beards should be kept trimmed and tidy. On occasion, it may be necessary for a staff member to wear a beard snood to prevent contamination.

Managers and senior staff should lead by example in regard to hand washing technique and frequency. If the head chef doesn't wash their hands properly, junior staff won't either. Hand washing should be monitored diligently through regular observation and questioning."

Step 4: Demonstrate or walk through

Show your team the correct techniques for the most critical personal hygiene practices.

Demonstrating the hand wash station:

Start at the basin: "This is our hand wash station. Notice the position—it's at the entrance to the food area so everyone passes it when they come in. We have hot and cold running water that I can mix to a comfortable temperature. Antibacterial hand soap in a cartridge dispenser—not a bar of soap. Single-use paper towels—not a shared cloth towel. And a pedal bin so I don't have to touch anything after washing."

Demonstrating the hand washing technique:

Walk through every step: "Let me show you the correct hand washing technique. This should take around 20 seconds of actual washing—not including wetting and rinsing.

First, I wet my hands under warm running water. Then I apply enough antibacterial soap to cover all surfaces of my hands.

Now the washing technique—this is where most people go wrong:

I rub my palms together. Then I rub the back of each hand with the opposite palm, fingers interlaced. Then palm to palm with fingers interlaced. Then I rub the backs of my fingers against my opposite palm with fingers interlocked. Then I grasp each thumb with the opposite hand and rotate. Finally, I rub the tips of my fingers in my opposite palm in a circular motion.

This covers every surface of my hands and between all my fingers. Twenty seconds of this technique.

Then I rinse thoroughly under clean running water. Then I dry my hands completely using a single-use paper towel. I use the paper towel to turn off the tap so I don't recontaminate my hands. And the paper towel goes in the pedal bin."

Demonstrating when to wash:

Walk through key scenarios: "Let me show you some of the critical times when you must wash your hands.

I've just entered the kitchen from outside—I wash my hands at the entrance basin.

I've been handling raw chicken and now I need to prepare a salad—I wash my hands before touching the ready-to-eat food.

I'm about to prepare an allergen-free meal—I wash my hands before starting. I've finished that meal—I wash my hands again after, so I don't transfer any traces to the next dish.

I've just taken a delivery and handled the external packaging—I wash my hands before touching any food.

I've just used the washroom—I wash my hands there, then wash them again when I enter the food area. That's two washes.

I've just sneezed into my elbow—I wash my hands immediately.

I've been on a break handling my phone—I wash my hands before returning to food preparation."

Demonstrating wound covering:

Show the correct technique: "If I have a cut or wound, I need to cover it with a blue waterproof plaster before handling any food. Watch—I make sure the plaster completely covers the wound and is sealed properly. Blue so it's visible if it comes off, waterproof so bacteria can't seep through. If a plaster comes off during service, stop, find it if possible, apply a fresh one, and wash hands thoroughly."

Demonstrating uniform inspection:

Show what to check: "Before starting work, I check my uniform: Is it clean? Is it in good condition—no tears, missing buttons, or stains? Is it the correct type—light colour, long sleeves, no exterior pockets? Am I wearing my apron where required?

I check my hands: Nails short and clean? All jewellery removed except plain wedding band? All wounds covered with blue waterproof plasters?

If anything isn't right, I fix it before I handle any food."

Managing personal items in the workplace

Storage and changing procedures:

"Let me show you our changing and storage area. This is where the hygiene standards begin."

"I arrive at work in my street clothes. I don't wear my uniform to travel—that would expose it to contamination before I even start work."

"I store my outdoor clothes in this locker—notice it's away from food areas and clean uniform storage. My bag, my phone, my personal items all stay in the locker during my shift."

"I change into my clean uniform here. I check it as I put it on—is it clean? Any damage? Does it fit properly?"

"If I need to check my phone during a break, I wash my hands before returning to food handling. The phone has been everywhere—public transport, my pocket, my home—it's covered in bacteria."

