Topic 6 of 8 · about 18% (our estimate)
The personal hygiene rules a food handler works by
Personal hygiene for a food handler covers everything that can travel from you to the food: hands, hair, jewelry, a cut, a stomach bug. It carries the biggest share in our estimate of the topic weights, and most of it is habit you build in your first week on the job.
- ExamPFH
- Topic weight18%
- Questions here15
- UpdatedOct 14, 2026
On this page 7 sections
The rules with numbers attached
| Rule | The limit | Food Code 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Washing hands | At least 20 seconds, start to finish | 2-301.12(A) |
| Scrubbing with soap | 10 to 15 seconds of the 20 | 2-301.12(B)(3) |
| Water at the hand sink | At least 85°F (29.4°C) | 5-202.12(A) |
| Jewelry on hands and arms | One plain band, such as a wedding ring | 2-303.11 |
| Ready-to-eat food | No bare-hand contact | 3-301.11(B) |
| Hand antiseptic | After washing, never in place of it | 2-301.16 |
Hands: when, how long, then gloves
Wash after the restroom, after handling raw meat, poultry or seafood, after taking out the trash, after touching chemicals, after you touch your hair or your phone, and every time you come back from a break. Wash before you put gloves on, too. The order of the steps is on handwashing steps for food handlers.
Gloves keep bare hands off ready-to-eat food, and one pair covers one task. A rip, a trip to the trash can, or a new job means a fresh pair. When a glove is required and when tongs or deli paper do the job: gloves and bare-hand contact.
Sick? Say so before the shift
Tell your manager before you start if you have vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), a sore throat with a fever, or an infected cut or boil on your hands or arms that's open or draining (FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.11). Fever by itself isn't on that list; it counts paired with a sore throat.
Depending on the symptom, the manager excludes you, which means no work as a food employee at all, or restricts you, which means you work away from exposed food and clean equipment. Who gets which, and when you can come back: sick food worker exclusion. The illnesses behind those rules are on foodborne illness.
Calling out sick can feel like leaving the line short. Under the Food Code, the report is part of the job, the same as washing your hands.
From clock-in to clock-out
Uniforms, breaks, cuts and habits. Flip each one and read the notes on the options you didn't pick too.
Each question is a chit, an order ticket. Answer it and it flips to show why every option is right or wrong.
No. 01
What is required for proper hair restraint in food service?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 01
- A
Brushing hair back off the face Brushed-back hair still sheds strands into food; it needs a net, cap, or other covering.
- B
A ponytail tied at the neck A ponytail keeps hair off the face, but loose strands still fall; tie it back and cover it.
- C
Hair nets or caps that fully cover hair Correct: Hats, hair nets, or other coverings made to keep hair from touching exposed food are what the Food Code calls for.
- D
Hair pinned up firmly with clips Clips hold hair in place but don't cover it, so loose strands can still drop onto food and work surfaces.
- A
No. 02
Which of the following is required for proper work attire?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 02
- A
Clean uniform and closed-toe shoes Correct: Clean outer clothing keeps dirt and germs off food, and closed-toe shoes protect feet from spills, hot liquids, and dropped knives.
- B
Non-slip open-toe sandals Open-toe shoes leave feet exposed to hot spills, broken glass, and dropped knives, even with non-slip soles.
- C
A wristwatch for timing orders A watch counts as jewelry on the arm, which isn't allowed while handling food; a plain band ring is the only exception.
- D
Yesterday's shirt if it looks clean Clothes worn yesterday carry dirt and germs even if they look clean; start each shift in clean outer clothing.
- A
No. 03
A dishwasher wants to smoke a cigarette on break. Where can they smoke, and what must they do before going back to work?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 03
- A
At the dish station, if no food is out Tobacco is never used where food, clean dishes, or utensils are, even when no food is out at the moment.
- B
In a designated area, then wash hands Correct: Smoking is allowed only in a designated area away from food and clean equipment, and hands get washed before going back to work.
- C
By the back door, then use hand sanitizer Hand sanitizer doesn't replace washing after smoking, and a back door isn't a designated area unless the manager set it up as one.
