What unit covers food handler training?

SITXFSA005 — Use hygienic practices for food safety — is the national unit for food handlers.

When must a food handler wash their hands?

Before handling food, after the toilet, after handling raw food, after breaks, and after touching the face, hair or rubbish.

Can a food handler work while sick?

No. Anyone with vomiting or diarrhoea must not handle food and should be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning.

How can I revise food handler responsibilities quickly?

Use topic-drill mode for food handler responsibilities and read the explanation on every question you miss, then re-test. Flashcards and a full 40-question practice test help the knowledge stick before your assessment.

Food Handler Responsibilities

A food handler is anyone who works with food or food-contact surfaces — kitchen hands, wait staff, baristas and managers. The national unit is SITXFSA005.

Your duty is simple to state and vital to follow: do not contaminate food, and report anything that could make food unsafe.

Core responsibilities

Wash hands at the right moments, keep yourself and your clothing clean, cover cuts with a brightly coloured waterproof dressing, and report illness — anyone with vomiting or diarrhoea must not handle food and should stay away until 48 hours symptom-free.

Gloves and utensils

Gloves are not a substitute for hand washing; wash hands before gloving and change gloves between tasks. Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food — use tongs, utensils or clean single-use gloves.

How to revise food handler responsibilities for the exam

Drill the hand-washing moments and the 48-hour illness exclusion rule, which appear in almost every assessment. The questions are usually scenario-based, so practise applying the rule rather than just reciting it. Work through the Food Handler Responsibilities drill below until you can answer without hesitating, review anything you get wrong, then sit a full timed test to confirm you are exam-ready.

Common exam traps

Gloves worn all shift spread bacteria like bare hands — change them between tasks.
Feeling better is not enough after gastro — the rule is 48 hours symptom-free.
A used tasting spoon must never go back into the food.

Food Handler Responsibilities FAQ

What unit covers food handler training?+: SITXFSA005 — Use hygienic practices for food safety — is the national unit for food handlers.
When must a food handler wash their hands?+: Before handling food, after the toilet, after handling raw food, after breaks, and after touching the face, hair or rubbish.
Can a food handler work while sick?+: No. Anyone with vomiting or diarrhoea must not handle food and should be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning.
How can I revise food handler responsibilities quickly?+: Use topic-drill mode for food handler responsibilities and read the explanation on every question you miss, then re-test. Flashcards and a full 40-question practice test help the knowledge stick before your assessment.

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Study all 12 topics

Food Standards Code & Legislation Temperature & Danger Zone Cross Contamination Personal Hygiene Cleaning & Sanitising Allergen Management Food Storage & Labelling Pest Control HACCP Basics Food Safety Supervisor Duties High-Risk Foods & Vulnerable Groups

Written and reviewed by the Food Safety Practice AU editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026. Based on the Food Standards Code (FSANZ) and Australian state/territory food authorities. General guidance only — not official certification.