Many state have laws about
sanitation. Usually food service establishments and
any form of health care providers need to follow
strict sanitation guidelines. Any person working in
these situations need to remember the importance of
proper hand washing and wearing disposable gloves
when working in the following situations:
- After touching bare human body parts.
- After using the rest room.
- After handling animals.
- After coughing, sneezing, using a tissue,
using tobacco, eating, or drinking.
- After handling soiled equipment or utensils.
- Before food preparation.
- When switching between raw foods and
ready-to-eat foods.
- After handling money.
Sanitation is defined as:
- The formulation and application of measures
designed to protect health
- The disposal of sewage
- The act or process of making sanitary
- The promotion of hygiene and prevention of
disease by maintenance of sanitary conditions
- The state of being clean and conducive to
health
- making something free of germs as in
sterilizing
GERMS
Germs are tiny organisms that can cause a
disease or illness. Germs are so tiny that you need
to use a microscope to see them. You can find germs
all over the world. There are four major types of
germs:
- Bacteria are tiny, one-cell creatures
that get nutrients from their environments in
order to live. In some cases that environment is
a human body. Bacteria can reproduce outside
of the body or within the body as they cause
infections. These infections includes: strep
throat, ear infections, cavities, and pneumonia.
Not all bacteria are bad, good bacteria are used
by scientists to produce medicines and vaccines.
- Viruses can't live outside of living
cells. They need to be in or on a living thing
like a plant, animal, or person in order to grow
and reproduce, this is called the host. Viruses
cause chicken pox, measles, the flu, and many
other diseases.
- Fungi are multi-cell, plant-like
organisms. Fungi cannot make their own food from
soil, water, and air. Instead, their nutrition
from plants, people, and animals. Most fungi
live in damp, warm places and are not dangerous.
Athlete's foot is a good example of a fungi.
- Protozoa are one-cell organisms that
like moisture and often spread diseases through
the water. Some protozoa cause intestinal
infections that lead to diarrhea, nausea, and
belly pain.
Once germs invade our bodies, they take the
nutrients and energy and produce toxins. Those
toxins cause symptoms of common infections, like
fevers, rashes, coughing, vomiting, and
diarrhea. Most germs are spread through the air in
sneezes, coughs, sweat, saliva, blood, and even a
breath. Medical gloves, bandages, sterile equipment,
and many other sanitary products will keep you and
your patients clean and healthy. |
