Food-safe cleaning practices

Learning Guide Food-safe cleaning practices 29392 Identify, demonstrate, and apply food-safe cleaning practices Level 3 10 credits Name: Workplace: Issue 1.0

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Contents Introduction... 1 Hygienic work practices... 2 Personal hygiene... 2 Hand hygiene... 3 Personal protective equipment... 6 Illnesses... 7 Infections... 8 Passing on infection... 8 Infection prevention... 9 Cleaning food areas... 10 Cleaning, disinfecting and sanitising... 11 Preparing to clean... 12 Damp wiping... 14 Cleaning a refrigerator... 15 Cleaning the floors... 16 Other tasks... 17 Clean your equipment... 17 Signs of contamination or infestation... 18 Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016

Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016

Introduction As a cleaner, what you do and how you do it makes a difference to cleanliness and hygiene for people working in, living in, or visiting the place you clean. It also makes a difference to other staff members and even to you. This learning guide gives you information about cleaning tasks in food areas and using food-safe cleaning products. How to use your learning guide This learning guide supports your learning and prepares you for the unit standard assessment. There are activities to do to guide your learning. This guide relates to the following unit standard: 29392 Identify, demonstrate and apply food-safe cleaning practices (level 3, 10 credits). This learning guide is yours to keep. Make it your own by writing notes that help you remember things, or where you need to find more information. Follow the tips in the notes column. You may use highlighter pens to show important information and ideas, and think about how this information applies to your work. You might find it helpful to talk to your workmates or supervisor. Complete this learning guide before you start the assessment. What you will learn This topic will help you to: identify, demonstrate and apply hygiene practices. know illnesses and conditions which prevent you from working in a food based industry. know the differences between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitising. use food-safe cleaning products. prevent infection and cross-contamination. recognise signs of infestation. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 1

Hygienic work practices Being clean and tidy at work is important as this can affect health and safety. Hygienic work practices include: essential hygiene practices such as washing hands, using personal protective equipment (PPE) and personal hygiene. personal hygiene practices such as wearing a clean uniform, having clean nails, hair and skin and washing hands between tasks and after going to the toilet. Attention to personal hygiene in the workplace reduces the spread of germs and disease, and essential hygiene practices such as wearing PPE reduces exposure to chemicals and reduces chances of developing some skin allergies. Remember, someone is going to be staying or working in the area you have just finished cleaning. You are responsible for the health of yourself and other people. More info If you have done unit standard 29384 or 29389 on applying knowledge of infection prevention, then you may wish to go direct to the information on Cleaning food areas. Personal hygiene Personal hygiene includes the things you do to care for your own health and wellbeing through being clean. There are lots of things we can do to prevent the spread of infection, including: keeping your hair tidy brushed and tied up or out of the way so you do not drop hairs. You may be required to wear a hair net or hat in a food service area. having clean and trimmed nails so you do not carry infection. wearing clean clothes and/or a uniform. washing hands regularly to prevent the spread of infection. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 2

Hand hygiene Infection and contamination is often spread on dirty hands. Good hand washing technique is one of the most important ways of preventing the spread of infection. For some work tasks, you may be asked to wash your hands. For other work tasks you may be asked to use hand-rub with an alcohol-based cleanser or gel. If you are not sure which type of hand hygiene to use, ask your supervisor. Whether using hand rub or hand washing, the steps to clean your hands are similar. If you cleanse your hands correctly, you will destroy 99.9% of the germs you may have picked up. You can minimise the risk of picking up an infection or passing it on to others by thoroughly washing your hands. Never touch your eyes, mouth or nose with dirty hands or gloves as you may catch an infection. To prevent spreading infections on your hands: wash your hands thoroughly at the start of cleaning using soap and water. wash your hands with soap after removing your gloves and before putting on a clean pair. wash your hands between tasks. wash your hands before you go on a break. wash your hands after you finish your break. always wash your hands after you go to the toilet. Wash hands thoroughly Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 3

When hand washing take off all jewellery. wash your hands thoroughly under running water for 40-60 seconds. use liquid soap for normal hand washing. wash the front and back of the hands and wrists. wash between the fingers, the finger tips and under the nails. wash your hands if they are visibly dirty, which means that you can see dirt or soiling on your hands. If you cannot see dirt, you can use hand-rub. Dry hands thoroughly, preferably using a paper towel or hot air dryer. Wet hands more easily spread germs. Never dry your hands on your clothes as you can carry germs from your clothes onto your hands. Never dry your hands on a hand towel that everyone else uses as it could be contaminated. Hand rub/sanitiser Hand rub/sanitiser is an alcohol based hand cleanser or gel which will significantly reduce the number of germs on your hands. These hand rubs are fast acting and can be used when your hands are not visibly dirty or when soap and water are not available. Cleanse your hands Do it Following the steps on the next page, practise using hand rub and soap and water to cleanse your hands. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 4

Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 5

Personal protective equipment Protect yourself by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE creates a barrier between you and any infection. You may have to wear different equipment each time you clean, depending on the situation. If you are not sure what PPE you need to wear, ask your supervisor. Gloves or disposable gloves You should always wear gloves when cleaning. Here are some useful things to remember about wearing gloves. Always wash your hands with soap before you put on gloves. Always check the gloves for cuts or damage before you put them on. Do not use them if they are torn or damaged. If you use disposable gloves, they are for one use only. Change them between cleaning tasks and before touching clean items and surfaces. Always wash your hands after you remove your old gloves and before you put on clean gloves. If using disposable gloves, always throw them away after use. How to remove gloves safely Turn the first glove inside out as you take it off and crumple it into the other gloved hand. Do it Following the steps below, have a go at removing your gloves safely. Slide your fingers inside the remaining glove and peel the second glove off over the first one, which bundles them together. All the contaminated surfaces of the gloves are now safe from being touched. Dispose of the gloves into a waste bag. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 6

Masks Masks help protect the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth from cleaning chemicals. Masks can also provide some protection from passing on or catching airborne infections, for example, a cold or flu. Hats Hats protect your hair from possible contamination and they will also prevent hair falling on to food or cleaned surfaces. Footwear Wear closed footwear that does not slip on wet floors. Closed footwear covers all parts of your feet, protecting them. Ear protection Wear earmuffs or ear plugs when you are using noisy equipment. Illnesses When working in a food based area, you must be well and not have any infections or infectious illnesses. Illnesses which could exclude a person from working in a food based industry may include hepatitis A, giardia, salmonella, campylobacter, cryptosporidium, shigella, typhoid, cholera, yersinia. Illnesses which may prevent a person from coming to work in a food area while they are ill could include influenza, any communicable disease (such as mumps, measles, chicken pox, whooping cough, tuberculosis), flu like symptoms, an upset stomach (diarrhoea/vomiting). People with flu, diarrhoea or vomiting should be excluded from food areas for 48 hours. Conditions which may prevent a person from coming to work in a food area could include constant coughing, skin infections such as rashes, blisters, boils, cold sores, impetigo (school sores) and injuries such as deep cuts to the hand. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 7

Infections Some of the most common hazards in your workplace are germs, which can cause an infection. Germs enter the body and start to multiply. Germs are everywhere. They are in the air, on food, plants and animals, in soil and water and even on the surface and inside your own body. Most are too small to see without the aid of a microscope. Germs become a problem when they are a harmful type or when they are present in numbers that are too much for the body s immune system to cope with. There are four main types of germs that can cause infections viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Passing on infection Infections can be passed on by physical contact between people, touching skin-to-skin. Some infections are passed on by contact with objects such as door handles, cups, cutlery, telephones or soiled cloths. Infections can be passed on by touching dirty equipment or surfaces. Infection by contact Touching something like a dirty door handle or shaking hands is enough to allow infection to be passed on from one person to another. Infections can be air borne. Infections can be spread through the air with mucus droplets from sneezing or coughing. Always cover your cough or sneeze. Preferably use a disposable tissue, throw it away and wash your hands. Dust may also carry germs so reduce dust showers as you work. Infections can also be caused by contamination from waste, dirt or poisons. Contamination means something that is dirty, unsafe, unhealthy, poisonous, dangerous or hazardous. Cross-contamination is the spreading of germs or infection from one person to another person, from one thing to another thing, or from one area to another area. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 8

