How to manage personal hygiene in the kitchen.

This article has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Poor personal hygiene can seriously impact the safety of food we prepare and serve to our customers.

The personal hygiene policy is in place to ensure that food handlers follow strict protocols so that you can ensure that food is safe and hygienic to eat. 

Handwashing best practices

Diligent hand washing procedures can help to control contamination hazards – microbiological, allergenic, physical and chemical and can prevent a staggering one in three diarrhoea illnesses and one in five respiratory infections. By thoroughly washing our hands with hot soapy water, you can battle harmful bacteria growth before it spreads.

In order that hand washing can control contamination hazards, the following prerequisites must be taken into consideration:

• •Hands should be kept in good condition with short nails. Wounds and sores should be covered with blue waterproof plasters.
• •Jewellery should be removed before starting work when working with food.
• •Hands should only be washed in hand wash basins only, not sinks.
• •Hand wash signs should be placed above hand wash basins.
• •Hand wash basins should be sited at entrances and exits into food preparation areas and if needed sited also in specific areas of the food room (to avoid cross contamination and maintain a linear workflow through the kitchen).
• •Hot and cold potable water must be provided that can be mixed to a suitable temperature.
• •Hand wash basins need to be clean and cleaned/disinfected on a daily basis.
• •Antibacterial liquid hand soap should be provided from a dispenser that uses a cartridge system.
• •Single use paper hand towels or rolls should be provided for drying hands.
• •A pedal operated waste bin should be provided for wastepaper towels.
• •Staff must undergo training to show them how to wash hands properly.
• •Handwashing should take place after using the washroom and once again on entering the kitchen/food area
• •Managers and senior staff should lead by example in regard to hand washing technique and frequency.
• •Hand washing should be monitored diligently by regular observation and questioning.

When to wash your hands

Food handlers need to remember that this practice is not a one-time affair—it’s a habit to be performed routinely. Every time that food is handled the risk of contamination increase, therefore hands should be clean at all times, take note of the most critical times:

• •On entering the kitchen or food preparation area.
• •Before handling high risk food, cooked and/or RTE (ready to eat) food.
• •Before and after preparation of an allergen free meal.
• •After handling raw products including meat, fish, poultry, seafood, shell eggs, vegetables, unwashed fruit and salad.
• •After using the washroom.
• •After returning from the washroom, wash hands as you enter the food area.
• •After handling waste.
• •After handling or removing external packaging from a delivery.
• •After cleaning or mixing chemicals.
• •After a break.
• •After changing a dressing/plaster.
• •After dealing with cut or a burn or an ill or injured colleague or customer.
• •After coughing, sneezing or blowing the nose.
• •After smoking or eating.
• •After handling money.
• •After touching telephone, computer keys and mouse, door handles. Drawer handles, taps and any other frequently touched surfaces.

How to wash your hands properly 

Follow the steps in the below procedure to make sure hand washing is done thoroughly: 

How to frequently check hand washing stations

The significance of maintaining clean hand wash stations in a kitchen is undeniable. A systematic approach to maintaining hand wash stations is essential. Regularly inspecting the hand wash stations to identify early signs of wear and tear is important. Create a consistent cleaning and maintenance schedule to ensure that the facilities are always ready for use.

1. Create or edit the task list that you want to include this task in. Make sure you tag that task list as 'Food Safety' so you can find it later.

2. Select task task type 'Something else' and name it something like 'Hand wash station inspection'.

3. Customise the task details to include your specific business processes or explain what you want staff to do. For example, you can add steps such as "Check each side of the basin..." 

Appropriate clothing for food handlers

Uniforms are provided with the intention of protecting food from the wearer to avoid potential contamination. The uniform itself can be a source of contamination if dirty or not kept in good condition.

