When a Food Handler Should Not Handle Food

A food handler should not handle food when they have symptoms that could contaminate it — most commonly diarrhoea or vomiting, but also fever, sore throat with fever, or jaundice. Under the Food Standards Code, they must report it to their supervisor and stop handling food where contamination is likely (especially ready-to-eat food). The rule most widely applied is to stay away until at least 48 hours after gastro symptoms have completely stopped. Confirmed foodborne illnesses can require longer exclusion and clearance from a public health unit. Key takeaways: Under the Food Standards Code (Standard 3.2.2), a food handler with diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sore throat with fever or jaundice must report it to their supervisor and stop handling food where contamination is likely.. The return-to-work rule most widely applied for gastro is to wait until at least 48 hours after symptoms — particularly diarrhoea and vomiting — have completely stopped.. Confirmed foodborne illnesses such as Salmonella, hepatitis A, typhoid and STEC/E. coli can require longer exclusion and clearance from a public health unit before returning.. Infected skin sores, cuts and discharges from the ears, nose or eyes must be reported and either fully covered or the person restricted from handling food.. Requirements and exclusion periods can vary by state and territory — confirm reporting duties and clearance rules with your local council or state food regulator.. Exclusion vs restriction at a glance: Situation, Response. Active diarrhoea or vomiting — Exclude — do not attend the premises. Less than 48 hours since gastro symptoms stopped — Exclude until at least 48 hours symptom-free. Confirmed notifiable foodborne illness — Exclude until cleared by a public health unit or doctor. Infected cut or sore that can be fully covered — May be restricted to non-food tasks; cover securely. Infected lesion that cannot be securely covered — Do not handle unprotected food. What the Food Standards Code requires Australia's Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.2 (Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, Division 4 — Health and Hygiene), places clear duties on food handlers who are unwell. Standard 3.2.2 is adopted across all Australian states and territories, though it is enforced by your state or territory regulator and local council, so interpretation and exclusion advice can vary. The newer Standard 3.2.2A (Food Safety Management Tools) reinforces training, supervision and food safety supervisors so staff know when to step away from food. The Code focuses on the risk of contaminating food or transmitting a foodborne disease. In practice, a food handler who has a symptom that may indicate a foodborne disease, or who knows or suspects they are suffering from or carrying one, must report it to their supervisor and must not handle food where there is a reasonable likelihood of contaminating it. Because enforcement sits with your regulator and council, always confirm the exact requirements that apply to your business. Report to your supervisor if you know or suspect you may have contaminated food.. Report to your supervisor if you are suffering from, or are a carrier of, a foodborne disease, or have a symptom that may indicate one.. Do not handle food where contamination is reasonably likely — this especially means unpackaged, ready-to-eat food.. Take all practicable measures to prevent food from being contaminated, including staying away when required.. Symptoms that mean you must stop handling food The Food Standards Code identifies specific symptoms that indicate a food handler may be carrying a foodborne disease. If you develop any of these — whether at home before a shift or partway through one — you must report them to your supervisor and stop handling food where contamination is likely, particularly unpackaged, ready-to-eat items. Gastro symptoms (diarrhoea and vomiting) are the highest priority because illnesses such as norovirus are extremely contagious and easily spread through food. Do not wait to "see how you go" during service. Diarrhoea. Vomiting. Fever. Sore throat with fever. Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). Feeling otherwise unwell in a way that could point to a foodborne disease. Exclusion vs restriction: two different responses Not every situation means being sent home. State health guidance generally distinguishes between exclusion (staying away from the workplace entirely) and restriction (staying at work but not handling food, or working away from unpackaged food). Exclusion typically applies to active gastro symptoms and confirmed high-risk foodborne illnesses. Restriction may be appropriate where a person has recovered but still needs to avoid direct food contact, or where they have a securely covered skin lesion and can safely do non-food tasks. Your supervisor — and, where relevant, a public health unit — decides which applies. This is usually a case-by-case judgement, so document the decision and confirm the approach with your regulator. Exclusion: do not attend the food premises at all (e.g. active diarrhoea or vomiting).. Restriction: attend work but do not handle food or work near unprotected food.. The choice depends on the symptom, the illness and the tasks involved.. When in doubt, exclude rather than restrict — it is the more