Employee health and the person in charge: practice questions
22 questions on employee health and the person in charge, each with the FDA Food Code section it comes from.
1. Who is required to be a certified food protection manager in a standard food establishment?
Answer: The person in charge of the establishment. The regulation specifically mandates that the individual designated as the person in charge must hold the certification.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-102.12: “The PERSON IN CHARGE shall be a certified FOOD protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an ACCREDITED PROGRAM.”
2. In a food establishment with two separately permitted departments on the same premises, under what condition may the permit holder designate a single Person in Charge for both departments?
Answer: During specific time periods when food is not being prepared, packaged, or served. The code allows a single Person in Charge for multiple departments only during times when active food handling activities are paused.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-101.11: “In a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT with two or more separately PERMITTED departments that are the legal responsibility of the same PERMIT HOLDER and that are located on the same PREMISES, the PERMIT HOLDER may, during specific time periods when food is not being prepared, packaged, or served, designate a single PERSON IN CHARGE who is present on the PREMISES during all hours of operation, and who is responsible for each separately PERMITTED FOOD ESTABLISHMENT on the PREMISES.”
3. Who is responsible for ensuring a Person in Charge is present at the food establishment during all hours of operation?
Answer: The Permit Holder. The regulation assigns the duty of ensuring presence or designation to the Permit Holder.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-101.11: “Except as specified in ¶¶ (B) and (C) of this section, the PERMIT HOLDER shall be the PERSON IN CHARGE or shall designate a PERSON IN CHARGE and shall ensure that a PERSON IN CHARGE is present at the FOOD ESTABLISHMENT during all hours of operation.”
4. Which type of food establishment might be exempt from the requirement to have a designated Person in Charge present during all hours?
Answer: Establishments deemed by the Regulatory Authority to pose minimal risk of causing foodborne illness. Exemptions are based on the Regulatory Authority's assessment of minimal risk due to the nature of operations and food preparation extent.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-101.11: “This section does not apply to certain types of FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS deemed by the REGULATORY AUTHORITY to pose minimal risk of causing, or contributing to, foodborne illness based on the nature of the operation and extent of the FOOD preparation.”
5. Which of the following is identified as a MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN that food handlers must be able to describe?
Answer: Milk. Milk is one of the major food allergens defined by the FDA, whereas the other options are generally not classified as major allergens in this context.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-102.11: “Describing FOODS identified as MAJOR FOOD ALLERGENS and the symptoms that a MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN could cause in a sensitive individual who has an allergic reaction.”
6. What is the primary responsibility of the PERSON IN CHARGE regarding employees with diseases?
Answer: Preventing the transmission of foodborne disease by a FOOD EMPLOYEE who has a disease or medical condition that may cause foodborne disease. The code specifically highlights the PIC's role in managing employee health status to prevent disease transmission.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-102.11: “Explaining the responsibility of the PERSON IN CHARGE for preventing the transmission of foodborne disease by a FOOD EMPLOYEE who has a disease or medical condition that may cause foodborne disease;”
7. When a food worker is preparing READY-TO-EAT foods of animal origin, what specific information must they provide to consumers?
Answer: That the food is not cooked sufficiently to ensure its safety. Workers must inform customers that raw or partially cooked animal products may not be fully safe to eat.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-103.11: “CONSUMERS who order raw or partially cooked READY-TO-EAT FOODS of animal origin are informed as specified under § 3-603.11 that the FOOD is not cooked sufficiently to ensure its safety;”
8. How should a food worker handle READY-TO-EAT foods to prevent cross-contamination when serving?
Answer: By using suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, gloves, or dispensing equipment. Direct contact with bare hands is avoided in favor of using tools or gloves to keep food safe.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-103.11: “EMPLOYEES are preventing cross-contamination of READY-TO-EAT FOOD with bare hands by properly using suitable UTENSILS such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing EQUIPMENT;”
9. What is the required method for verifying that foods received during non-operating hours are safe?
Answer: Ensuring they are from approved sources, at required temperatures, protected from contamination, and accurately presented. Workers must actively verify source approval, temperature, protection, and presentation even when deliveries happen outside normal hours.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-103.11: “EMPLOYEES are verifying that FOODS delivered to the FOOD ESTABLISHMENT during non-operating hours are from APPROVED sources and are placed into appropriate storage locations such that they are maintained at the required temperatures, protected from contamination, unADULTERATED, and accurately presented;”
10. What is the correct procedure for sanitizing cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils before reuse?
Answer: Monitoring solution temperature and exposure time for hot water, or chemical concentration, pH, temperature, and exposure time for chemicals. Effective sanitizing requires monitoring specific parameters like temperature, time, concentration, and pH depending on the method used.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-103.11: “EMPLOYEES are properly SANITIZING cleaned multiuse EQUIPMENT and UTENSILS before they are reused, through routine monitoring of solution temperature and exposure time for hot water SANITIZING, and chemical concentration, pH, temperature, and exposure time for chemical SANITIZING;”
11. Which type of certification program is recognized for a Person in Charge to demonstrate compliance with management requirements?