In order that your uniform/protective clothing can control contamination hazards, the following prerequisites must be taken into consideration:

• •Protective clothing used must fit properly.
• •It must be food industry grade.
• •It should be light in colour.
• •It should have long sleeves.
• •It must be kept clean and disinfected daily (time/ temperature wash combination).
• •Protective clothing should not be worn on two consecutive days.
• •It should be in good condition.
• •It should not be worn anywhere other than at work.
• •Uniform/jacket should not have exterior pockets or buttons.
• •Staff should have a suitable storage area provided for their personal clothing and belonging.
• •Staff should be provided with and wear aprons when required for certain tasks e.g. Handling raw products or cleaning duties.
• •Headwear is advisable and best practice, if headwear is not worn then long hair must be tied back to avoid contamination.

Other uniform and personal hygiene considerations

Human behavior and poor personal hygiene habits can seriously compromise food safety. In order that contamination hazards can be controlled, the following prerequisites must be taken into consideration:

• •It is best practice to regularly shave and keep facial hair to a minimum. Beards should be kept trimmed and tidy. On occasion it may be necessary for a member of staff to wear a beard snood.
• •Facial piercings, tongue piercings and earrings should be discouraged as they can present a serious risk of physical contamination.
• •Fake eyelashes are not allowed in the food room.
• •False nails and nail varnish must not be worn in the food room.
• •Jewellery is restricted to a plain wedding band (no stones).
• •Watches and bangles are not allowed in the food room.
• •Food handlers are not permitted to wear aftershave, perfume, strong perfumed deodorants, ointments and medications that can compromise the quality and taste of food produced.
• •Food handlers must avoid touching hair and face when working around food.
• •Food handlers must not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum whilst working in a food area.
• •Food handlers must not smoke anywhere inside the premises.
• •No smoking signs should be displayed in and around food areas.

How to frequently check clothing is suitable

Creating a recurring task in Pilla to remind managers to check staff uniform and jewellery is an effective way to ensure that personal hygiene standards are consistently met in the kitchen. By automating this reminder, managers can stay on top of essential hygiene practices without the risk of forgetting. This proactive approach helps maintain a high level of food safety and ensures that all staff members adhere to the guidelines, reducing the chances of contamination and promoting a clean, safe cooking environment.

1. Create or edit the task list that you want to include this task in. Make sure you tag that task list as 'Food Safety' so you can find it later.

2. Select task task type 'Something else' and name it something like 'Staff uniform check'.

3. Customise the task details to include your specific business processes or explain what you want staff to do. For example, you can add steps such as "Are all staff wearing suitable clothing" 

How to organise and record personal hygiene training

Training is not just a regulatory requirement; it is the only way of maintaining a safe and efficient kitchen. Ensuring that all staff members are well-informed about personal hygiene practices and food safety protocols is crucial for preventing food-borne illnesses and maintaining high standards. Proper kitchen hygiene also involves the correct use and cleaning of cooking utensils to prevent physical contamination of food. By providing comprehensive training, you will make sure your team have the knowledge and skills they need to operate safely and confidently, thereby safeguarding the health of both the staff and the consumers.

1. Create a training item and name it something like ‘Personal hygiene processes’. You can set the training item up in advance so that your employees can see the training and prepare for it.

2. Use the tag ‘Food Safety’ as this will help you find you find the training later.

3. You should select the team(s) that will take part in the training and make sure to delete anybody in the visibility box who isn’t taking part.

4. If you’re holding this training session in person, then make sure to open up the training item on your management planner and leave notes about the training. You can add any supporting documents like attendance sheets or copies of training materials.If you’re creating this training item for employees to take the training on their own time, then open up the training item on the planner and add your own comments and training materials which employees will need to understand. In this situation, I would ask each employee to leave a comment to confirm that they understand the training.

5. Hit ‘Complete’ when you’re ready to save the training and of the comments and information will be available to find later if you need it.

Corrective actions if things go wrong

• •Invest in better or new uniforms if uniforms are ill fitting, damaged or not fit for purpose.
• •Ensure abundant supply of aprons available, ensure opening and closing checks identify this.
• •Make food handlers rewash their hands if necessary if found to be not doing so, retrain if necessary and monitor closely for future compliance. Lead by example.
• •Restock hand washing materials if found to be missing or low, ensure opening and closing checks are identifying low/missing hand washing materials.
• •Make extra daily checks to ensure hand wash basins are clean and fit for purpose.