Food Safety Begins on the Farm: A Grower Self Assessment of Food Safety Risks

Toilets and Handwashing

TOILETS AND HANDWASHING

TOILETS AND HANDWASHING

Toilet and Handwashing Facilities Someone at every farm or in every farm division (e.g. com-modity, packing house, field operations) should complete the Toilet and Handwashing Section AND the Worker Training Section. The easiest and most effective way to reduce transmission of patho-gens carried by human fecal material is to prevent the fecal material from entering the field. Provide clean toilets and well stocked handwashing fa-

cilities for workers, visitors and customers so that they are not tempted or forced to defecate in the field. Signage and worker training programs should accompany these clean facilities, but worker training that focuses on handwashing and hygiene is use-less unless the facilities to implement proper practices are in place.

The GAPs Program recognizes that several agencies and organizations, such as OSHA and individual state legislatures, have developed laws regarding toilet and handwashing facility availability, but in most cases, recommendations in the Na-tional GAPs Program are more stringent. The reason for this is that the sole focus of GAPs is re-ducing microbial risks to fruits and vegetables and to those who work with produce. Even if you have only one worker or only visitors

such as u-pick customers, you should have a clean toilet, provide toilet paper, and have a well stocked handwashing facility for them to use. This is a GAPs priority. Providing clean, well-stocked toilet and handwashing facilities will be an expense and will take time and effort to manage, but effective implementation of this recom-mendation will reduce risk and will be appreciated by everyone on the farm.

Provide clean toilets and well stocked handwashing facilites for workers, visitors and customers so that they are not tempted or foced to defecate in the field.

Toilets and Handwashing Facilities Good Agricultural Practices Practices Requiring Attention

Management Area

Best Practice

Minor Adjustments Needed

Concerns Exist; Examine Practice

Needs Improvement: Prioritize Changes Here

Clean toilet facilities for Clean toilet and Clean toilet and Toilet facilities are not farm laborers, visitors, handwashing facilities are handwashing facilities are provided at any location on and customers provided for everyone who

handles fruits and vegetables in the field, in processing and packing areas and in storage and

provided for everyone who handles fruits and vegetables in the field, in processing and packing areas and in storage and

the farm.

✍ shipping areas AND they are monitored daily to insure cleanliness.

shipping areas BUT are not monitored daily for cleanliness.

Toilets and handwashing Toilet facilities are stocked Toilet facilities are stocked Toilet facilities are not facility maintenance and with an ample supply of with an ample supply of stocked with a supply of stocking with supplies* handwashing items

including soap, water, paper towels and toilet paper AND they are monitored daily.

handwashing items including soap, water, paper towels and toilet paper BUT they are not monitored daily.

soap, water, paper towels, and toilet paper daily. Employees must request these supplies and no

✍ monitoring occurs and maintenance is not a priority.

Location of field toilets in Readily available for use Field toilets are not within a There are no field toilets. relationship to workers (within 1/4-mile walk) or as

close as they can be given farm landscape.

1/4-mile walk or conveniently located.

* Some audit firms require antimicrobial soap and hand sanitizers. Regular soap with proper handwashing is sufficient to clean hands.

Grower Self Assessment of Food Safety Risks Toilets and Handwashing Facilities—1

Toilets and Handwashing Facilities Good Agricultural Practices Practices Requiring Attention

Management Area

Best Practice

Minor Adjustments Needed

Concerns Exist; Examine Practice

Needs Improvement: Prioritize Changes Here

Location of field toilets in Portable toilets are located Portable toilets are in a Portable toilets are located Portable toilets are pulled relation to crop out of the produce crop grass road between crop in the field, with less than 20 into the produce crop fields.

field, in an area that is fields, with at least 20 feet feet between the unit and physically isolated from all between the unit and fields, production fields. produce production or on all sides, in case of spills. handling areas.

Collection of grey water from handwashing facilities in the field

A system is in place to collect grey water at field handwashing facilities.

Grey water from handwashing in the field flows directly on the ground.

Emergency containment A documented emergency A documented emergency There is a documented There is no emergency and treatment plans for containment and treatment containment and treatment emergency containment and containment and treatment portable toilets plan is in place AND all plan is in place AND some treatment plan in place, but plan for spills from portable

✍ workers have received training for management of a spill.

farm workers have received training in case of a spill.

no one is trained to execute the plan.

toilets.

Servicing areas for Portable toilets are serviced Portable toilets are serviced Portable toilets are serviced Portable toilets are serviced portable toilets and cleaned in an area that where they are located, on a where they are located, where they are located, in

is physically isolated from all road greater than 20 feet within 20 feet of produce the field. produce production or from produced fields. fields. handling areas.

Grower Self Assessment of Food Safety Risks Toilets and Handwashing Facilities—2

Toilets and Handwashing Facilities Good Agricultural Practices Practices Requiring Attention

Management Area

Best Practice

Minor Adjustments Needed

Concerns Exist; Examine Practice

Needs Improvement: Prioritize Changes Here

Ratio of toilets to workers The number of toilets and hand washing stations is sufficient to accommodate all workers in a timely fashion.

The number and position of toilets meet state and federal guidelines.

The number and position of toilets do not meet state and federal guidelines.

There are no toilets for workers.

Record keeping of toilet and handwashing facility cleaning and maintenance for farm audit, certification, and traceback

✍

SOPs are written for all aspects of toilet and handwashing facilities maintenance, sanitation and emergency spill containment. Records are kept documenting implementation of these SOPs.

SOPs are written, but records are not kept documenting implementation.

SOPs are understood, but not written, and records are not kept documenting implementation.

There are no SOPs in place for toilet and handwashing facilities maintenance, sanitation and spill containment.

Grower Self Assessment of Food Safety Risks Toilets and Handwashing Facilities —3

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Toilets and Handwashing Facilities Action Plan Date: __________________ Reviewer: _____________________________________ Field or Commodity: _______________________________

Management Area

Your Plans to Reduce Risks

Action for Improvement

Person Responsible

Estimated Cost

Target Date

Clean toilet facilities for farm laborers, visitors, and customers

Toilets and handwashing facility maintenance and stocking with supplies

Location of field toilets in relationship to workers

Location of field toilets in relation to crop

Collection of grey water from handwashing facilities in the field

Do not remove. Photocopy this master for evaluations. Toilets and Handwashing Facilities Action Plan—1 of 2

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Toilets and Handwashing Facilities Action Plan Date: __________________ Reviewer: _____________________________________ Field or Commodity: _______________________________

Management Area

Your Plans to Reduce Risks

Action for Improvement

Person Responsible

Estimated Cost

Target Date

Emergency containment and treatment plans for portable toilets

Servicing areas for portable toilets

Ratio of toilets to workers

Record keeping of toilet and handwashing facility cleaning and maintenance for farm audit, certification, and traceback

Do not remove. Photocopy this master for evaluations. Toilets and Handwashing Facilities Action Plan—2 of 2