Thank you for your Monday editorial, “Disposable gloves can’t overcome grimy habits.” Local public health wholly agrees that hand-washing is very important!
There is a constant influx of inexperienced food-service employees who require training and supervision. It is one of the biggest issues in food safety. To give you an idea of the volume, last year Snohomish Health District held 480 classes to teach more than 18,000 people how to handle food safely. These workers prepare and serve to you the food you consume from 3,000 permanent and temporary food establishments in Snohomish County.
Snohomish Health District teaches every food worker in this county how to wash their hands and when to wash their hands: after using the toilet, when they enter the kitchen, before they put on gloves, and whenever they touch something that isn’t clean. Proper glove use is also discussed in food worker classes, and changing gloves after touching unclean items is identified as a requirement. Furthermore, hand-washing is identified as a necessary step between glove changes. Once food service employees are on the job it is the duty of the person in charge to ensure the food handlers comply with hand-washing and proper glove use. These rules are explained in detail in WAC 246-215, Chapter 3-301.11, Preventing Contamination from Hands.
Proper hand-washing and avoiding bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods is not only the law but also is an issue of respect for the customers. Patrons witnessing bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods should report the violation to us at the Snohomish Health District, 425-339-5250.
Thank you again for taking the time and page space to emphasize the importance of frequent and thorough hand-washing in preventing disease transmission.
Rick Zahalka
Manager, Food &Living Environment Program
Snohomish Health District
Everett
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