If an employee has symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting, what should they do before entering processing areas?

• A. Take over-the-counter medicine and proceed
• B. Report illness and stay away.
• C. Work with gloves only
• D. Report at the end of shift

Answer: (B)

Excluding an employee with vomiting or diarrhea is essential to prevent contamination of food and processing environments. These symptoms often indicate a contagious illness, and pathogens can be present in feces or vomitus even before, during, or after the symptoms. Entering processing areas could transfer organisms to hands, surfaces, equipment, or product, risking illness for consumers and requiring costly recalls or shutdowns. Reporting the illness and staying away aligns with safety policies that aim to protect both people and product; it allows supervisors to arrange coverage and, if needed, medical clearance before returning. Taking medicine and proceeding, or trying to work with gloves, does not remove the risk of contamination, and waiting until the end of the shift delays necessary exclusion, increasing exposure risk. Returning only after a proper return-to-work process ensures the worker is no longer contagious and fit to resume handling food.