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DPH softens up on food-handlers’ test
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Posted on Feb 16 1999
After strong protest from the business sector, the Department of Public Health has decided to include the controversial food handler’s exam with the annual health screening of employees during the renewal of their contracts.
HANMI president Ron Sablan met last week with Dr. Jon B. Brus, medical director of the Commonwealth Health Center and Celeste Andersen, legal counsel, where he was informed of the amendments in the health screening regulation which will be submitted to the Department of Labor and Immigration.
“We are very pleased that they have accommodated our request in the best way possible without jeopardizing the health issue,” said Sablan.
While businessmen recognize the value of the new regulation, they however criticized the additional cost that the food handler’s exam would impose on them amid the present economic crisis besetting the Northern Marianas. The test would cost $150 per employee.
DPH Secretary Kevin Villagomez had proposed the adoption of a new regulation requiring all workers who deal with food preparation undergo additional health testing once a year for various communicable diseases.
HANMI agrees on the need to ensure that people who are handling and serving food in various restaurants, hotels or fastfood establishments are free of communicable diseases but such health exam must be done in such a way that it does not become a burden to employers and workers, Sablan said.
The regulation which took effect last January 28, 1999 was aimed at controlling the spread of food-borne diseases such as tuberculosis, salmonella, shigella, yersinia, campylobacter and other pathogenic bacteria, amoeba and other intestinal parasites in the community which can be passed on through the handling, processing and serving of food to the customers.
Food handlers include workers who are engaged in the handling, processing and manufacture of food like waitresses, waiters, bartenders, packers and cooks.
Employees found to be infected with communicable diseases will not be issued a Food Handler’s Certificate until the worker infected is cured. A $20 fee for the food handler’s certificate shall be paid after attending the workshops.
