Food and Health Guidelines - Torfaen Family Information Service

7. Food hygiene and safety
Personal hygiene
Regular hand washing is important for
personal cleanliness. All staff should be
reminded of the need for this prior to starting
or returning to work.
Hands should be washed regularly
throughout the day and especially:
• BEFORE: preparing food; eating; helping
children to eat; attending to babies
It is also important that children are
taught basic hygiene themselves -
for example washing their hands with soap
and water before eating meals or snacks
and after going to the toilet or handling
animals and not eating food that has
fallen on the floor.
See section 10 for personal hygiene and
food safety contact information.
• BETWEEN: handling raw foods (meat, fish,
poultry and eggs) and touching any other
food or kitchen utensils
• AFTER: preparing food, especially raw
foods; visiting the toilet; toileting children;
emptying rubbish/ waste bins; changing
nappies; caring for sick children, especially
those with gastro-intestinal disorders;
coughing or sneezing, especially if you are
unwell; handling and stroking animals;
taking a break; smoking
• Always use warm water. Its better to
wet hands before applying soap as this
prevents irritation. (Use anti-bacterial
liquid soap)
• Rub hands together vigorously for about
15 seconds, making sure both sides of
the hands are washed fully, around the
thumbs, between each finger and around
and under nails.
• Rinse with clean water
• Dry hands thoroughly - 1000 times as
many germs spread from damp hands
than dry hands. Use a clean dry towel,
paper towel or air dryer.
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