There’s a reason I always use Styrofoam cups in the Oklahoma Christian University cafeteria; Oklahoma County does not require workers to have food handler cards.
A food handler is, according to the Tulsa Health Department, “Any person who handles, prepares, serves, sells or gives away food for consumption by persons other than his or her immediate family.”
This includes persons washing or busing dishes, serving food and preparing drinks. Does this sound like something a cafeteria worker would do? I think so.
However, for some odd reason, Oklahoma County doesn’t require food handlers to obtain food safety certification. Instead, it only requires one person in management to go through training, assuming the person in management trains the other employees.
This idea is completely foreign to me. I volunteer at church camp in Washington State every summer. Whenever I work in the kitchen as a dishwasher or kitchen staff, I must have my up-to-date food handler card. I was shocked to find that some food handlers in Oklahoma County don’t even know what a food handler card is.
I recently got a job working for UDining at Oklahoma Christian. Again, I was surprised at what I learned.
From my experience working at UDining’s grill, food safety training goes like this: a person in management states some food safety hazards and then lets the worker cook and handle food under observation of a manager who is also not required to have a food handlers card or go through specific food safety training. It is my understanding that most restaurants in Oklahoma County are the same way.
Don’t get me wrong, the caf does a wonderful job and follows the laws of the county. I just think that the food safety requirements of the county are inadequate. I started asking around and it seems that most food establishments in the county are like this, from Cracker Barrel to Jimmy John’s.
The way Oklahoma County handles food safety is unwise. In places where management hires up to 50 people at a time, all from various backgrounds, it is hard to make sure everyone is following food safety codes. One person’s knowledge lies between us – as customers – and a food-born illness.
Although food safety information is passed from the one person in management to the other managers and workers, how can customers be sure that all the food safety information is really getting conveyed? That’s the point. We can’t be sure.
That is why I am careful to only use Styrofoam cups instead of the plastic ones that go through a process of cleaning and busing that I can’t be sure of.
It is my personal opinion that all food handlers in every state and county should be required to at least go through food safety training class – especially managers.
A great national food safety program called ServSafe could be useful in this regard. Although Oklahoma County doesn’t really acknowledge this program, it would still be reassuring to know our food handlers are adequately trained and have a proper awareness of food safety.
Sarah Redding is senior at Oklahoma Christian University and the Copy Editor for the Talon
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