Infection prevention Infection prevention is about doing things that will stop germs and infections from being spread (carried) from one person to another. Cleaners have a responsibility to make sure that everything they clean is free from contamination and infection. Good hygiene procedures helps cleaners to protect themselves (and other people, including their friends and family) from getting ill. There are common precautions you can take to prevent infection being passed on. Your skin is your body s first way of stopping germs getting into your body and giving you an infection. If your skin is broken or cut it is easier for you to get an infection. Cover broken skin and cuts with an adhesive dressing to prevent infection entering your body. Wear gloves to stop germs sticking to your skin and to help prevent you getting or spreading an infection. Use gloves when handling anything that may be infected. Use masks if you, or a person you are working with, has a respiratory illness like a cold or flu. Use a disposable tissue for nose blowing and for covering coughs or sneezes. Throw away the tissue and wash your hands. Frequently wash your hands, especially before touching your face, eyes, mouth or nose. Do not touch yourself with dirty hands or gloves as you may catch an infection. Dry your hands well as wet hands more easily spread germs. Don t share personal items such as cups, cutlery, hair brushes or towels. Disinfect items that may be contaminated Keep equipment and surfaces clean and disinfected. Damp breeds germs. Always dry surfaces you have cleaned. Wash and dry mops and cloths between uses, or send for laundering and replace with newly laundered mops and cloths. Your organisation should have procedures in place to prevent cross-contamination. For instance, it may be the use of single station equipment for the food area. This means that your cleaning equipment can not be used anywhere other than the food area. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 9

Cleaning food areas A food preparation area is a place where food is prepared and cooked. Examples of food preparation areas are: kitchens in lunch bars, cafes, takeaway bars and food courts. kitchens in hospitals and residential homes where food is cooked for patients, residents and staff. a kitchen, kitchenette or tea room for staff. Cleaners will usually clean the staff kitchens; other areas may be cleaned by food service staff who are qualified in food safety. Kitchenette A food storage area is a place where food is kept to be used later. Examples of food storage areas are: shelves and cupboards for food products. a stockroom or store room. a pantry. a larder. a refrigerator. All shelves and cupboards in which food or appliances are stored must be kept clean and free from rubbish. Serving areas are places where food is handed out and eaten. A dining room is an example of a serving area. Food safety and hygiene (cleanliness) is very important in food preparation, storage and serving areas. There are three different laws: Food Act, 1981. Food Hygiene Regulations Act, 1974. Food (Safety) Regulations, 2002. Keeping to these laws helps to keep people safe from getting food poisoning. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 10

Cleaning, disinfecting and sanitising You want to protect people from dirt and germs, but getting rid of every germ isn't always possible or necessary. In most cases, clean is good enough. Cleaning, disinfecting/sterilising and sanitising are three different processes. Cleaning Cleaning involves getting rid of dust, dirt, grease and gunk where germs can grow. The friction of cleaning often with soap and water removes most surface germs, which is adequate for most household surfaces. The more debris that is removed at the cleaning stage, the better your disinfectant will be able to do its job. You must completely rinse out, or wipe off, all remaining soap residue, as some soap ingredients may interfere with the work of the disinfectant. Germs can t live as easily on clean dry surfaces. So, always carefully dry surfaces after damp wiping with a clean, dry cloth. Disinfecting Disinfecting kills most of the germs present on the surface which can cause infection or disease. Disinfecting is useful against a number of bacterial and viral microorganisms. Make sure that the disinfectant used is food-safe. To kill the germs a strong solution must be left on the surface for a while. Follow the manufacturer s instructions. Often the same products may be used to disinfect and to sanitise; the difference is in the strength of the solution and/or the amount of time the solution is left in contact with the surface. Sanitising Cleaning may leave behind food poisoning bacteria that are too small to be seen. Sanitising is using heat or chemicals to destroy any dangerous bacteria that might remain. Cleaning and sanitising should usually be done as separate processes. A surface needs to be thoroughly cleaned before it is sanitised as sanitiser effectiveness is reduced if there is food present or detergents. Apply the spray and allow sufficient time for the sanitiser to work (see manufacturer s instructions) and wipe off with a clean sponge or cloth. The cloth used to wipe off the sanitiser must be clean to make sure it does not re-contaminate the surface. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 11

Preparing to clean Food safety and hygiene (cleanliness) is very important in food preparation. Ensure you have clean hands. Use a hand rub (alcohol-based cleanser) if your hands are not visibly dirty, otherwise use soap and water. Choose food-safe cleaning products Food-safe cleaning practices refers to using food-safe chemicals and using cleaning practices which will not contaminate food products. Check that the label says food-safe. Choose cleaning products that are safe to use near food. Liquid dishwashing detergent is safe to use around food. If you are not sure what cleaning product to use, check with your supervisor. You may need to use a sanitiser on food preparation surfaces. Prepare the cleaning solution. Remember to read the label on the container and follow the instructions carefully. Always put the water in the bucket first, and then add the cleaning agent. Always prepare your cleaning solution in an area that has good ventilation and light. Select equipment Single station equipment is often used when cleaning a food preparation area. Single station equipment is cleaning equipment that you only use in the one area. If you do not have single station equipment, wash and dry mops and cloths between uses, or send used ones for laundering and replace with newly laundered mops and cloths. Check your equipment Do a safety check of your equipment. Put out a warning sign in a place that people can easily see. Put the sign in a place that will not cause a hazard. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 12

