As stated in the latest Food Code, which came out in 2017, here are the five times when workers should change gloves:
- Before handling a different type of food
- After touching anything that could contaminate hands
- After coughing or sneezing
- When gloves are ripped or torn
- At least every four hours when working on the same task
In addition, according to our vendor partner, FoodHandler, there are also other important things to remember about gloving!
How To Put Gloves On:
- Wash hands using good technique.
- Select the proper size of glove.
- Pull a glove out of the box one at a time.
- Handle only the cuff of the glove.
The Dos of Gloving:
- Always wear gloves for handing ready-to-eat foods.
- Select the appropriate type of glove.
- Change gloves between tasks.
- Wear gloves over bandages, finger cots or finger stalls.
- Store glove boxes where they can’t become easily contaminated.
The Don’ts of Gloving:
- Don’t blow into gloves to make them easier to put on.
- Don’t put gloves back into the box if extras come out.
- Don’t use gloves that have dropped onto the countertop or floor.
- Don’t place glove boxes so that they can easily fall.
Just putting on gloves isn’t the entire defense strategy. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that two of the top four contributing factors for foodborne illness outbreaks are workers contaminating ready-to-eat foods with bare-hand contact AND gloved-hand contact. Not wearing gloves is a problem, but wearing contaminated gloves can also affect the safety of the food served. Now, the fight is on! Gloves are an important part of your strategy for fighting foodborne illness in your operation, but they must be used correctly!
For more important information about gloving and food safety, visit the FoodHandler website.