- D
Anywhere outside; no handwash needed Hands touch the mouth and cigarette while smoking, so a full handwash is needed before returning to work.
- A
No. 04
What is required when wearing artificial nails in food service?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 04
- A
Extra handwashing during the shift Washing more often doesn't fix artificial nails; they can trap germs and break off into food.
- B
A clear nail polish sealant coat A sealant coat is still polish on the nail, which is also allowed only under intact gloves.
- C
Must wear intact gloves at all times Correct: The Food Code lets workers handling exposed food wear artificial nails or polish only if they wear intact gloves in good repair.
- D
Keeping them short and filed only Short artificial nails can still chip into food or hide germs; the requirement is intact gloves over them.
- A
No. 05
What should food handlers do if they have a cut on their hand?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 05
- A
Apply a regular cloth bandage only A cloth bandage soaks through and can fall into food; on the hand it needs a waterproof cover with a glove over it.
- B
Nothing, as long as it isn't bleeding A cut that isn't bleeding can still carry Staphylococcus aureus or become infected, so it must be covered.
- C
Skip the bandage and just wear a glove A glove alone can tear and leave the cut exposed; the cut needs its own waterproof cover under the glove.
- D
Waterproof bandage plus a single-use glove Correct: A wound on the hand needs an impermeable cover, like a finger cot or waterproof bandage, with a single-use glove worn over it.
- A
No. 06
Where should food service workers eat and drink?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 06
- A
Wherever it's convenient on shift Snacking wherever it's convenient puts crumbs, saliva, and hand-to-mouth germs near food and clean equipment.
- B
In designated break areas only Correct: Meals and snacks belong in the break area, away from exposed food and clean equipment; a closed drink cup handled carefully is the narrow exception.
- C
In the kitchen during slow periods Slow periods don't change the rule; eating in the kitchen still puts saliva and crumbs near food and equipment.
- D
At your prep station between tasks Your prep station is where food is handled, so eating there risks contaminating everything on the board.
- A
No. 07
Which practice most effectively prevents contamination from sneezing?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 07
- A
Turning into your elbow, then washing hands Correct: Sneezing into your elbow keeps droplets off food and hands, and the Food Code still calls for a handwash after sneezing.
- B
Covering with your hands, then wiping them Sneezing into your hands puts germs where they'll touch food next; wiping doesn't remove them, only washing does.
- C
Turning away, then wiping with a paper towel Turning away helps, but a paper-towel wipe doesn't clean your hands, and a handwash is required after sneezing.
- D
Sneezing into your elbow, then using sanitizer The elbow is right, but sanitizer doesn't replace a handwash after a sneeze.
- A
No. 08
Which of the following personal habits is prohibited while handling food?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 08
- A
Touching or scratching face and head Correct: Your face, hair, and scalp carry germs like Staphylococcus aureus, so touching them while handling food moves those germs onto it.
- B
Adjusting your apron ties at the back Fixing an apron isn't banned, though if your hands touched dirty fabric you should wash before handling food again.
- C
Using single-use gloves for RTE food Single-use gloves for ready-to-eat food are required practice, not a prohibited habit.
- D
Glancing at the clock on the wall Looking at a clock doesn't touch food; it's hand contact with your face, hair, or body that causes contamination.
- A
No. 09
What is the proper procedure when switching between handling raw and cooked foods?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 09
- A
Wash hands, new gloves, and clean apron Correct: Raw juices land on hands, gloves, and aprons, so you wash, put on fresh gloves, and swap a splashed apron before touching cooked food.
- B
Wash hands only, then keep working Clean hands are a start, but cooked food is ready-to-eat, so you also need fresh gloves or utensils and a clean apron.
- C
Use hand sanitizer and new gloves Sanitizer doesn't replace handwashing; dirty hands under new gloves can still contaminate the cooked food.
- D
Change gloves without washing hands New gloves over unwashed hands pick up the germs from your skin as you pull them on.
- A
No. 10
What is the proper storage location for personal medications at work?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 10
- A
On a shelf in the dry storage room Dry storage holds food and supplies for the line, so a bottle of pills there could spill or get mixed into stock.
