WAC 246-282-060. Personal health and cleanliness

(1) A person may not work in any growing area, shucking, packing, or repacking plant in any capacity when ill with or the carrier of a communicable disease which is transmissible through food and is in the infectious stage where that person might contaminate the shellfish or food contact surfaces with pathogenic organisms. The owner, the person in charge, and the employee are all responsible for compliance with the requirements of this section. (2) A person who is an owner, a person in charge, or an employee of a shellfish operation must practice good personal cleanliness while handling shellfish. The person shall wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling shellfish and as often as necessary to remove filth and soil that might contaminate shellfish. (3) If the department determines by investigation that an owner or employee of a shellfish operation might be the source of a foodborne illness transmitted through shellfish, it may require medical examination of that person and laboratory examination of clinical specimens from that person to determine presence of infection. A person failing to get an examination required by the department may not work for a shellfish operation, for a period the department determines that person could be infectious, in any capacity that could result in contamination of shellfish with pathogenic organisms.