End of shift routine:

"At the end of my shift, I reverse the process. I change out of my uniform before leaving. The dirty uniform goes in the laundry basket, not back in my locker."

"I don't wear my whites home. I don't stop at the shops on the way. The uniform is for work only."

Hand hygiene beyond washing

Using hand sanitiser correctly:

"Hand sanitiser is a supplement to hand washing, not a replacement. Let me show you when and how to use it."

"I've just washed my hands thoroughly. Now I'm applying sanitiser as an additional step before handling high-risk food. I'm using enough to cover all surfaces and rubbing until it's dry—about 20 seconds."

"What sanitiser cannot do: it cannot remove physical dirt, food debris, or allergen proteins. If my hands are visibly dirty, sanitiser won't clean them. I must wash first."

"We keep sanitiser dispensers at key points around the kitchen. Use them, but remember they're an extra step, not the main cleaning step."

Glove use—when and why:

"We use disposable gloves in certain situations. Let me explain when they're appropriate and when they're not."

"Gloves are useful when handling ready-to-eat food that won't be cooked—salads, sandwiches, desserts. They provide a barrier between my hands and the food."

"But gloves aren't magic. If I touch raw chicken with gloved hands, then touch cooked food, I've just cross-contaminated—same as if I wasn't wearing gloves."

"Gloves must be changed: when switching between tasks, after touching non-food surfaces, when they're damaged, and regularly during extended tasks."

"I always wash my hands before putting on gloves and after removing them. Gloves can develop microscopic holes; washing ensures any contamination that got through is removed."

Addressing specific hygiene challenges

Handling allergen-free meal preparation:

"I'm about to prepare an allergen-free meal. Let me show you the enhanced hygiene procedures."

"First, I wash my hands thoroughly—standard technique, 20 seconds minimum. Then I dry with a fresh paper towel."

"I'm checking my uniform—any traces of allergens from earlier prep? If I've been handling flour, there might be residue on my sleeves. I put on a clean apron."

"I'm using clean, sanitised equipment that hasn't been in contact with the allergen I'm avoiding. Separate boards, separate utensils, separate workspace if possible."

"When the allergen-free meal is complete, I wash my hands again before handling other food. This prevents me from transferring allergen-free food traces onto other dishes that might contain allergens."

Working with raw and cooked food:

"I've been handling raw chicken. Now I need to plate a cooked salad. Let me show you the transition."

"First, I step away from the raw prep area. I remove my apron if it's been contaminated with raw juices."

"I wash my hands—thoroughly, 20 seconds, all surfaces. I'm extra careful because raw chicken carries pathogens that can cause serious illness."

"I put on a clean apron. I move to the cooked food area."

"Now I can handle the cooked food safely. The barrier between raw and cooked is maintained through this process every single time."

Monitoring and maintaining standards

Self-checking throughout the shift:

"Good personal hygiene isn't a one-time thing at the start of the shift. I'm constantly monitoring myself throughout the day."

"Have I touched my face? Wash hands. Have I handled raw food? Wash hands. Have I touched my phone during a break? Wash hands."

"Is my apron still clean? If not, change it. Is my uniform still in good condition? If something's torn or stained, address it."

"Have I been to the washroom? Wash there, wash again when I re-enter the kitchen."

"This self-awareness becomes automatic with practice. You should be mentally noting every time you do something that requires handwashing."

Peer accountability:

"We all help each other maintain standards. If you see a colleague not washing their hands, or wearing prohibited items, say something."

"This isn't about being the hygiene police—it's about team accountability. A quiet word: 'Hey, you forgot to wash your hands' is all it takes."

"If you see something you're not sure about, ask. If you see something that seems seriously wrong, report it to a supervisor."

Step 5: Common mistakes to avoid

Cover the personal hygiene errors that create food safety risks.

Mistake 1: Washing hands in food sinks

"Hands must only be washed in designated hand wash basins—never in food preparation sinks, pot wash sinks, or any other sink. Food sinks are for food and equipment. Hand wash basins are specifically set up with soap and paper towels for hand washing. Using a food sink to wash hands risks contaminating that sink and any food that subsequently comes into contact with it."

