Ohio Admin. Code 3717-1-02.2 - Management and personnel: personal cleanliness

[Comment: For publication dates of the C.F.R. referenced in this rule, see paragraph (B)(15)(b) of rule 3717-1-01 of the Administrative Code.]

(A) Hands and arms - clean condition.

Food employees shall are to keep their hands and exposed portions of their arms clean.

(B) Hands and arms - cleaning procedure.

(1) Except as specified in paragraph (B)(4) of this rule, food employees shall are to clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms including surrogate prosthetic devices for hands or arms for at least twenty seconds, using a hand cleaner in a handwashing sink that is equipped as specified under paragraph (C) of rule 3717-1-05.1 of the Administrative Code and paragraphs (A) to (F) of rule 3717-1-06.2 of the Administrative Code.

(2) Food employees shall are to use the following cleaning procedure in the order stated to clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms, including surrogate prosthetic devices for hands and arms:

(a) Rinse under clean, running warm water;

(b) Apply an amount of hand cleaner recommended by the product manufacturer;

(c) Rub together vigorously for at least ten to fifteen seconds while:

(i) Paying particular attention to removing soil from underneath the fingernails during the cleaning procedure; and

(ii) Creating friction on the surfaces of the hands and arms or surrogate prosthetic devices for hands and arms, finger tips, and areas between the fingers.

(d) Thoroughly rinse under clean, running warm water; and

(e) Immediately follow the cleaning procedure with thorough drying using a method as specified under paragraph (C) of rule 3717-1-06.2 of the Administrative Code.

(3) To avoid recontaminating their hands or surrogate prosthetic devices, food employees may use disposable paper towels or similar clean barriers when touching surfaces such as manually operated faucet handles on a handwashing sink or the handle of a restroom door.

(4) If approved and capable of removing the types of soils encountered in the food operations involved, an automatic handwashing facility may be used by food employees to clean their hands or surrogate prosthetic devices.

(C) Hands and arms - when to wash.

Food employees shall are to clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms as specified under paragraph (B) of this rule immediately before engaging in food preparation including working with exposed food; clean equipment and utensils; and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles and:

(1) After touching bare human body parts other than clean hands and clean, exposed portions of arms;

(2) After using the toilet room;

(3) After caring for or handling service animals or aquatic animals as specified in paragraph (E) of rule 3717-1-02.3 of the Administrative Code;

(4) After coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or disposable tissue, using tobacco products, eating, or drinking except as specified in paragraph (A) of rule 3717-1-02.3 of the Administrative Code for a food employee drinking from a closed beverage container;

(5) After handling soiled equipment or utensils;

(6) During food preparation, as often as necessary to remove soil and contamination and to prevent cross contamination when changing tasks;

(7) When switching between working with raw food and working with ready-to-eat food;

(8) Before donning gloves to initiate a task that involves working with food; and

(9) After engaging in any other activities that contaminate the hands.

(D) Hands and arms - where to wash.

Food employees shall are to clean their hands in a handwashing sink or approved automatic handwashing facility and may not clean their hands in a sink used for food preparation or warewashing, or in a service sink or a curbed cleaning facility used for the disposal of mop water and similar liquid waste.

(E) Hand antiseptics.

(1) A hand antiseptic used as a topical application, a hand antiseptic solution used as a hand dip, or a hand antiseptic soap shall is to:

(a) Comply with one of the following:

(i) Be an approved drug that is listed in the current version of the FDA publication "Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations" (as published in 2018) as an approved drug based on safety and effectiveness; or

(ii) Have active antimicrobial ingredients that are listed in the FDA monograph for over-the-counter health-care antiseptic drug products as an antiseptic handwash (as published on December 20, 2017); and

(b) Consist only of components which the intended use of each complies with one of the following:

(i) A threshold of regulation exemption under 21 C.F.R. 170.39; or

(ii) 21 C.F.R. 178 as regulated for use as a food additive with conditions of safe use; or

(iii) A determination of generally recognized as safe. Partial listings of substances with food uses that are generally recognized as safe may be found in 21 C.F.R. 182, 21 C.F.R. 184 or 21 C.F.R. 186 for use in contact with food and in FDA's inventory of generally recognized as safe notices; or

(iv) A prior sanction listed under 21 C.F.R. 181; or

(v) A food contact notification that is effective; and

(c) Be applied only to hands that are cleaned as specified under paragraph (B) of this rule.

(2) If a hand antiseptic or a hand antiseptic solution used as a hand dip does not meet the criteria specified under paragraph (E)(1)(b) of this rule, use shall is to be:

(a) Followed by thorough hand rinsing in clean water before hand contact with food or by the use of gloves; or

(b) Limited to situations that involve no direct contact with food by the bare hands.

(3) A hand antiseptic solution used as a hand dip shall is to be maintained clean and at a strength equivalent to at least one hundred parts per million (mg/L) chlorine.

(F) Fingernails - maintenance.

(1) Food employees shall are to keep their fingernails trimmed, filed, and maintained so the edges and surfaces are cleanable and not rough.

(2) Unless wearing intact gloves in good repair, a food employee may will not wear fingernail polish or artificial fingernails when working with exposed food.

(G) Jewelry - prohibition limitation.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (G)(2) and (G)(3) of this rule, while preparing food, food employees may not cannot wear jewelry on their arms or hands.

(2) A medical alert bracelet is permitted when a reasonable accommodation is made, such as wearing the bracelet high on the arm or secured in a manner that does not pose a risk to the food but provides emergency medical information if it is needed.

(3) A plain ring such as a wedding band may be worn.

(H) Outer clothing - clean condition.

Food employees shall are to wear clean outer clothing to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service articles, or single-use articles.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 3717-1-02.2

Effective: 9/5/2024
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 6/21/2024 and 08/26/2029
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3717.04, 3717.05
Rule Amplifies: 3717.04, 3717.05
Prior Effective Dates: 03/01/2001, 03/01/2005, 03/01/2009, 01/01/2013, 03/01/2016, 03/01/2019