N.J. Admin. Code § 8:24-2.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 8:24-2.3 - Personal cleanliness

(a) Food employees shall keep their hands and exposed portions of their arms clean.

(b) Food employees shall clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms for at least 20 seconds, using a cleaning compound in a handwashing sink that is equipped as specified under N.J.A.C. 8:24-6.7, and using the cleaning procedure specified in (c) below.

(c) Food employees shall use the following cleaning procedure in the order stated to clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms:

1. Rinse the hands and exposed portions of the arms under clean, running water;

2. Apply the amount of cleaning compound recommended by the cleaning compound manufacturer to the hands;

3. Rub the hands together vigorously for at least 10 seconds while paying particular attention to removing soil from underneath the fingernails during the cleaning procedure, and creating friction on the surfaces of the hands and arms, finger tips, and areas between the fingers;

4. Rinse fingers, hands and arms thoroughly under clean, running warm water; and

5. Immediately following the cleaning procedure, thoroughly dry the fingers, hands and arms using a method specified under N.J.A.C. 8:24-6.7(j).

(d) Food employees shall pay particular attention to the areas underneath the fingernails during the cleaning procedure.

(e) If approved and capable of removing the types of soils encountered in the food operations involved, an automatic handwashing facility may be used by food employees to clean their hands.

(f) Food employees shall clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms immediately before engaging in food preparation including working with exposed food, clean equipment and utensils, and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles, and:

1. After touching bare human body parts other than clean hands and clean, exposed portions of arms;

2. After using the toilet room;

3. After caring for or handling service animals or aquatic animals;

4. After coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or disposable tissue, using tobacco, eating, or drinking, except as specified in N.J.A.C. 8:24-2.4(a)2;

5. After handling soiled equipment or utensils;

6. During food preparation, as often as necessary to remove soil and contamination and to prevent cross contamination when changing tasks;

7. When switching between working with raw food and working with ready-to-eat food;

8. Before donning gloves for working with foods; and

9. After engaging in other activities that contaminate the hands.

(g) Food employees shall clean their hands in a handwashing sink or automatic handwashing facility acceptable to the health authority and may not clean their hands in a sink used for food preparation, a warewashing sink including a three compartment sink, or in a service sink or a curbed cleaning facility used for the disposal of mop water and similar liquid waste.

(h) A hand sanitizer and a chemical hand sanitizing solution used as a hand dip shall:

1. Be an approved drug that is listed in the FDA publication Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, commonly known as the "Orange Book 41st edition," incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented, available at http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/approved-drug-products-therapeutic-equivalence-evaluations-orange-book, as an approved drug based on safety and effectiveness; or have active antimicrobial ingredients that are listed in the FDA final monograph for OTC Antimicrobial Drug Products, at First aid antibiotic active ingredients and Permitted combinations of active ingredients, 21 CFR 333.110 and 333.120, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented;

2. Consist of components that are:

i. Listed for such use in contact with food in Indirect Food Additives: Adjuvants, Production Aids, and Sanitizers, 21 CFR Part 178, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented;

ii. Exempt from regulation as food additives under Threshold of Regulation for Substances Used in Food-Contact Articles, 21 CFR § 170.39, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented;

iii. Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for the intended use in contact with food within the meaning of Substances Generally Recognized as Safe, 21 CFR Part 182, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented; Direct Food Substances Affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe, 21 CFR Part 184, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented; or Indirect Food Substances Affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe, 21 CFR Part 186, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented; or

iv. Permitted for such use by an effective Food Contact Substance Notification as defined by the FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. § 348(h), incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented of Effective Food Contact Substances, as amended and supplemented, and available through The Office of Food Additive Safety ( HFS-275), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, 5001 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740, telephone 1-888-723-3366, and available at http://www.fda.gov/food/packaging-food-contact-substances-fcs/inventory-effective-food-contact-substance-fcs-notifications; and

3. Be applied only to hands that are cleaned as specified in (a) through (e) above.

(i) Requirements for fingernails include the following:

1. Food employees shall keep their fingernails trimmed, filed, and maintained so that the edges and surfaces are cleanable and not rough; and

2. Food employees shall not wear fingernail polish or artificial fingernails when working with exposed food, unless wearing intact gloves in good repair.

(j) Food employees may not wear jewelry on their arms and hands while preparing food. This subsection does not apply to a plain ring such as a wedding band.

(k) Food employees shall wear clean outer clothing to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:24-2.3

Amended by 53 N.J.R. 2196(a), effective 12/20/2021