Unsanitary Workers

• Cafeteria workers have made many students sick by not wearing gloves or reporting to work when carrying an infectious disease. The majority of children infected by viruses receive the viruses from food workers who do not wear gloves and pass the virus onto the food. Food preparation workers must wash their hands before working with food and again after handling one type of food.
  
  

Certification

• At least one worker in a leadership role should be certified in food safety and sanitation. These professionals should train food service staff on proper food temperatures, instrument and surface sterilization and food preparation techniques for specific dishes as soon as the staff are hired and at regular intervals.
  
  

Leftover Food

• Scraps and packaging must be removed from food preparation areas and placed in the garbage. Food items must be kept separate so one pathogen does not pass from one dish to another. Pathogens that are killed when exposed to a certain temperature can transfer to food that is normally not heated.
  
  

Temperature

• When food is heated, food handlers must verify the food temperature with a thermometer. When preparing meat, cafeteria workers must make sure they do not pass the bacteria in the meat onto other food by failing to sanitize counter tops used to prepare meat.
  
  

Inspections

• Schools must submit to regular inspections to ensure they are not violating food safety standards. Schools must keep records of sanitation practices so administrators can make sure all sanitation tasks are performed and to serve as a method of reminding cafeteria workers to perform certain sanitation activities. Cafeterias suffering from pests must engage in monthly pest control. Many pests can spread diseases by traveling from one type of food to another.
  
  

Surfaces

• Workers must make sure equipment is sanitized before using it. Cafeteria workers must sanitize the floor, counter tops and all other objects with disinfectants and cleaners. Warm water must be used at all times when sanitizing. Floors must be squeegeed or cleaned with a wet-dry vacuum. Walls must be cleaned from top to bottom. Excess water must be squeegeed away.
  
  

Greases and Odor

• Degreasers must be used to remove all fats, greases and oils. Cafeterias should also use deodorants designed to remove odors from surfaces and foods so odors do not linger in the cafeteria and on food. Greases and odors can attract pests that feed on the grease and make the food less safe.