- B
In a designated area away from food Correct: Medicines are kept apart from food and prep areas; one that needs refrigeration goes in a covered, labeled container.
- C
In the walk-in, right beside the food Next to food in the walk-in, a medicine can leak or be mistaken for an ingredient; if it must be chilled, it goes in a covered, labeled container.
- D
In your apron pocket at your station Pills in an apron pocket can fall into food at the station; keep them in the designated area.
- A
No. 11
What should be done if a hand washing sink lacks hot water?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 11
- A
Report it out of service immediately Correct: A hand sink must supply water at 85°F or warmer, so without it the sink can't be used properly; report it so it gets fixed.
- B
Use hand sanitizer instead Hand antiseptic is not a substitute for washing; it can only be added after properly washed hands.
- C
Wait until water heats Waiting stalls handwashing, and people may skip it in the meantime; report the problem right away.
- D
Use cold water only Cold water makes people rush or skip washing, and hand sinks must deliver at least 85°F.
- A
No. 12
How should food handlers store clean aprons between uses?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 12
- A
On a hook by the prep sink A hook by the sink gets splashed with water and food bits, so the apron is dirty before you wear it.
- B
In a locker with street clothes Street clothes bring in dirt from outside, which then gets onto the clean apron.
- C
In the bin with used linens Used linens are soiled; a clean apron stored with them is no longer clean.
- D
Hung in a designated clean area Correct: A designated clean spot keeps aprons away from splashes, soiled linens, and street clothes until you put one on.
- A
No. 13
What is the proper way to cover facial hair?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 13
- A
A beard net over all facial hair Correct: A beard net is made to hold all facial hair in place, the same way a hair net keeps head hair out of food.
- B
A bandana tied over the chin A bandana isn't designed as a beard restraint and slips, letting hairs fall onto food.
- C
Trimming the beard very short Short hair still sheds; trimming is not a substitute for a beard restraint.
- D
A paper face mask over the mouth A face mask covers the mouth and nose, not the beard around it, so loose hairs can still drop into food.
- A
No. 14
What should food handlers do with personal belongings during their shift?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 14
- A
On a dry storage shelf near the door Bags and coats carry outside dirt, and food storage shelves are for food and supplies only.
- B
At your workstation, under the counter Phones, bags, and jackets at a workstation bring outside germs right next to food and prep surfaces.
- C
In designated lockers or areas Correct: Lockers or a designated area keep bags, phones, and coats away from food, equipment, and clean linens.
- D
On a kitchen shelf out of the way Even out of the way, a kitchen shelf puts outside dirt near food and equipment; belongings go in the locker area.
- A
No. 15
Which contamination prevention strategy is most cost-effective?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 15
- A
Proper handwashing Correct: Handwashing costs little more than soap, water, and towels, yet it blocks the most common route of germs from workers to food.
- B
Air purifiers Air purifiers are expensive and do little against the main contamination routes, which are hands and surfaces.
- C
New equipment New equipment costs a lot and doesn't help if workers still handle food with dirty hands.
- D
UV sanitizers UV sanitizers are costly add-ons and can't replace handwashing or proper cleaning and sanitizing.
- A
Nothing matches both filters. Clear one of them.
Hygiene, the short version
Do I report a diagnosis if I already feel fine?
Yes. A diagnosis with any of the Big 6 pathogens gets reported to your manager whether or not you still have symptoms (FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.11). The manager decides what happens next.
Did the 2026 Food Code change the hygiene rules?
The numbers stayed the same. The 2026 edition keeps the plain-band jewelry rule and adds a narrow exception for a medically necessary device, which isn't a pass for bracelets in general, so ask your manager first. It also renames the illness part “Policies and Procedures for Employee Illness Management” (FDA summary of changes, as of October 2026).
Sources
- FDA Food Code 2022 — 2-201.11, 2-301.12, 2-301.16, 2-303.11, 3-301.11, 5-202.12 checked Oct 13, 2026
- FDA, summary of changes in the 2026 Food Code — jewelry exception for medical devices; illness policy section renamed checked Oct 13, 2026