Employee Health

by Greg Harbaugh on 09/26/12

 

Employee Health

 

It is getting to be that time of year when people start getting sick from the common Cold, the Flu, Strep Throat, or some other illness. But Employee Illness is a year long concern with regards to Food Safety. Some illnesses RESTRICT an associate from working around food, and others EXCLUDE them. Below are some important points to remember

 

-         Associates with the following symptoms should be restricted from working around food and should report the symptoms to the Person in Charge (PIC).

o   Sore throat with Fever

o   Fever

o   Vomiting

o   Diarrhea

o   Jaundice (yellow-ish skin color)

o   Lesion/Burn/Cut containing pus (requires double covering or bandage)

 

o   Associates with the following illnesses should be excluded from work and should report their illness to the Person in Charge ( PIC).

o   Hepatitis A virus

o   E.coli

o   Shigella

o   Salmonella typhimurium

o   Norovirus

 

When an employee reports to work ill, they can easily spread bacteria and viruses to food and cause an outbreak of illness.  The person in charge should adopt an approach that employees with diarrhea and flu-like symptoms not work with or around food.  The employee has the equal responsibility to inform the person in charge if he or she is ill.

 

Employees who are sick or have a communicable disease shall not handle food, as this practice can promote the spread of food borne illnesses.

 

Be safe, wash your hands often, and stay healthy!!