Which condition should a food handler avoid while working?

A food handler should avoid working while experiencing cold symptoms because these symptoms can potentially indicate a communicable illness. When someone has a cold, they can easily spread germs through respiratory droplets, which may contaminate food and surfaces. This poses a health risk to customers and can lead to foodborne illness outbreaks. Maintaining high standards of hygiene and health is critical in food handling to ensure the safety and well-being of consumers.

Light allergies and minor headaches, while they may affect comfort or performance, typically do not pose the same risk of transmitting illness that cold symptoms do. Therefore, the primary concern in a food handling environment is to prevent the spread of infections, making it crucial for food handlers to be in good health, particularly when it comes to respiratory illnesses.