Food Check for any food in the food preparation area. Put away or cover any good food with plastic wrap or tin foil. This will protect it from getting contaminated during the cleaning process. If the food is contaminated, for example, has become mouldy, or is past the use by date it should probably be thrown out. Before you do that, especially in a staff workplace kitchen, you will need to advise people so they are warned and have time to consume or remove their own food. Not everybody adheres to use by dates for eating food. Waste Remove all waste food and other rubbish from the food preparation area and throw it away. Your supervisor will tell you how often you must take out or remove the rubbish bins or bags. When you are carrying rubbish bags you should: Never carry the bag on your back. Never carry the bag next to your body. Always hold the bag away from your body. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 13

Damp wiping Damp wipe the food preparation, storage and serving areas using cleaning solution on a damp cloth. Wipe all surfaces of bench tops, table tops and chopping boards. In the food storage areas damp wipe shelves and cupboards and storage baskets. In the food serving area damp wipe bench tops and tables. Make sure that all surfaces, including walls, are free from marks and dirt. Apply cleaning solution using a damp cloth. Wring out most of the water so the cloth is almost dry. Wipe the surface of the hard furniture, fixtures and fittings. If you are cleaning walls, start from the top and work towards the bottom of the wall. Make sure there is no dirt or marks on the surface of the furniture. Wipe the surfaces with a clean, damp cloth to make sure there is no cleaning solution on the furniture. Use a clean, dry cloth to dry the surface as germs can t live as easily on clean dry surfaces. Make sure the area is thoroughly cleaned before putting food back. Clean sinks, including taps. Flush drains with a cleaning solution. Sanitising Food preparation surfaces are usually sanitised. A surface needs to be thoroughly cleaned before it is sanitised as sanitiser effectiveness is reduced if there is food present or detergents. A spray bottle of food-safe sanitiser can be used for bench tops or equipment not suitable for washing in a sink or dishwasher. A spray bottle of food-safe sanitiser can also be used for single tasks such as sanitising a cutting board. Apply the spray and allow sufficient time for the sanitiser to work (see manufacturer s instructions). Wipe off with a clean sponge or cloth. The cloth used to wipe off the sanitiser must be clean to ensure it does not re-contaminate the surface. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 14

Cleaning a refrigerator Refrigerator racks or shelves door seals bins wire bins 1 Turn off the refrigerator at the wall plug. 2 Clean down the bench top where you are going to put food from the fridge and take out all the food from the fridge. 3 Wipe down all the food containers, bottles and so on. Cover any food that does not have a lid. 4 Check the food for use by date and for mould or contamination. If food is mouldy or spoiled, or past it s use by date, throw it away. In a staff workplace kitchen, you will need to warn people in advance so they have time to consume or remove their own food. 5 Take the racks and bins out of the fridge, clean them and then dry them. 6 Clean out the interior of the fridge. Start from the top wiping it out with a cloth and warm, soapy water. 7 Put the racks and bins back into the fridge. 8 Then put the food back into the fridge. 9 Wipe and dry the exterior of the fridge including the rubber door seals. 10 Turn the fridge back on at the wall. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 15

Cleaning the floors You will need to sweep the floor and damp mop it. Check the floors for large pieces of rubbish, puddles of water, soil or dirt, chewing gum, grease marks. Remove all of these before you start to clean the floor. You may need to sweep the floor with a broom and pick up any dirt and dust with a dustpan and brush before you begin to damp mop. Wet the mop and start by cutting in along the floor edges. Mop the floor thoroughly to make sure that you completely cover the floor. Use a continuous sweep, using either the figure 8 or overlapping stroke. Use an abrasive cleaning pad to remove any marks that will not come off the floor with the mop. Be careful not to damage the walls or furniture. Leave the floor as dry as possible. Remove the warning signs when the floor is completely dry. A figure 8 stroke This picture shows the Figure 8 stroke. You draw the number 8 on the floor with your dustrol or mop. Keep drawing the number 8 without stopping and without lifting your dustrol or mop off the floor. An overlapping stroke If you use an overlapping stroke it makes sure that you have cleaned all of an area. As well as sweeping and mopping you can also use this for dusting. Sweep or mop up and down the room without lifting your mop or broom from the floor. Using an overlapping stroke means you go over the edge of the last row that you mopped. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 16

