SQF Code Edition 9 - Safe Quality Food 11.3.3: Clothing and Personal Effects

What does 11.3.3 require?

The rules on hair and clothing rest on a risk analysis showing they keep food, materials and contact surfaces safe from accidental physical or microbial contamination (11.3.3.1). Food handlers' clothing is laundered, stored, repaired and worn in ways that cannot contaminate product (11.3.3.2), including footwear, is clean when every shift begins and kept serviceable (11.3.3.3), and heavily soiled uniforms are changed when they risk contaminating product (11.3.3.4). Gloves and aprons that are disposable get changed after each break, on re-entry to processing and when damaged; reusable ones are cleaned and sanitised as needed and stored on racks in the processing area or in sealed containers in lockers, and are never left lying on product, ingredients, equipment or packaging (11.3.3.5). Protective clothing is of safe, easily cleaned material, laundered after use or often enough to keep contamination in check and stored clean against microbiological or allergen cross-contact (11.3.3.6). Racks for temporary storage of protective clothing are placed near personnel doorways and handwash stations (11.3.3.7). Nobody wears or carries jewellery or loose objects where food is exposed, except plain bands without stones, prescribed medical alert bracelets and religious or cultural jewellery that are covered and pose no risk, with every exception meeting regulatory and customer requirements under a risk assessment and ongoing risk management (11.3.3.8).