Wearing single-use gloves as an extra barrier when handling ready-to-eat food, without treating them as a substitute for handwashing.
No. The Food Standards Code does not mandate gloves. Standard 3.2.2 requires food handlers to prevent contamination, which clean, properly washed hands can achieve. Gloves are an optional extra barrier, not a legal requirement.
No. Hands must be washed and dried before gloves go on, and gloves changed when they could be contaminated. A glove picks up bacteria the same way bare skin does, so gloves supplement good hand hygiene rather than replace it.
Change them between different tasks (such as after raw meat before ready-to-eat food), when torn or soiled, after touching the face, hair, rubbish, money or non-food surfaces, and after breaks. Never wash and reuse single-use gloves.
Single-use food-grade gloves in the correct size. Many businesses choose latex-free options such as nitrile or vinyl to reduce allergy risk. The gloves should be intact, clean and only used for the intended food task.
No. Gloves worn for long periods trap moisture and become contaminated as soon as they touch anything unclean. They must be changed regularly throughout the shift and whenever the task or situation changes.