Home

Public Health Alerts

Clinic Locations

Programs/Services

Health Connection

Birth and Death Certificates

Request Records

Board of Health

Health Regulations

Environmental Health

Food Establishment/Restaurant Inspections

Emergency Preparedness

Employment

Media

About Us

Preventing Chemical Contamination

Brochure (PDF 127 KB)

Labeling and Identification

The accidental contamination of food or food contact surfaces can cause serious illness. Prominent and distinct labeling helps ensure that poisonous and toxic materials including personal care items are properly used.

Working containers used for storing poisonous or toxic materials such as cleaners and sanitizers shall be clearly and individually identified with the common name of the material.

It is common practice in food establishments to purchase many poisonous or toxic materials including cleaners and sanitizers in bulk containers. Working containers are frequently used to convey these materials to areas where they will be used, resulting in working containers being stored in different locations in the establishment.

Identification of these containers with the common name of the material helps prevent the dangerous misuse of the contents.

Separation

Poisonous or toxic materials shall be stored so they can not contaminate food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles by:

• Separating the poisonous or toxic materials by spacing or partitioning.
• Locating the poisonous or toxic materials in an area that is not above food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service or single-use articles. This does not apply to equipment and utensil cleaners and sanitizers that are stored in ware washing areas for availability and convenience (and are stored to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles).

Other Personal Care Items

Employees shall store their personal care items in dressing rooms or dressing areas designated if employees routinely change their clothes in the establishment, or lockers or other suitable facilities provided for the orderly storage of employees’ clothing and other possessions.

Employee personal care items may serve as a source of contamination and may contaminate food, food equipment, and food contact surfaces if they are not properly labeled and stored.

First aid supplies for employee use must be identified and stored to avoid the accidental contamination of food, food equipment, and other food-contact surfaces. Children’s medicines in day care settings must be labeled with the child’s name and not stored above or next to food.

Four interventions can help prevent the transmission of poisonous or toxic chemicals to food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service items.

• Working containers labeled.
• Separation, packaging, and segregation of poisonous or toxic materials.
• Personal care items stored in designated areas.
• Do not locate chemicals above food or food preparation and food storage areas.