In focus groups totaling 125 restaurant employees, those barriers were most often identified as reasons why three important food safety practices may not take place: hand washing, using thermometers and cleaning work surfaces. The responses were similar for workers with no formal food safety training as well as those who had participated in a formal ServSafe training program.
In the group that had received formal training, additional barriers included no incentive to implement the practices; managers not monitoring if employees cleaned work surfaces; inconvenient location of sinks; dry skin from hand washing; lack of working thermometers; and managers not monitoring the use of thermometers. Between the two groups of employees, 90 different barriers to implementing food safety practices were identified.
The researchers conclude: "Knowledge of perceived barriers among employees can assist food and nutrition professionals in facilitating employees in overcoming these barriers and ultimately improve compliance with food safety practices.-American Dietetic Association
