Oregon Soon to Ban Latex Glove
Use
Foodservice workers will
not be allowed to use latex rubber gloves beginning in March
2003.
By Scott Hume R&I Managing Editor
On March 1, 2003, Oregon joins a handful of other states
that have prohibited use of latex gloves in foodservice
facilities. Studies have identified latex as an allergen
for a small percentage of the population. The possibility
that allergens can be transferred from gloves to food also
is a concern.
Other revisions to the state food code, including recognizing
HACCP principles as the basis for food-protection programs,
were effective Jan. 1, 2001, but the shift in glove use
was delayed to give foodservice operations additional time
to deplete latex-glove inventories and retrain staff.
The Oregon Restaurant Association (ORA) lobbied against
the prohibition. “We aren’t convinced the legislation
is necessary,” says Bill Perry, director of government
relations for the organization, which argued that restaurateurs
voluntarily could eliminate latex-glove use where allergy
concerns exist. Additionally, ORA questioned the fairness
of limiting the prohibition to foodservice. The new law
does not cover healthcare workers, although the Occupational
Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) estimates that
8% to 12% of workers in the profession are latex-sensitive.
“We didn’t agree with the ban, but we have worked
with Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) all along,”
advising operators to provide alternatives gloves, says
Perry, “and we will continue to do so. Our role now
is to educate our members about the law and ways to live
with it.”
ODHS estimates that half of all foodservice facilities use
latex rubber gloves. For those that do, the legislation
will require some retraining, says Perry. Form-fitting gloves,
including those made from latex, often are preferred according
to ORA’s feedback, but “they will simply have
to adjust” to using single-use gloves in the coming
months.
Confusing Rules
Differences in state regulations concerning latex glove
use make it difficult for multi-state chain operators
to develop a single standard for their systems.
The 2001 Food and Drug Administration Food Code prohibits
foodservice employees from bare-handed contact with ready-to-eat
foods, mandating that “deli tissue, spatulas, tongs,
single-use gloves or dispensing equipment” be used.
For food that is not ready to eat, the requirement is
that bare-hand contact be minimized. The code’s
only prohibition relates to use of cloth gloves for food
handlers.
Arizona and Rhode Island are among states that have legislated
bans on latex gloves in foodservice. Massachusetts’
Department of Public Health and Wisconsin’s Department
of Health and Family Services have followed the National
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health’s lead
in recommending—but not requiring—that latex
gloves not be used in foodservice
