Food Worker and Industry Resources

Food Worker Card

• Food Worker Card - Questions and answers such as how and where to get your food worker card.
• Additional Food Safety Training for Food Workers - How to get a renewed food worker card that is valid for 5 years.
• Contact Your Local Health Department, Food Safety Program - Find food safety training classes offered in your area so you can get your food worker card.

Food Worker Manual

• Washington State Food and Beverage Workers' Manual - Use this as your guide to help you prepare for the food safety training class and exam to obtain your food worker card.

Food Service Rules

• Food Service Rules - Food safety code and regulations for food served or sold to the public in Washington State.

Interpretive Statements

Interpretive statements provide guidance and clarification on how the Department understands and applies laws and rules. They are advisory and intended to promote transparency, consistency, and public engagement. See RCW 34.05.230 for more information about interpretive statements.

• Control and Disposition Over Unsafe or Unapproved Food in Retail Food Establishments

Guidelines

• Charity Food Donation Guidelines
• Donation Guide for Business (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Donation Guide for Home Kitchen (PDF)
• Donation Guide for Share Pantry (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Donation Guidelines for School Food
• Emergency Water Supply Guidelines for Food Establishments
• Power Outage Guidelines for Food Establishments
• Reducing Consumables in Food Establishments (PDF)
• Restoring Service After Extended Water Interruption Guidelines for Food Establishments (PDF)
• Vertical Broilers (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Foodborne Illnesses

• Foodborne Illnesses
• Hepatitis A Information for Food Establishments

Food Safety Advisory Council

• Food Safety Advisory Council - Partnership among industry, government, academia, and the consumer to promote food safety through improving consistency in the interpretation of the food service rules statewide.

Signs for Food Establishments

Download these for printing or check with your local health department for other educational materials.

• Hand Washing Signs - General hand washing signs for customers and required hand washing signs for food employees.
• Allergen Awareness for Food Workers (PDF) - Document available in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Food Allergy Sign 5x3 (PDF) - Document available in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Food Allergy Sign 5x7 (PDF) - Document available in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Food Allergy Sign 8.5x11 (PDF) - Document available in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Consumer Advisory - Choose Wisely: What You Need to Know About Undercooked Foods (PDF) - Documents available in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Consumer Advisory - Dining Smart: Understanding Advisory Notices on Raw and Undercooked Animal Foods (PDF) - Documents available in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Dogs Welcome Indoors (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Dogs Welcome Outdoors (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Do Not Use This Sink (PDF) - English/Spanish flyer.
• Keep It Healthy (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - Germs are easy to spread. Sick food workers may not work with food or food-contact surfaces.
• Keep It Untouched (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - Bare hands may have germs that can spread to food. Ready-to-eat foods may not be handled with bare hands.
• Keep It Separate (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - Cross contamination is the spread of bacteria from raw meat to other foods.
• Keep It Hot (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - The food in this unit must be kept at or above 135 degrees F.
• Keep It Cold (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - The food in this unit must be kept at or below 41 degrees F.
• Keep It Hot or Cold (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - Bacteria may grow in potentially hazardous foods. Keep foods out of the Danger Zone (41 degrees F - 135 degrees F) for safety.
• Cool It Quickly (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - Cooling hot foods rapidly is important to prevent illness-causing bacteria from growing in food.
• Keep Your Hands Off My Food! (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) - No bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
• Educational Materials for Retail Food Employees, FDA - Numerous food safety publications available in multiple languages for food workers.

Unapproved Food Vendor Flyers

• Know Before You Bite - Approved Sources and Why Permits Matter (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Pop-Ups and Pitfalls - Ghost Kitchens & Social Media Sales (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Recipe for Success - How to Get Licensed (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• See It, Say It, Save a Stomach - Report Unsafe or Unlicensed Food (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Permit-Free Picks - When a Permit May Not be Needed (PDF) - Spanish (PDF)

Content Source: Food Safety Program