Other tasks Spot clean walls, and then wipe down the walls with disinfectant. Wash all ledges and window sills. Clean doors and handles. You may be required to replace any used paper towels, detergents, cleaning supplies and so on. You may be required to load into the dishwasher any dishes, crockery and cutlery. You may be asked to empty the dishwasher and put things away in cupboards and drawers. Clean your equipment When you have finished cleaning a food preparation area, clean your equipment before you store it away. Mops and cloths are often sent for laundering. Write Test your knowledge. Fill in the gaps in these sentences. Each space represents one letter of a word. Shelves and cupboards where f _ is kept must always be clean. Shelves and cupboards where a _ are kept must always be clean. Appliances are things you use to prepare food, for example, a toaster or a food processor. Never leave r on shelves and in cupboards in food storage areas. (This stops rats, mice and insects from coming into the area to eat). Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 17

Signs of contamination or infestation Contamination is an unwanted or hazardous thing that can be unhealthy, unsafe or hazardous. Insects and mould can cause food contamination. If you find mouldy food, or see signs of an infestation of insects or rodents, you must report it to your supervisor or client. Mould Mould is a type of fungi or germ that is found in the air. It can land and grow on food. Food that has mould on it is called mouldy. You may have seen mouldy bread, cheese or fruit. Mouldy food can be very hazardous to your health. It can make you very sick if you eat it. If you see mouldy food, throw it away. Clean the food container thoroughly in warm, soapy water. Change your gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after touching mouldy food. Mould Infestation An infestation is a very large number of insects, eg flies, ants, cockroaches, or rodents, eg rats and mice which take over your house, office and workplace. An infestation is a serious health hazard because insects or rodents can contaminate food and the places we live and work. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 18

Insects Insects infect food by crawling over it and dropping germs onto the food via their feet and saliva. They carry a large number of germs that can contaminate food and make food go bad (rotten, spoiled). The insects responsible for most food poisoning are flies and cockroaches. Cockroaches live in warm places and breed (have babies) very quickly. They eat most types of food and leave an unpleasant smell. They also carry bacteria, such as salmonella and staphylococcus. You can tell if you have an infestation of cockroaches because you will: see live cockroaches in cupboards and other dark places. see cockroaches running away when the light is turned on. see dead cockroaches on the floor or in cupboards, or on shelves. see cockroach dirt or spots (poo). Flies feed on lots of different things including faeces (poo) and infected food waste. As they travel they pick up germs from one place and leave these germs on food in another place. Because of this, they can cross-contaminate food. They also regurgitate (vomit) and defecate (poo) on food they land on. You can tell if you have an infestation of flies because you will: see a large number of live flies. hear flies flying about. see dead flies on the floor, window sills or shelves. see fly dirt or spots on walls or window sills. see fly larvae (eggs) on food. see live maggots. You may also see slaters, which can come inside with fresh vegetables. They are active and can climb out of a sink when vegetables are washed and prepared. They also crawl in from outside and may be found at the edge of walls and flooring, especially carpets, behind furniture. Usually they will be dead. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 19

To control insects, such as flies, cockroaches or slaters: clean up food scraps and rubbish regularly. put lids on food and cleaning containers. clean store rooms regularly. don t leave food out overnight. wipe up any food spills immediately. outside rubbish bins should have a lid. keep outside rubbish bins away from buildings. empty rubbish bins regularly. Ants Ants come inside to search for food and water. They eat foods that have sugar or protein in them. When ants find a good source of food they will come back in very large numbers. You can tell if you have an infestation of ants because you will see a line or group of live ants on the floor, on bench tops or on food. Rodents (rats and mice) Rats and mice are from a group of animals called rodents. They have sharp teeth which can gnaw (chew or eat) through paper, plastic, wood, and electric wires. They cause a lot of damage by gnawing. You will often see rats and mice around rubbish bins. When they find food they like, they will eat it and leave droppings (poo) on and around the food. Any leftover food will be infected and will go bad (rotten). Signs of rodent infestation include: seeing rats or mice about the building. hearing rats and mice moving around behind the walls or in the ceiling. finding rat or mice droppings and/or urine. finding gnawed food and other things. Food-safe cleaning practices (US 29392) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue1.0 June 2016 20