BASIC RULES OF
HYGIENE, SANITATION
AND SAFETY IN FOOD PROCESSING
Facilities required in the processing room
A changing room where clothing and shoes that are not worn for work can be stored.
Separate hand-washing facilities for staff, with soap, clean water, nail brushes and clean
towels or hot-air hand dryers. Hand-washing facilities should not be used for washing
equipment.
Toilets, which should be separated from the processing room by two doors or located in a
nearby building.
First aid materials.
Protective aprons or coats washed regularly, hats/hairnets, and if necessary, gloves and
shoes/boots.
Cleaning chemicals, stored away from the processing room.
Hygiene and sanitation
Personal hygiene
Wear a hat/hairnet that completely covers the hair. Do not comb your hair in a processing room or
storeroom.
Cover all cuts, burns, sores and abrasions with a clean, waterproof dressing.
Do not smoke or eat in any room where there is open food because bacteria can be transferred
from the mouth to the food.
Do not spit in a processing room or storeroom.
Wash hands and wrists thoroughly with soap after using the toilet, eating, smoking, coughing,
blowing your nose, combing your hair, handling waste food, rubbish or cleaning chemicals. Dry
them on a clean towel before handling food again.
Keep finger nails cut short.
Do not wear perfume or nail varnish as these can contaminate products.
Do not handle any food if you have sores, boils, septic spots, a bad cold, chest infection, sore
throat or a stomach upset. Report any of these to the manager and do alternative work.
Do not cough or sneeze over food.
Cleaning
Clean the processing room, toilets and washing facilities, and storerooms every day.
Use the correct chemicals to clean equipment, make sure there are no food residues and rinse
the equipment with clean water of drinking quality.
Make sure all cleaning cloths are washed and boiled each day. Do not hang them on equipment,
products or window ledges to dry.
Clean as you go -do not leave dirty equipment until the end of the day before cleaning it.
Keep the outside area around the processing room clean and tidy, keep grass cut short.
Practical Action, The Schumacher Centre, Bourton on Dunsmore, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 9QZ, UK
T +44 (0)1926 634400 | F +44 (0)1926 634401 | E infoserv@practicalaction.org.uk | W www.practicalaction.org
Practical Action is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.
Company Reg. No. 871954, England | Reg. Charity No.247257 | VAT No. 880 9924 76 |
Patron HRH The Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB