SERVSAFE MANAGER COURSEBOOK Personal Hygiene 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A food handler diagnosed with Salmonella Typhi must be:
- Excluded from the operation until cleared by a medical professional (Correct answer)
- Restricted to non-food-contact duties only
- Required to wear gloves at all times
- Allowed to work if symptom-free
Correct answer: Excluded from the operation until cleared by a medical professional
Salmonella Typhi is a Big 6 pathogen that requires the employee to be excluded from the operation until a health professional clears them.
Question 2: What are the 'Big 6' pathogens that require employee exclusion under ServSafe?
- Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, E. coli O157:H7, Nontyphoidal Salmonella (Correct answer)
- E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, Bacillus
- Norovirus, HIV, Hepatitis B, Listeria, Staph aureus, Yersinia
- Salmonella, Campylobacter, Trichinella, Botulinum, Norovirus, Cryptosporidium
Correct answer: Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, E. coli O157:H7, Nontyphoidal Salmonella
The Big 6 are the pathogens most easily spread through food handling and require immediate exclusion of infected employees.
Question 3: What is the difference between 'restricting' and 'excluding' a sick food handler?
- Restricted workers may work but not handle food; excluded workers cannot be in the facility (Correct answer)
- Restricted workers are sent home; excluded workers wear PPE
- Restricting means wearing gloves; excluding means wearing a mask
- Both terms mean the same thing in ServSafe
Correct answer: Restricted workers may work but not handle food; excluded workers cannot be in the facility
Restriction limits where a sick employee can work within the facility, while exclusion requires removal from the operation entirely.
Question 4: Which behavior is NOT appropriate for food handlers regarding jewelry?
- Wearing a plain band ring while prepping food (Correct answer)
- Removing earrings before entering the kitchen
- Not wearing bracelets during food prep
- Leaving watches in their locker
Correct answer: Wearing a plain band ring while prepping food
A plain band ring is the only jewelry permitted; it can harbor bacteria but ServSafe allows it as an exception.
Question 5: Why should food handlers avoid wearing nail polish or artificial nails?
- They can chip off and become physical contaminants in food (Correct answer)
- They harbor more bacteria than bare nails
- They make handwashing less effective chemically
- They are restricted by OSHA standards
Correct answer: They can chip off and become physical contaminants in food
Nail polish and artificial nails can chip off and become physical contaminants that are difficult to detect in food.
Question 6: How should food handlers handle a situation where they need to sneeze while working?
- Step away from food, sneeze into their elbow, then wash hands immediately (Correct answer)
- Sneeze into a paper towel and continue working
- Cover mouth with hand and sanitize afterward
- Put on gloves before sneezing to avoid spreading germs
Correct answer: Step away from food, sneeze into their elbow, then wash hands immediately
Sneezing into the elbow and then immediately washing hands is the correct procedure to prevent contaminating food or surfaces.
