IMPORTANT NEWS...
Department of Business and Professional Regulation Partners With Food and Drug Administration on "20 Seconds to Success" Handwashing Campaign
July 21, 2009
TALLAHASSEE—It is estimated that proper handwashing could eliminate nearly half of all cases of foodborne illness, and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants is working with the Food and Drug Administration to educate operators about proper handwashing techniques. The handwashing and employee health initiative “20 Seconds to Success!” campaign emphasizes awareness of the significance and impact of proper handwashing and the cycle of foodborne illness.
“It is important that our food service operators know the importance that handwashing plays as they come into contact with millions of citizens and visitors daily,” said Secretary Charles W. Drago. “I am honored to continue our FDA partnership with this ‘20 Second to Success!’ campaign to educate our inspectors and operators about the positive impact of proper handwashing techniques.”
The FDA has developed an “Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook” that will cover such topics as foodborne illness, illness symptoms, restriction and exclusion of employees, handwashing information and much more. This handbook will be used to educate the division’s safety and sanitation inspectors who will share the knowledge they have obtained with Florida’s food service operators.
The division currently offers more than 11 downloadable posters or guides referencing handwashing, proper glove usage, foodborne illness and employee health and more are in the works. Division inspectors will continue to focus their inspections on the identified foodborne illness risk factors – which include handwashing and employee health – but will increase the educational aspect of these two items by emphasizing the link between the lack of proper handwashing and the incidence of illness.
The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The Department licenses more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from real estate agents, veterinarians, and accountants to contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit MyFloridaLicense.com.
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