Chapter 6.64
FOOD HANDLERS
Sections:
6.64.030 Food worker’s certificate--Required.
6.64.040 Food worker’s certificate--Exemption.
6.64.050 Food worker’s certificate--Application.
6.64.060 Food worker’s certificate--Qualifications.
6.64.070 Food worker’s certificate--Issuance.
6.64.080 Food worker’s certificate--Duplicate.
6.64.090 Food worker’s certificate--Revocation.
6.64.100 Food worker’s certificate--Appeal.
6.64.110 Food worker’s certificate--Display.
6.64.010 Purpose, intent.
It is the purpose and intent of this chapter to prevent the spread of infectious disease and to attain a uniform standard by requiring all food handlers in the county of Riverside to demonstrate through process of examination that they possess an adequate knowledge of the sanitary principles and practices within the food industry. (Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 1), 1978)
6.64.020 Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Food worker’s certificate” means a statement issued by the health officer certifying that a person has satisfactorily demonstrated his or her competency in food sanitation principles and practices.
(b) “Food worker’s manual” means the manual prepared and distributed to food handlers by the health officer that describes acceptable procedures and sanitary practices as it pertains to the retail food service industry.
(c) “Health officer” means the health officer of the county of Riverside, or his designated representative. (Ord. 494 Sec. 1(1), 1983; Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 2), 1978)
6.64.030 Food worker’s certificate--Required.
No person shall engage or serve in any work, occupation or employment which requires or occasions the handling of any food, liquor or material intended for food or drink for human consumption or the handling of any dishes or other articles used in the preparation of service of food or drink for human consumption, who does not hold or produce a food worker’s certificate as required by this chapter within fourteen days after engaging or serving in such work, occupation or employment, and no owner, manager or agent of such owner, or person in charge of any establishment or business shall retain in the employ thereof for the performance of such services, any person who does not hold and produce a food worker’s certificate as required by this chapter within fourteen days after such person engages or serves in such employment. (Ord. 494 Sec. 1(2), 1983: Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 3), 1978)
6.64.040 Food worker’s certificate--Exemption.
Any person who engages or serves or seeks employment relating to domestic or household work or to temporary, occasional or intermittent functions of bona fide religious, charitable or public service organizations, including fraternal organizations, veterans’ organizations, established youth organizations, parent-teacher associations, or students in public or private schools under the age of sixteen engaged in school food operations, and civic or community organizations or groups, the primary purpose of which is the betterment of the cultural, social or economic welfare and environment of the community, shall be exempt from the provisions of Section 6.64.030. (Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 z4), 1978)
6.64.050 Food worker’s certificate--Application.
(a) Any person who is engaged in or intends to engage in an occupation or employment for which a food worker’s certificate is required by Section 6.64.030 shall file with the health officer an application for such certificate or a renewal thereof in such form as the health officer may require, which application shall be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of five dollars; provided, however, students sixteen years of age or older engaged in school food operations are exempted from such fee.
(b) When qualified pursuant to this section, the applicant shall be issued a food worker’s certificate containing the following information: certificate number, name, home address, expiration date and attesting signature. Such certificate shall expire two years after the date it was issued.
(c) A valid certificate of health, indicating that the applicant is free from active communicable tuberculosis, issued by any regularly constituted public health agency and bearing a date of issuance, may be accepted by the health officer, in lieu of the statement or report as required in subsection (b), during its period of validity, not to exceed one year from the date of its issuance. (Ord. 494 Sec. 1(3), 1983; Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 5), 1978)
6.64.060 Food worker’s certificate--Qualifications.
To qualify for the issuance or renewal of a food worker’s certificate required by Section 6.64.030, the applicant shall have demonstrated his or her knowledge of acceptable practices in the sanitary preparation, service, storage, distribution and sale of food and beverages and the proper sanitation of equipment and facilities. Such demonstration of knowledge shall be by satisfactorily passing an examination conducted by the health officer on such subjects, based on the practices and procedures set forth in the food worker’s manual. A copy of the latest edition of said manual shall be made available by the health officer to those persons applying for a food worker’s certificate or renewal thereof. (Ord. 494 Sec. 1(4), 1983: Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 6), 1978)
6.64.070 Food worker’s certificate--Issuance.
When qualified pursuant to Section 6.64.060, the applicant shall be issued a food worker’s certificate containing the following information: certificate number, name, home address, expiration date and attesting signature. Such certificate shall expire one year after the date it was issued. Any person whose health, in the opinion of the health officer, requires further investigation may be issued a temporary food handler’s certificate at the discretion of the health officer for a period not to exceed three months, during which time such investigation shall be carried out to determine whether or not active communicable tuberculosis is present. (Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 7), 1978)
6.64.080 Food worker’s certificate--Duplicate.
A duplicate food worker’s certificate, for good cause, may be issued by the health officer for a fee of one dollar. (Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 8), 1978)
6.64.090 Food worker’s certificate--Revocation.
The food worker’s certificate may be revoked by the health officer upon evidence indicating repeated or continuing violations of accepted practices and procedures in the preparation, service, storage, distribution, or sale of food or beverages, or upon evidence indicating falsification of information required for issuance of such certificate, or an infectious condition creating a hazard to the public or co-workers. (Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 9), 1978)
6.64.100 Food worker’s certificate--Appeal.
Any person who has an application for a food worker’s certificate denied by the health officer or who has had such a certificate revoked by the health officer, may appeal such denial or revocation by filing with the clerk of the board of supervisors, within ten days after the date of such denial or revocation, a written notice of appeal briefly setting forth the reasons such denial or revocation is not proper. The clerk shall give notice of the time and place of the hearing to the appellant.
Such appeal shall be heard by the board of supervisors which may affirm, amend or reverse the decision or take such other action as it deems appropriate. In conducting the hearing, the board of supervisors shall not be limited by the technical rules of evidence. (Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 10), 1978)
6.64.110 Food worker’s certificate--Display.
Any person required to have a food worker’s certificate shall immediately submit such certificate to his or her employer. It shall be the duty of every such employer to keep on continuous display at the place of employment the food worker’s certificates of all such persons employed or engaged therein, and to display therewith a current list of all much persons therein engaged or employed for comparison with such certificates. Upon termination of employment, each unexpired certificate shall be returned to the holder. (Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 11), 1978)
6.64.120 Violation.
Any person, firm, or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 527 Sec. 4 (part), 1984: Ord. 407 (part) (County Ord. 567 Sec. 12), 1978)