FDACS Citation 2-301.12: Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices

Overview

FDACS citation 2-301.12 (Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices) is a Priority violation under Chapter 2 (Personnel) of the FDA Food Code, with 30 citations in the past 12 months across 179 Florida facilities. Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action.

Sourced from Florida FDACS public inspection records, Jan 2022–present.

PriorityPriority Level
Ch. 2Personnel
30Citations (12 mo)
181Total Citations
179Facilities Cited

FDACS citation 2-301.12 (Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices) is a priority food safety violation under Chapter 2 (Personnel) of the FDA Food Code.

What the Code Says

2-301.12 — Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices

Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices
for at least 20 seconds or not using the following cleaning procedures: rinse under warm water, apply soap,
rub together for 10-15 seconds, rinse under warm water, and thoroughly dry with paper towels or a hand
drying device.

— FDA Food Code / Florida FDACS Inspection Standards (FAC 5K-4)

Priority Classification

Priority (P): Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action.

Florida FDACS uses the FDA Food Code priority system — Priority (P) violations have a direct link to foodborne illness; Priority Foundation (Pf) violations support food safety systems; Core (C) violations are good retail practices with no direct illness link.

Citations by County

Florida counties with the most 2-301.12 citations
CountyCitations
Palm Beach13
St. Lucie10
Pasco6
Miami-Dade6
Broward6
Pinellas4

Most Cited Facilities

Florida FDACS facilities most cited for 2-301.12
FacilityCityTimes CitedLast Cited
Bravo Supermarket Lake Worth 2 Jul 27, 2022
Foodtown # 0802 West Palm Beach 1 Mar 23, 2026
Greenhead Market Establishment #: 421715 Chipley 1 Mar 19, 2026
Advanced Fresh Concepts Pb 1105 Jacksonville 1 Feb 3, 2026
P&k Food Mart Titusville 1 Feb 2, 2026
Vw Publix #1699 Miramar 1 Dec 31, 2025
Marathon Dade City 1 Dec 29, 2025
Septentrion Market Fort Pierce 1 Dec 22, 2025

Recent Inspector Observations

Foodtown # 0802, West Palm Beach—

Juice Bar: Employee washed hands without rubbing hands together for 10-15 seconds during visit. COS: Employee re-washed hands and donned clean gloves to work on foods. x

Greenhead Market Establishment #: 421715, Chipley—

Kitchen: Employee washing hands applied soap but did not rub hands together for 10-15 seconds before washing off soap. COS: Person in charge had employee re-wash hands. x

Advanced Fresh Concepts Pb 1105, Jacksonville—

Prep Area: After using hands to open walk-in cooler, Sushi Chef washed hands but did not rub soapy hands together for 10-15 seconds. (COS) Inspector coached Sushi Chef on proper handwash procedures. x

P&k Food Mart, Titusville—

Kitchen: Food employee left processing area wearing gloves and returned to the processing area wearing same gloves and then washed their hands while still wearing the same gloves. COS: Informed employee that when they leave the processing area that they must take gloves off and wash hands before donning new gloves. o

Vw Publix #1699, Miramar—

Food Service Area: Food employee washed hands for less than 5 seconds. COS: Hands were washed properly upon instruction. x

Marathon, Dade City—

Kitchen area: Person in charge did not clean hands properly for at least 20 seconds. COS: Person in charge washed hands appropriately x

Frequently Cited Alongside 2-301.12

6-501.11

Physical facilities not maintained in good repair

162 co-citations

2-501.11

Establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when

102 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(2)

Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below

94 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(1)

Hot held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 135°F or above,

83 co-citations

3-302.11(A)(1)

Raw animal food not separated during storage, preparation, holding or display from

79 co-citations

4-501.11

Equipment not maintained in good repair or condition; equipment component not

74 co-citations

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FDACS citation code 2-301.12?
FDACS citation 2-301.12 (Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices) is a Priority violation under Chapter 2 (Personnel) of the FDA Food Code. Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices for at least 20 seconds or not using the following cleaning procedures: rinse under warm water, apply soap, rub together for 10-15 seconds, rinse under warm water, and thoroughly dry with paper towels or a hand drying device.
How serious is FDACS violation 2-301.12 (Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices)?
Priority (P): Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action. This code has been cited 181 times across 179 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 2-301.12?
FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 2-301.12 (Food employee not cleaning hands, exposed portions of arms or prosthetic devices) has been cited at 179 such facilities across Florida, with 30 citations in the past 12 months.
What does a Priority FDACS violation mean?
A Priority FDACS violation means: Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action. FDACS (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) uses this classification system — Priority (P), Priority Foundation (Pf), and Core (C) — aligned with the FDA Food Code.

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