Answer: A program evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection-recognized accrediting agency. The code specifies that the certification must come from a program evaluated and listed by a recognized accrediting agency conforming to the Conference for Food Protection Standard.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-102.20: “A PERSON IN CHARGE who demonstrates knowledge by being a FOOD protection manager that is certified by a FOOD protection manager certification program that is evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protectionrecognized accrediting agency as conforming to the Conference for Food Protection Standard for Accreditation of FOOD Protection Manager Certification Programs is deemed to comply with ¶2-102.11(B).”
12. A food employee has a boil on their wrist that is currently draining pus. What is the required method to protect this lesion while working?
Answer: Cover it with an impermeable cover such as a finger cot and wear a single-use glove over it. The code specifically requires an impermeable cover plus a single-use glove for lesions on hands or wrists, whereas other body parts have different covering requirements.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.11: “On the hands or wrists, unless an impermeable cover such as a finger cot or stall protects the lesion and a SINGLEUSE glove is worn over the impermeable cover”
13. How many days after the last exposure must a food employee wait before returning to work if they were exposed to a confirmed Norovirus outbreak?
Answer: 48 hours. The regulation sets a specific 48-hour window for Norovirus exposure, which differs from the timeframes for other pathogens like Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or Hepatitis A.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.11: “Norovirus within the past 48 hours of the last exposure”
14. If a food employee had Typhoid fever diagnosed within the past three months, what condition allows them to remain working?
Answer: They must have received antibiotic therapy. The rule specifies that the employee is restricted if they had Typhoid fever recently without having received antibiotic therapy; receiving therapy is the condition that resolves the restriction.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.11: “Had Typhoid fever, diagnosed by a health practitioner, within the past three (3) months, without having received antibiotic therapy, as determined by a health practitioner”
15. A food employee is diagnosed with an asymptomatic infection from Norovirus. How should the person in charge manage this employee if the establishment serves a highly susceptible population?
Answer: Exclude the employee from the establishment. The code specifies that asymptomatic Norovirus infections require exclusion when serving highly susceptible populations.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.12: “Exclude the food employee who works in a food establishment serving a highly susceptible population;”
16. A food employee has a diagnosed infection from Shigella spp. and is currently asymptomatic. The establishment does not serve a highly susceptible population. What is the required action?
Answer: Restrict the employee. For asymptomatic Shigella infections in non-highly susceptible settings, the employee is restricted rather than excluded.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.12: “Restrict the food employee who works in a food establishment not serving a highly susceptible population.”
17. How should a food employee with a diagnosed nontyphoidal Salmonella infection and no symptoms be managed?
Answer: Restrict the employee. The code mandates restriction for asymptomatic nontyphoidal Salmonella infections regardless of the population served.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.12: “RESTRICT the FOOD EMPLOYEE who works in a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT serving a HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE POPULATION or in a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT not serving a HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE POPULATION.”
18. A food employee has an open, draining infected wound that is not properly covered. What action must the person in charge take?
Answer: Restrict the employee. Employees with uncovered infected wounds or pustular boils are subject to restriction rather than exclusion.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.12: “RESTRICT the FOOD EMPLOYEE.”
19. A food employee has been excluded due to symptoms and is now asymptomatic. What is the minimum period they must remain asymptomatic before being reinstated, assuming they do not have a specific diagnosis like Norovirus or STEC?
Answer: At least 24 hours. The code states that an employee excluded for general symptoms must be asymptomatic for at least 24 hours to be reinstated.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.13: “Reinstate a FOOD EMPLOYEE who was EXCLUDED as specified under Subparagraph 2-201.12(A)(1) if the FOOD EMPLOYEE: (a) Is ASYMPTOMATIC for at least 24 hours;”
20. An employee diagnosed with Norovirus has been asymptomatic for 24 hours and works in a facility that does NOT serve a highly susceptible population. How should their status be adjusted?
Answer: They should be restricted rather than excluded. For Norovirus cases in standard establishments, the code allows moving from exclusion to restriction once the employee is asymptomatic for 24 hours.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.13: “RESTRICT the FOOD EMPLOYEE, who is ASYMPTOMATIC for at least 24 hours and works in a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT not serving a HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE POPULATION, until the conditions for reinstatement as specified under Subparagraphs (D)(1) or (2) of this section are met;”
21. An employee diagnosed with non-typhoidal Salmonella has been asymptomatic for 30 days. What is the appropriate status adjustment for an employee working in a standard establishment?
Answer: Restrict the employee. The code specifies that employees with non-typhoidal Salmonella who have been asymptomatic for 30 days should be restricted.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-201.13: “RESTRICT the FOOD EMPLOYEE, who is ASYMPTOMATIC for at least 30 days until conditions for reinstatement as specified under Subparagraphs (G)(1) or (2)”
22. What type of procedure must a food establishment have in place for handling vomiting or diarrheal events?
Answer: Written procedures for employees to follow. The regulation requires that the procedures for handling these events be written down for employees to follow.
FDA Food Code 2022, § 2-501.11: “A FOOD ESTABLISHMENT shall have written procedures for EMPLOYEES to follow when responding to vomiting or diarrheal events that involve the discharge of vomitus or fecal matter onto surfaces in the FOOD ESTABLISHMENT.”