“It is not an exaggeration to say that all restaurant and grocery workers in Jeddah are violators of personal hygiene regulations,” a municipal inspector told Arab News recently.
He said the fine for such violations, including failure to renew health certificates, is SR500. Repetition of the violation will also lead to the cancellation of a violator’s work permit.
He added that any customer who spots a restaurant worker being unhygienic could contact the municipality.
Restaurant workers are also required to wash their body, clothes, gloves and shoes. They should not clip their nails at the workplace or have long hair. Smoking and sleeping at the workplace are also considered violations.
Inspectors said sometimes workers in establishments that insist on uniforms for workers, including five star hotels, are negligent in strictly following hygienic regulations.
In many cultures nose-picking is considered a private act akin to defecation, urination, flatulence and belching. Nose-picking is an extremely common habit, with some surveys indicating that it is almost universal, with people picking their nose an average of four times a day.
