When it comes to hiring housekeepers, many homeowners and entrepreneurs forget the importance of choosing those who have a food safe certificate since they often focus on the skills and experience of an applicant. Even though these two aspects are also important, business and private home owners should not forget that housekeepers also play an important role when it comes to food safety. This is because knowing about the other premises as prescribed by many food safety authorities, such as the South Taranaki District Council in New Zealand, that are involved in securing food safety is a requirement for housekeepers before they can acquire a food safe certificate. Here are these premises.
Personal Hygiene
Through a food safety course, housekeepers are taught how to maintain good personal hygiene to ensure that they do not contaminate the food in any way. This is very important in restaurants and hotels wherein housekeepers are usually tasked to clean the cooking area. Good personal hygiene ensures that none of the housekeepers’ soils such as hair and sweat accidentally contaminate the food that is being served to guests.
Environmental Hygiene
Included in this premise are the proper ways that housekeepers should clean the food preparation and serving area. Many business establishments such as restaurants, hospitals and butcher shops require certain items or workstations to be well-sanitized by housekeepers. Without proper knowledge on environmental hygiene, housekeepers will not be able to sanitize these areas properly to ensure zero bacterial growth or infection. In environmental hygiene, housekeepers are also taught how to properly dispose cleaning aids or equipment to ensure that they do not cause accidental poisoning. Proper animal and human refuse are also taught to housekeepers before they can acquire a food safe certificate in order to prevent communicable diseases, bacterial infections and other medical conditions.
Pest Control
Contrary to popular belief, pest control is not just about ensuring that there are no rodents and cockroaches in the area. It is also about ensuring that their remains or refuse do not contaminate the food in any way. In pest control, housekeepers are also taught how to properly keep insecticides and other pest control paraphernalia as these chemicals are very hazardous for humans and can even cause immediate death. Controlling and eliminating uncommon pests such as spiders and ants and moths are also covered in this premise.
Without knowledge of these premises, housekeepers will not be able to maintain a safe place for food preparation. This is why it is wise to hire housekeepers with a food safe certificate or pay for their training.