Whether your uniform accessories are there to add style, provide convenience or a celebrity TV chef makes it look cool, there are several uniform quirks that every ServSafe MN trained employee should avoid. The list of uniform components that pose as food safety hazards can be quite extensive. However, we would like to focus on three components that ServSafe-approved kitchen attire should never include.
Three ServSafe Wardrobe Components to Kick Out of the Kitchen
Anything that you add to your work dress instantly becomes susceptible to the same contamination risks as the rest of your uniform. We believe that a ServSafe based uniform policy should not allow the following three things:
- Dry towels attached to uniform
- Arm and hand jewelry
- Baseball caps as head coverings
Many food workers feel that it’s convenient to loop a dry towel around apron strings or sling it over a shoulder. It keeps your towel handy and readily available when a plate or cutting board needs a quick wipe. Unfortunately, the apron is a common collector of dirt, grease, and debris in the kitchen. The shoulder of your uniform can become contaminated with sweat and other bacteria. Keep your dry towels stored in a clean place that will allow them to be easily accessible when needed.
The regulations concerning jewelry in food preparation facilities are often overlooked. The food code prohibits wearing anything other than simple wedding bands and plain rings. Arm and wrist bands, rings, and other accessories can often go unnoticed, particularly by front-of-the-house staff in restaurants. If an employee requires a medical alert bracelet, they can replace it with a necklace or anklet. Management should also be informed about employees wearing such jewelry. It can be quickly located in the event of a medical emergency.
Baseball Cap Safety Issues
While the Minnesota Food Code concerning head coverings doesn’t disallow baseball caps, we feel that there may be a few ServSafe based contamination concerns with incorporating them into your dress code. Most ball caps are crafted from absorbent cloth, and the bills are generally constructed from cardboard lined with soft material. Over time this cloth and cardboard can become saturated with sweat, steam and other substances. This creates a potential breeding ground for bacteria. We recommend keeping paper head coverings or hair nets as they are ideal. However, we understand that baseball caps are more comfortable and familiar, so if they are part of your dress code, please keep them clean and replace them regularly.
These three items seem like they are simply providing style, comfort and convenience in the work place, but unfortunately they also create contamination dangers. By making it policy to eliminate them, you can make the cleanest kitchen even safer.
Safe Food Training provides ServSafe MN training and exams, but we source our regularly scheduled courses from NRFSP. We rely on their expertise to ensure the highest quality training for our clients. Minnesota Department of Health, Environmental Services accepts both ServSafe and NRFSP exams for Food Protection Manager Certification in MN. Click this link for more information on ServSafe MN.