Bare hand contact is prohibited for ready-to-eat food except for in three scenarios.
- Washing produce
- Prepping food to cook
- Approved plans
Food establishments can apply for a variance for bare hand contact by getting a plan approved by their local health department. If you are creating a plan for your business to apply for an exemption, or because you want to reduce the potential of foodborne illness outbreaks, you should make sure:
- Workers are well trained to know when they are too sick to work with foods.
- You have two or more handwashing control measures. Add another level to routine handwashing like an extra step with sanitizer or scrubbing with a brush after regular handwashing.
In order to apply for a bare hand contact exemption you must have:
- A written employee health policy
- Two or more handwashing control measures
- Employee training
- Handwashing sinks near the bare hand contact areas
- Engage in active managerial control. Have written rules for your employees and make sure they are trained on them.
