Subdivision 2Requirements for food businesses

Subdivision 2 – Requirements for food businesses

16 Health of persons who handle food – duties of food businesses

(1) A food business must ensure the following persons do not engage in the handling of food for the food business where there is a reasonable likelihood of food contamination –

(a) a person known to be suffering from a foodborne disease, or who is a carrier of a foodborne disease; and
(b) a person known or reasonably suspected to have a symptom that may indicate he or she is suffering from a foodborne disease.

(2) A food business must ensure that a person who is known or reasonably suspected to be suffering from a condition and who continues to engage in the handling of food for the food business takes all practicable measures to prevent food contamination.

(3) A food business may permit a person excluded from handling food in accordance with paragraph (1)(a) to resume handling food only after receiving advice from a medical practitioner that the person no longer is suffering from, or is a carrier of, a foodborne disease.

17 Hygiene of food handlers — duties of food businesses

(1) Subject to subclause (2), a food business must, for each food premises –

(a) maintain easily accessible hand washing facilities;
(b) maintain, at or near each hand washing facility, a supply of –

  (i) warm running water; and
  (ii) soap; or
  (iii) other items that may be used to thoroughly clean hands;

(c) ensure hand washing facilities are only used for the washing of hands, arms and face; and
(d) provide, at or near each hand washing facility –

  (i) single use towels or other means of effectively drying hands that are not likely to transfer pathogenic microorganisms to the hands; and
  (ii) a container for used towels, if needed.

(2) Paragraph (1)(c) does not apply in relation to handwashing facilities at food premises that are used principally as a private dwelling if the proprietor of the food business has the approval in writing of the appropriate enforcement agency.

(3) With the approval in writing of the appropriate enforcement agency, a food business that operates from temporary food premises does not have to comply with any of the requirements of paragraphs (1)(b)(i) or (1)(d) that are specified in the written approval.

18 General duties of food businesses

(1) A food business must inform all food handlers working for the food business of their health and hygiene obligations under Subdivision 1 of this Division.

(2) A food business must ensure that any information provided by a food handler in accordance with Subdivision 1 of this Division is not disclosed to any person without the consent of the food handler, except the proprietor or an authorised officer, and that the information is not used for any purpose other than addressing the risk of food contamination.