Ontario Food Handler Certificate Personal Hygiene for Food Workers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Ontario food safety guidelines, when must food handlers wash their hands?
- Only before starting work
- Before handling food, after using the washroom, and after handling raw meat (Correct answer)
- Only after using the washroom
- Only when hands are visibly dirty
Correct answer: Before handling food, after using the washroom, and after handling raw meat
Ontario regulations require handwashing before handling food, after using the washroom, after handling raw meat, after touching hair or face, after sneezing or coughing, and after handling garbage.
Question 2: What is the minimum time recommended for proper handwashing?
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- 60 seconds
Correct answer: 20 seconds
Proper handwashing requires scrubbing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds to effectively remove bacteria and other contaminants from the skin.
Question 3: What is the correct water temperature for handwashing in a food premises?
- Cold water only
- Warm running water (at least 38°C/100°F) (Correct answer)
- Hot water at 77°C (170°F)
- Any temperature is acceptable
Correct answer: Warm running water (at least 38°C/100°F)
Warm running water at a comfortable temperature (at least 38°C) is recommended for handwashing. Water that is too hot can damage skin, while cold water is less effective at removing grease and soil.
Question 4: Which of the following is an acceptable method of drying hands after washing in a food premises?
- Wiping on an apron
- Using a cloth towel shared with other workers
- Using single-use paper towels (Correct answer)
- Air drying by waving hands
Correct answer: Using single-use paper towels
Single-use paper towels are the preferred method for drying hands in food premises because they prevent recontamination that can occur with shared cloth towels or aprons.
Question 5: A food handler has a small cut on their finger. What is the proper procedure?
- They cannot work until it heals completely
- Cover the cut with a waterproof bandage and wear a disposable glove over it (Correct answer)
- Apply hand sanitizer to the cut and continue working
- Wrap the finger in a cloth and continue working
Correct answer: Cover the cut with a waterproof bandage and wear a disposable glove over it
Cuts must be covered with a waterproof bandage (preferably brightly colored for visibility) and then a disposable glove worn over it to prevent wound bacteria from contaminating food.
Question 6: Why is hand sanitizer alone NOT a substitute for handwashing in Ontario food premises?
- Hand sanitizer is too expensive
- Hand sanitizer does not remove physical soil, organic matter, or all types of pathogens (Correct answer)
- Hand sanitizer causes skin irritation
- Hand sanitizer is not permitted in food premises
Correct answer: Hand sanitizer does not remove physical soil, organic matter, or all types of pathogens
Hand sanitizer cannot remove physical dirt, grease, or organic matter and is not effective against all pathogens (notably Norovirus and bacterial spores). It may be used as an additional step after proper handwashing.