cautious option.. Foodborne illnesses that require exclusion Some confirmed infections are treated more strictly because they are readily transmitted through food and can cause serious illness. If a food handler is diagnosed with one of these — even after their own symptoms improve — they generally must not handle food until cleared, and a public health unit may direct the exclusion period and any testing. Several of these are notifiable conditions, meaning the diagnosing doctor or laboratory reports them to health authorities. Return to food handling may require medical clearance and, for some infections, one or more negative faecal samples. Exact clearance rules vary between states and territories. Norovirus and other viral gastroenteritis. Salmonella, including typhoid and paratyphoid (Salmonella Typhi/Paratyphi). Campylobacter. Shigella. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC/VTEC). Hepatitis A. Skin sores, cuts and other discharges Contamination risk is not limited to gastro. The Code also requires food handlers to take practicable measures so that infected skin lesions and bodily discharges do not contaminate food — for example carrying bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus into food. If you have an infected cut, sore, boil or wound on an exposed part of the body, report it. Where it can be fully and securely covered with a clean, brightly coloured waterproof dressing (and a single-use glove where appropriate), you may be able to continue some tasks; if it cannot be reliably covered, you should be restricted from handling food. Discharges from the ears, nose or eyes should also be reported and managed. Cover infected sores or cuts with a clean, waterproof, brightly coloured dressing.. Wear a single-use glove over hand or wrist dressings when handling food.. Report discharges from the ears, nose or eyes to your supervisor.. If a lesion cannot be securely covered, do not handle unprotected food.. Returning to work after gastro The return-to-work rule most widely applied across Australia is to wait until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have completely stopped — in particular after the last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting — before handling food again. This reflects the fact that people can keep shedding organisms like norovirus for a day or two after they feel better. For confirmed notifiable illnesses (for example hepatitis A, typhoid or STEC), 48 hours may not be enough: follow the specific clearance directions from the public health unit or your treating doctor. When you do return, be scrupulous with hand washing, avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, and ease back in on lower-risk tasks if your supervisor agrees. Confirm the exact exclusion period with your state or territory regulator or a public health unit, as details can vary. Wait a minimum of 48 hours symptom-free after diarrhoea or vomiting stops.. Follow any longer exclusion or testing directed by a public health unit or doctor.. Wash hands thoroughly and use gloves or utensils for ready-to-eat food on return.. Tell your supervisor before your first shift back so tasks can be assigned safely.. Worked examples: A handler with a cut finger: A food handler cuts their finger. They report it to their supervisor, who covers it with a clean, brightly coloured waterproof dressing and a single-use glove so they can continue some tasks. If the wound became infected and could not be securely covered, they would be restricted from handling unprotected food. Returning after a stomach bug: A staff member's vomiting and diarrhoea stop on Saturday morning. Rather than returning for the Sunday shift, they wait at least 48 hours symptom-free, tell their supervisor before their first shift back, and ease in on lower-risk tasks with scrupulous handwashing. Checklist: Know the reportable symptoms: diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sore throat with fever, jaundice.. Report symptoms to your supervisor as soon as they appear — do not wait.. Stop handling ready-to-eat food the moment symptoms appear.. Stay excluded for at least 48 hours after diarrhoea or vomiting has completely stopped.. Get medical/public health clearance for confirmed foodborne illnesses before returning.. Cover infected cuts and sores with a waterproof, brightly coloured dressing.. Report discharges from ears, nose or eyes to your supervisor.. Have a written staff illness policy so everyone knows the rules in advance.. Keep a simple record of who was excluded, why, and when they returned.. Confirm exclusion periods and reporting duties with your council or state regulator.. Common mistakes: Working through gastro symptoms during a busy shift instead of reporting them immediately.. Returning to work as soon as symptoms stop, rather than waiting the full 48 hours symptom-free.. Assuming a covered stomach bug is fine to work with while still having diarrhoea or vomiting at home.. Treating an infected cut as trivial and not covering it or reporting it.. Relying on hand sanitiser instead of proper hand washing when unwell.. Not having a written staff illness policy, so staff and managers improvise under pressure.. Forgetting that some foodborne illnesses need clearance from a public health unit before return.. Letting a symptomatic worker move to 'front of house' where they still touch ready-to-eat food and utensils..