Food Act (General Hygiene) Regulations

1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 Personal hygiene Food Act (General Hygiene) Regulations S.1.330f1992 (Jst March, 1992) 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Food Act (General Citation. Hygiene) Regulations. 2. In these Regulations - Interpretation. "certificate of fitness" means a certificate issued by a medical practitioner indicating that a person is not a carrier of a communicable disease; "Director-General" means the person preforming the functions of Director General of Primary Health Care in the Ministry responsiblefor Health; "food handler" includes a person involved in the slaughtering of animals or poultry or the transporta tion, packing, storing or preparation of meat or other food for sale; "food plant" means a building or any part thereof used for or in connection with the preparation, packing, storing or sale offood. 3.( I) A person who owns, operates or is in charge of a food plant shall ensure that a person working in direct contact with food (a) wears clean outer garments and conforms to hygienic practices while on duty; (b) washes his hands thoroughly, remove all jewellery from his hands before handling any food and take all other necessary precautions to prevent contamination of food with micor organisms or other foreign substances; (c) refrains from using tobacco in areas where food .is prepared, handled, stored or sold; (d) where it is necessary to prevent contamination of food; wears effective head-dress such as hair 9 1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 Certificateof fitness. Reportsof infected person net, headband or cap when preparing, handling or storing food; (e) refrains from storing his clothing or other personal belongings or eating or drinking in any area where food is prepared, handled, stored or otherwise exposed or where equipment or utensils are cleaned or stored; (2) A person who owns, operates or is in charge of a food plant shall ensure that the supervisory personnel of the food plant are properly trained in the production of clean and safe food and are knowledgeable in identifying food contamination and failure in sanitary or hygienic procedures which are aimed at preventing food contamination at the plant (3) The supervisory personnel of a food plant shall ensure that food handlers are made cognizant of all proper techniques and procedures relating to the protection of foorl against contamination at the plant and of the consequences of failing to comply with the techniques and procedures. 4.(1) A person who owns, operates or is in charge of a food plant shall not employ a person to work as a food handler at the food plant unless that person holds a certificate of fitness. (2) A certificate of fitness referred to in subregulation (1) shall be valid for a maximum period of 12 months from the date of its issue. 5.(1) A person who is a carrier of a communicable disease or is affected with any disease in a communicable form shall not work or be employed to work in a food plant. (2) A person who is employed at a food plant or to transport meat, poultry or other food shall, immediately on becoming aware that he is suffering from any infection or disease, or has any symptom of any infection or disease, which is known to cause food poisoning or contaminate food, advise his employer or person in charge of the food plant or the operation in respect of which he is employed of this fact. 10 1994 ED] FOODACT [CAP 83 (3) Where an employer or person in charge referred to in subregulation (2) is informed as provided in that subregulation, the employer or person in charge shall immediately inform the Director-General 6. Where a person licensed to provide medical services under the Licences Act, a registered nurse or any officer of the Ministry of Health becomes aware or suspects that a pelsuu under his care or supervision is suffering from food poisoning, he shall immediately notify the Director- General of this fact specifying (a) the name, age, sex and address of the person; (b) the nature of the food which it is st ..peered cause the food poisoning; (c) the particulars of the food poisoning from which the person is or is suspected to be suffering. 7.(1) Where the Director-General is informed or reasonably suspects that any food of which a sample has been procured under the Act is likely to cause food poisoning, the Director General shall, by notice in writing to the person in charge of the food, or the owner or person in charge of the food plant or operation where the food is being handled, stored or sold, advise the owner or person in charge that the food shall not be used for human consumption nor removed from any place specified in the notice except to a place specified in the notice. (2) Where after investigation the Director General is satisfied that the food referred to in subregulation (l) is likely to cause food poisoning, the Director General shall immediately direct an authorized officer to seize the food, but shall withdraw the notice issued under subregulauon (1) where he is satisfied that the food is fit for human consumption. 11 Notification of foodpoisoning Cap. 113 Control of infected food.