Framingham, MA Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)

Framingham Board of Health Regulations § 465-6 requires the person in charge at any food establishment to be a certified food protection manager who has shown proficiency in required information by passing a test that is part of an accredited program. That requirement sits inside a broader 2019 regulation the Board of Health adopted under the authority of MGL c. 111, § 31, which lets boards of health 'make reasonable health regulations,' as recited in § 465-2. Section 465-4 layers on a written employee health policy requirement, keyed to FC 2-201.11 and 105 CMR 590.002(E), that must be maintained and accessible on-site at all times so managers can screen out staff who present a foodborne-illness risk.

Section 465-7 requires a written procedure, tracking FC 2-501.11, for responding to any vomiting or diarrheal event so contamination is contained quickly, and § 465-8 requires every establishment with any seating to have an employee trained in manual choking-rescue procedures present whenever food is being served, an exception carved out only for to-go operations without seating. Section 465-9 sorts establishments into five risk categories, from Category 0 covering prepackaged-only sellers up through Category 4 covering hospitals, nursing homes and specialized processing, with inspection frequency tied to the assigned category; Category 0 establishments are checked roughly every six months to confirm nothing has changed.