PERMANENT RULES
Date of Adoption: October 9, 2002.
Purpose: In response to requests from local health agencies, increase the application fee for food worker cards from eight to ten dollars. WAC 246-217-025 sets the requirements for food worker training programs and exams; card description and issuance; and the application fee. Chapter 69.06 RCW requires the fee to be uniform throughout the state.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-217-025.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 69.06 RCW.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 02-18-031 on August 26, 2002.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
Pilot Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
or Other Alternative Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule:
January 1, 2003.
November 4, 2002
Don Sloma
Executive Director
OTS-5845.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 99-13-019, filed 6/7/99,
effective 7/8/99)
WAC 246-217-025
Issuance of food worker cards -- Fees.
(1) In order to qualify for issuance of an initial or renewal
food worker card, an applicant must demonstrate his/her
knowledge of safe food handling practices by satisfactorily
completing an examination conducted by the local health
officer or designee.
(2) Each applicant for a food worker card must pay a fee
in the amount of ((eight)) ten dollars. The fee shall be used
by the jurisdictional health department or designee to defray
the costs of food worker training and education,
administration of the program, and testing of applicants.
Photographic identification may be required at the time of
application.
(3) The local health officer or designee shall furnish to the applicant a copy of the latest edition of the "Food and Beverage Service Workers' Manual" or similar publication, as prepared or approved by the department.
(4) Effective January 1, 2000, prior to conducting the examination of the applicant(s), the health officer (or designee) shall provide at least thirty minutes of instruction, including both audio and visual presentations. Instruction content shall include topics related to safe food preparation, storage and service. At a minimum, topics shall include: Food borne illness overview; basic bacteriology as it relates to food borne illness; proper cooking, hot holding, cold holding and cooling of potentially hazardous foods; cross-contamination prevention; and proper hand washing techniques.
(5) The food worker card examination will be uniform statewide and will be prepared by and/or approved by the department; except that jurisdictional health departments may include additional questions to address local health concerns. The examination will cover topics identified in subsection (4) of this section, as required instruction topics. An exam must be approved by the department prior to its use. To pass the examination the applicant must answer at least eighty percent of the questions correctly.
(6) Upon payment of the required fee and the applicant's satisfactory completion of the examination, the applicant will receive the food worker card.
(7) A copy of the card or the applicable information shall be kept on file at the jurisdictional health department.
(8) Copies of food worker cards for all employed food service workers shall be kept on file by the employer or kept by the employee on his or her person and open for inspection at all times by authorized public health officials.
(9) All food worker cards shall be issued and signed by the local health officer. The local health officer may contract with persons to provide the required training or testing within his/her jurisdiction. The contracts shall include test security provisions so that test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data are exempt from public disclosure to the same extent as records maintained by state or local government agencies.
(10) The health officer or designee shall make test accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act for those requesting such accommodations.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050. 99-13-019, § 246-217-025, filed 6/7/99, effective 7/8/99.]