Regarding possibility of contamination

[curious4answers]

From Hawaii:

I am hoping you can answer my question. If a company is aware that a employee does in fact have Hepetitis and continues to allow this person to work amongst other employees preparing meals, drinks with their bare hands. Is this not a concern for a possible contamination issue for other employees. I feel uncomfortable with having this person prepare food items with their bare hands. Please let me know if this is legal? thanks T.

 

[lealea1005]

From Hawaii:

I am hoping you can answer my question. If a company is aware that a employee does in fact have Hepetitis and continues to allow this person to work amongst other employees preparing meals, drinks with their bare hands. Is this not a concern for a possible contamination issue for other employees. I feel uncomfortable with having this person prepare food items with their bare hands. Please let me know if this is legal? thanks T.

People with Hepatitis A should not handle food in the work place, as it could be easily passed on to other employees and/or customers.. Do you know for a fact that this employee has hepatitis?

 

[xylene]

A, B, C or Alcoholic

From Hawaii:

I am hoping you can answer my question. If a company is aware that a employee does in fact have Hepetitis and continues to allow this person to work amongst other employees preparing meals, drinks with their bare hands. Is this not a concern for a possible contamination issue for other employees. I feel uncomfortable with having this person prepare food items with their bare hands. Please let me know if this is legal? thanks T.

You don't know do you?

 

[barry1817]

hepatitis

From Hawaii:

I am hoping you can answer my question. If a company is aware that a employee does in fact have Hepetitis and continues to allow this person to work amongst other employees preparing meals, drinks with their bare hands. Is this not a concern for a possible contamination issue for other employees. I feel uncomfortable with having this person prepare food items with their bare hands. Please let me know if this is legal? thanks T.

With rules preventing others from having medical records, I would have to wonder how a company could know that a person had hepatitis, without being in violation of HIPAA regulations.

Personally the privacy concerns that could put others at risk is an issue that should be revisited. I would be interested in seeing standards about what diseases are cause for precluding a person to work in certain fields and if the person does he becomes liable for problems that might occur.

 

[lealea1005]

With rules preventing others from having medical records, I would have to wonder how a company could know that a person had hepatitis, without being in violation of HIPAA regulations.

Personally the privacy concerns that could put others at risk is an issue that should be revisited. I would be interested in seeing standards about what diseases are cause for precluding a person to work in certain fields and if the person does he becomes liable for problems that might occur.

The laboratory and/or the Physician is required to reports the positive findings to the appropriate health department who, in turn, contacts the patient for information regarding their employment and other close contacts. A food service worker would be required to leave their position and, depending upon the illness, the other employees would be tested. I suspect it would quickly become obvious who the infected co-worker was, even though they would not be official identified.