On May 31, 2015 in Salt Lake City, UT, over 50 men and women were taken to the hospital due to symptoms of foodborne illness. Each of the cases was linked back to a meal eaten at a local homeless shelter. Fortunately, although symptoms were severe, no case was considered critical.
It is essential to follow safe food handling practices in places like soup kitchens and homeless shelters due to the at-risk communities they serve. In many cases, men, women, and children eating at these facilities already face the effects that poor nourishment and almost non-existent healthcare wreak on their immune systems, leaving them far more susceptible to foodborne illness. Volunteer establishments usually have only temporary food workers who are often exempt from food safety regulations. So how can you do your part to fix this problem? Educate volunteer and part-time workers in the basics of food safety and the prevention of foodborne illness with our easy-to-use poster designed specifically for volunteer workers.
The poster breaks down two basic topics in food safety, hygiene and time/temperature control:
Hygiene
-When to stay home due to sickness
-How to use gloves
-The five steps of handwashing
Time/Temperature Control
-The temperature danger zone
-Reheating food
-The two-stage cooling process
-How to label foods
Make sure to verify food safety requirements for your facility with your regulatory agency. If food handler permits are not required, the facility is responsible to ensure each employee is following safe food practices. Use this poster as a teaching tool to quickly teach employees essential principles of food safety. Then hang it in your facility as a quick reminder.
This poster is also useful for other facilities that may or may not have food safety training requirements, like temporary establishments for community events or mobile establishments. Utilize this poster in any establishment to ensure food is safe to eat.
If you have any questions, contact us at resource@statefoodsafety.com. To learn more about food safety, check out our online food handler and manager training courses at StateFoodSafety.
Share our poster with others!
- Download and print: Click on a size below to download and print out the poster.
- Share the link: Share https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/food-safety-for-volunteer-food-facilities-poster on your website or social media.
— Sophie Buckner
