Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. Covered
produce farms shall take measures to prevent contamination of covered produce
and food contact surfaces with microorganisms of public health significance
from any person with a communicable health condition. Communicable illnesses
are those that present a public health risk in the context of normal work
duties, such as infection, open lesion, vomiting, or diarrhea.
B. The measures taken to satisfy the
requirements of Subsection A of this Section shall include all of the
following:
1. excluding any person from
working in any operations that may result in contamination of covered produce
or food contact surfaces with microorganisms of public health significance when
the person, by medical examination, the person's acknowledgement, or
observation, is shown to have, or appears to have, an applicable health
condition, until the person's health condition no longer presents a risk to
public health; and
2. instructing
personnel to notify their supervisor(s) or a responsible party if they have, or
if there is a reasonable possibility that they have an applicable health
condition.
C. Personnel
who work in an operation in which covered produce or food contact surfaces are
at risk of contamination with known or reasonably foreseeable hazards shall use
hygienic practices while on duty to the extent necessary to protect against
such contamination.
D. The hygienic
practices that personnel use to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (C) of
this Section when handling covered produce or food contact surfaces during a
covered activity shall include all of the following:
1. maintaining adequate personal cleanliness
to protect against contamination of covered produce and food contact
surfaces;
2. avoiding contact with
animals other than working animals, and taking appropriate steps to minimize
the likelihood of contamination of covered produce when in direct contact with
working animals;
3. washing hands
thoroughly, including scrubbing with soap (or other effective surfactant), and
running water that satisfies the requirements of §
21
CFR 112.44(a), for water
used to wash hands, and drying hands thoroughly using single-service towels,
sanitary towel service, electric hand dryers, or other adequate hand drying
devices;
a. before starting work;
b. before putting on gloves;
c. after using the toilet;
d. upon return to the work station after any
break or other absence from the work station;
e. as soon as practical after touching
animals (including livestock and working animals), or any waste of animal
origin; and
f. at any other time
when the hands may have become contaminated in a manner that is reasonably
likely to lead to contamination of covered produce with known or reasonably
foreseeable hazards;
4.
if using gloves to handle covered produce or food contact surfaces, maintaining
gloves in an intact and sanitary condition and replacing such gloves when no
longer able to do so;
5. removing
or covering hand jewelry that cannot be adequately cleaned and sanitized during
periods in which covered produce is manipulated by hand; and
6. not eating, chewing gum, or using tobacco
products in an area used for a covered activity; however, drinking beverages
may be permitted in designated areas.
E. Visitors shall be made aware of policies
and procedures to protect covered produce and food contact surfaces from
contamination by people, and all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that
visitors comply with such policies and procedures shall be taken.
F. Toilet and hand-washing facilities shall
be made accessible to visitors.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
3:922 and
923.