Mistake 2: Inadequate hand washing technique

"Most people don't wash their hands properly—they wet them, add soap, rub palms together briefly, and rinse. This doesn't clean between fingers, under nails, or the backs of hands. Follow the full technique every time: all surfaces, all fingers, 20 seconds of washing. A quick rinse under the tap is not hand washing."

Mistake 3: Not washing hands after using the washroom and entering the kitchen

"Washing hands after using the washroom is obvious—but many people forget to wash again when they enter the food area. You've touched door handles, perhaps your phone, various surfaces on the way back. Wash in the washroom, then wash again at the hand wash station when you enter the kitchen. Two washes."

Mistake 4: Wearing prohibited items

"Jewellery, false nails, strong perfume, watches—these get 'forgotten' by staff who've been wearing them for years without issue. But all it takes is one ring stone falling into food, one false nail coming loose, one customer with a perfume sensitivity. The rules exist for good reasons. Check every shift, every time."

Mistake 5: Wearing dirty or damaged uniforms

"A uniform that's stained, torn, or hasn't been washed properly isn't providing protection—it's a source of contamination. Uniforms must be clean every shift. If your uniform is damaged, report it and get a replacement. If there aren't enough clean uniforms available, that's a supply issue that needs addressing immediately."

Mistake 6: Travelling to work in uniform

"Your uniform should only be worn at work. Travelling in your whites exposes them to contamination from public transport, outdoor air, and everywhere you go. Change into your uniform at work, change out of it before leaving. Store your personal clothes in the designated area, away from food and clean uniforms."

Mistake 7: Managers not leading by example

"If managers and senior chefs don't follow personal hygiene rules, junior staff won't either. If the head chef skips hand washing or wears their watch in the kitchen, the message to the team is that these rules don't really matter. Leaders must model perfect hygiene every time—it's the most powerful training tool you have."

Mistake 8: Not monitoring and correcting

"Personal hygiene requires ongoing monitoring. Observe staff, question them, check compliance. If someone isn't washing their hands properly, make them rewash immediately and retrain if necessary. If hand washing supplies are running low, restock immediately. Don't wait for problems to occur—monitor and correct proactively."

Step 6: Key takeaways

Finish your video by reinforcing the critical points.

"Let me recap the personal hygiene rules you need to follow:

Why it matters: Personal hygiene controls four types of contamination: microbiological, allergenic, physical, and chemical. You are a potential source of contamination, and your hygiene practices directly affect the safety of the food you handle.

Hand washing technique: Use designated hand wash basins only—never food sinks. Wet hands, apply antibacterial soap, wash all surfaces including between fingers for 20 seconds, rinse, dry with single-use paper towels, use the towel to turn off the tap.

When to wash hands: On entering the kitchen, before handling high-risk or ready-to-eat food, before and after allergen-free meal preparation, after handling raw products, after using the washroom and again on entering the kitchen, after handling waste or packaging, after cleaning or chemicals, after breaks, after changing plasters, after coughing or sneezing, after smoking, after handling money or touching phones and door handles.

Hand condition: Keep nails short and clean. Cover all wounds with blue waterproof plasters. Remove all jewellery except a plain wedding band.

Uniform standards: Food industry grade, light coloured, long sleeves, no exterior pockets or buttons. Clean and washed daily. Not worn on two consecutive days without washing. Only worn at work—change when you arrive and before you leave.

Prohibited items: No jewellery (except plain wedding band), no watches or bangles, no false nails or nail varnish, no fake eyelashes, no facial or tongue piercings, no strong perfumes or aftershave, no eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing gum in food areas.

Lead by example: Managers and senior staff must model perfect hygiene. Monitor hand washing through observation and questioning. Correct problems immediately and retrain where necessary.

Personal hygiene is one of the most fundamental controls in food safety. It costs nothing, requires no special equipment, and depends entirely on every individual following the rules every time. Get it right, and you prevent contamination at its most likely source—the people handling the food."