Food safety risks in the food handling and restaurant industry extend beyond individual businesses, affecting public health, consumer trust, and regulatory compliance on a local and global scale. Employees who handle uncovered food, beverages, or food-contact surfaces play a critical role in preventing foodborne illness, making occupational health medicals essential in this sector.
Occupational health in food handling and restaurant environments is more than a compliance requirement — it is a shared responsibility that protects customers, employees, and business reputation. Whether you operate a restaurant, bakery, café, shebeen, tavern, food manufacturing or production facility, or provide catering services and food supply at events, employee health and hygiene are central to food safety and operational success.
Employee health has a direct impact on the quality and safety of the food you serve. Regular occupational health medical surveillance and medical examinations help ensure that food handlers are medically fit to perform their duties safely — before employment, during employment, and on exit. To support a compliant and risk-based medical assessment, the Employer must complete a Man Job Spec Form, outlining the employee’s job-related risks and exposures, and submit it together with the Employee/Patient at the time of the occupational health medical examination.
Download the Food Handling or Restaurant Occupational Health Guide now to learn more about the occupational health risks, recommended medical surveillance, biological monitoring, and essential Critical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for each food handling or restaurant-related role.
Industry regulations that determine which medicals to complete include:
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act 85 of 1993)
- Regulations for Hazardous Biological Agents (2001)
- Hazardous Chemical Agents Regulations (2021)
- Regulations Governing General Hygiene in Food Premises (R638 of 2018)
- Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act No. 54 of 1972
- HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)
- ISO 22000: Food Safety Management Systems
- COID Act (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases)
- National Health Act, 2003 (Act No. 61 of 2003)
An extensive set of regulations applies to all food handlers, including those working in restaurants, cafés, shebeens, taverns, and caterers/suppliers at special events. In addition, R638: Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food and Related Matters gazetted in 2018 states that:
Food, a facility or a container may not be handled by a person:
(a) who has on his or her body a suppurating abscess or a sore, a cut or an abrasion, including other skin lesions, unless covered with a moisture-proof dressing which is firmly secured to prevent contamination of the food;
(b)(i) who has reported or who is suspected of suffering from or being a carrier of a disease or condition in its contagious stage likely to be transmitted through food, which includes jaundice, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sore throat with fever and discharges from the ear, eye or nose;
(ii) a person referred to in subparagraph
(iii) may only resume handling food, a facility or a container if the person submits a certificate by a medical practitioner stating that the person is fit to handle food;
(c) whose hands or clothing are not clean.
Food safety risks can cross company, sector, and national boundaries, making them a global concern. Contaminated food can lead to serious illness, costly recalls, and reputational damage. Regular employee medical examinations are vital to:
- Prevent food-borne diseases such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
- Detect and manage conditions that may put public health at risk.
- Ensure compliance with South African occupational health and food safety regulations.
We provide Pre-Employment, Periodic, and Exit medical examinations, supported by:
- Biological Monitoring for conditions and pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and tuberculosis.
- Health Interviews to assess employees’ suitability for food handling, including hygiene, demeanour, appearance, and cleanliness.
- Regulation-Aligned Questionnaires covering environmental health matters and food safety best practices.
- Health education about the importance of food safety, environmental health matters and best practices of food handling in a food business’s organisational culture.
- Fit-to-Work Certification issued upon successful completion.
By law, food handlers fall into three categories, all requiring a medical certificate of fitness:
- General – limited risk exposure to food, dust, noise or hazardous chemicals.
- Risk-Based – chemical exposures (preservatives, fumigants, plastics, heavy cleaning agents), higher risk of food-borne infections (dairy, meat, seafood, fermentation industries).
- Operator – operators/ drivers of machinery, forklifts and mobile plants in food production or distribution environments.
The following chart shows the tests that are completed for each category:
| General | Risk-Based | Operator | |
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Baseline Questionnaire (medical and family history) |
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Weight |
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Height |
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Blood Pressure |
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Urine |
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Glucose |
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Audio Screening |
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Spirometer / Lung Function |
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Snellen Eye |
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Keystone Eye |
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Handling Food Screening Questionnaire |
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Biological Monitoring (additional cost) |
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Multi-Drug Strip (additional cost) |
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Each clinic offers state-of-the-art technology to carry out Occupational Health services effectively.
