Good personal hygiene is essential for preventing foodborne illnesses and keeping food safe. One key component of hygiene in foodservice operations is the use of a hair restraint, including beard nets.
Many food workers ask: “Are beard nets required by law?” This article explains who must wear hair restraints, the types available, and additional personal hygiene practices critical for food safety.
Are Beard Nets Required by Law?
In foodservice operations that follow the FDA Food Code’s hair-restraint requirements, food employees must wear effective hair restraints, including beard restraints when needed to prevent facial hair from contacting exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, and unwrapped single-use or single-service items.
However, the FDA Food Code is a model food-safety code, not a federal law that automatically applies to every food establishment. State and local health authorities adopt and enforce their own food-safety requirements, so beard-net requirements can vary by jurisdiction.
If your workplace requires a beard restraint, use a beard net or other effective restraint that fully contains facial hair.
Types of Hair Restraints and Proper Usage
Hair restraints include any item that effectively contains hair. Common options include:
- Hair nets: Usually elastic and disposable, often brown or blue.
- Bouffant caps: Similar to medical or operating room head coverings, typically white or blue.
- Hats or caps: Baseball caps or chef hats can be used if clean and properly positioned to contain hair.
- Headwraps: Chefs often use these as an effective alternative to hats.
The type of hair restraint worn depends on what the food establishment provides or allows, but all must cover hair completely to comply with food safety regulations.
Summary:
Hair nets, bouffant caps, chef hats, and headwraps are all acceptable as long as they effectively restrain hair. Your establishment’s policies may dictate which option you must use.
Good Personal Hygiene and Cleanliness Practices
Wearing a hair restraint is just one aspect of proper food hygiene. Food handlers should also follow these best practices:
- Eat, drink, or use tobacco/vape products only in designated areas away from food, utensils, and equipment.
- Avoid handling food if experiencing persistent sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose.
- Cover cuts or wounds on hands with bandages and use single-use gloves approved for foodservice.
- Avoid handling animals in food prep areas.
- Wash hands in designated sinks when contaminated and between glove changes.
- Keep fingernails trimmed, smooth, and free from polish or artificial nails unless gloves are worn.
- Limit jewelry to a plain ring or wedding band; avoid watches or bracelets in food prep areas.
- Always wear clean outer clothing.
Following these rules reduces the risk of contamination and keeps customers safe from foodborne illnesses.
Summary:
In addition to wearing a hair restraint, practicing proper hygiene and cleanliness is essential for every food handler to maintain safe food operations.
Food Safety Training and Personal Hygiene
Hair restraints are only one part of proper food safety. Food handlers should also understand handwashing, personal hygiene, employee illness, cross-contamination, cleaning and sanitizing, and other practices that help prevent food contamination.
If your job requires food handler training, completing an approved food safety course can help you understand these requirements and follow your workplace’s food-safety procedures.
Summary:
Even though hair restraints are the baseline requirement, completing a nationally accredited food manager certification through an ANAB-accredited program strengthens your food safety expertise and compliance credentials.
The Bottom Line
Beard restraints are required when applicable food-safety rules or workplace policies require them to prevent facial hair from contaminating food or food-contact surfaces. The exact requirement can vary by state and local jurisdiction because the FDA Food Code is a model code rather than a nationwide federal food-safety law.
When a beard restraint is required, use an effective beard net or other approved restraint that keeps facial hair from contacting exposed food and food-contact surfaces.
Official Food Safety Resource
FDA Food Code 2022
The FDA Food Code is a model code used by state and local regulatory authorities to develop food-safety requirements.
