This guidance is to help prevent the introduction or spread of infection in the workplace. It also helps food businesses and employees comply with the law.
A food handler suffering from gastrointestinal infection may contaminate food and the environment.
This is most likely to happen when someone is suffering from diarrhoea and/or vomiting.
By law, you cannot work in any food handling area, in any capacity that may directly or indirectly contaminate food if:
- You have, suspect, or are carrying a disease likely to be transmitted through food. Or:
- You have, for example, infected wounds, skin infections, sores, vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
A person suffering from any of the above, or similar conditions must inform their manager or proprietor of the food business immediately. They must leave the food handling area immediately.
Also, if anyone in your household is suffering from vomiting and/or diarrhoea you must inform your manager or proprietor.
The management must ensure that toilets, handles, taps and surfaces are cleaned and sanitised. Especially after contact by anyone reporting diarrhoea and/or vomiting.
If vomiting has occurred in a food handling area, please consider the disposal of any food. Surfaces, equipment and utensils should be cleaned and sanitised.
Please consult the council's Food and Safety team .
In most cases a food handler returning to work:
- Should be 48 hours with no vomiting once any treatment has finished
- Should be 48 hours with no diarrhoea (bowel habits returned to normal) either spontaneously or once any treatment has finished
- Must practice good hygiene, particularly hand-washing.
These precautions also apply to:
- Children who attend pre-school or nursery groups
- Other children or adults who may find it difficult to implement good standards of personal hygiene
- Health care, nursery or social care staff who have direct contact with highly susceptible patients. Or persons in whom a gastrointestinal infection would have particularly serious consequences.
Please note that this guidance is not comprehensive. To enquire about specific cases or for more details please contact the Food and Safety Team.
More information:
Food Handlers: Fitness to Work - A Practical Guide for Food Business Operators