Critical Violation Code 06A NYC Health Code §81.13

Personal cleanliness inadequate — NYC Health Violation 06A

Overview

Violation code 06A addresses inadequate personal cleanliness among food workers, a critical hygiene violation that directly threatens public health. When food handlers fail to maintain proper personal hygiene standards—including clean clothing, hands, and body—they risk transferring pathogens and bacteria throughout the kitchen and to food. NYC DOHMH has cited this violation 5,866 times across the city, making it one of the most frequently documented health code breaches, with Manhattan accounting for the highest number of citations.

5,866
Times Cited in NYC
5.3%
of Inspections
Critical
Severity Level
Manhattan
Most Common Borough

What is Violation 06A?

Food workers must maintain high standards of personal cleanliness

What restaurants must do to fix this

Clean outer garments; hair restraints; no jewelry; short, clean fingernails; no nail polish

CDC Risk Factor: Poor Personal Hygiene

NYC DOHMH Guidelines → CDC Food Safety Reference →

Which Boroughs See Violation 06A Most?

Manhattan
2,138 citations
Brooklyn
1,527 citations
Queens
1,310 citations
Bronx
644 citations
Staten Island
262 citations
0
3 citations

Restaurants Cited for Violation 06A (5,866 total)

POKEWORKS
61-24 190 STREET, Queens
GRADE A
Jan 21, 2026
Score: 5
PHO JOHN ST
45 JOHN STREET, Manhattan
GRADE A
Jan 21, 2026
Score: 10
JIMMY JOHN'S
504 MYRTLE AVENUE, Brooklyn
GRADE A
Jan 20, 2026
Score: 12
BOULEVARD LOUNGE
2636 HYLAN BOULEVARD, Staten Island
GRADE A
Jan 17, 2026
Score: 12
YANGJICHON
35-14 FARRINGTON STREET, Queens
GRADE N
Jan 17, 2026
Score: 20
YANGJICHON
35-14 FARRINGTON STREET, Queens
GRADE N
Jan 17, 2026
Score: 20
YANGJICHON
35-14 FARRINGTON STREET, Queens
Jan 17, 2026
YUNG SUN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
47 EAST BROADWAY, Manhattan
GRADE A
Jan 16, 2026
Score: 13
THE BLVD
2918 BRUCKNER BOULEVARD, Bronx
GRADE N
Jan 16, 2026
Score: 19
MOMO SUSHI & RAMEN
644 FLATBUSH AVENUE, Brooklyn
GRADE A
Jan 16, 2026
Score: 8
LOTUS LUCKY EXPRESS
4840 BROADWAY, Manhattan
GRADE A
Jan 15, 2026
Score: 12
ATOMIX
104 EAST 30 STREET, Manhattan
GRADE A
Jan 15, 2026
Score: 12
ZHANG LIANG HOT POT
136-49 ROOSEVELT AVENUE, Queens
Jan 15, 2026
Score: 58
LA TERRA
987 1 AVENUE, Manhattan
GRADE N
Jan 15, 2026
Score: 44
SALVO'S
66-01 FOREST AVENUE, Queens
GRADE N
Jan 15, 2026
Score: 45
OLYMPIA DELI & JUICE
761 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, Manhattan
GRADE A
Jan 14, 2026
Score: 12
REN SHENG YI CHUAN
816 51 STREET, Brooklyn
Jan 14, 2026
Score: 32
KENNEDY CHICKEN & BURGERS
2158 8 AVENUE, Manhattan
GRADE A
Jan 14, 2026
Score: 9
DUNKIN
153 WEST 36 STREET, Manhattan
GRADE A
Jan 12, 2026
Score: 5
PETERS COFFEE
10013 FOSTER AVENUE, Brooklyn
GRADE N
Jan 9, 2026
Score: 34

Related Personal Hygiene Violations

05D Hand Washing Facility Not Properly Equipped Critical 6,163 cited 04C Bare Hand Contact with Ready-to-Eat Food Critical 1,322 cited 05H NYC Health Code Violation 05H Critical 1,312 cited 05F NYC Health Code Violation 05F Critical 1,012 cited 05C NYC Health Code Violation 05C Critical 543 cited 05A NYC Health Code Violation 05A Critical 281 cited

Browse all 131 violation codes →

Violation 06A: Frequently Asked Questions

What is violation 06A in NYC restaurants?
Food workers must maintain high standards of personal cleanliness
How serious is violation 06A?
Critical violation. Poor hygiene transfers pathogens; contaminated clothing spreads bacteria throughout facility
How many NYC restaurants have been cited for violation 06A?
5,866 NYC restaurant inspections have included violation 06A, representing 5.3% of all inspections with violations.
Which borough has the most violation 06A citations?
Manhattan has the highest number of violation 06A citations among NYC boroughs.
What must a restaurant do to fix violation 06A?
Clean outer garments; hair restraints; no jewelry; short, clean fingernails; no nail polish
Is violation 06A a critical violation?
Yes, violation 06A is a critical violation. Critical violations pose the most serious risk to public health and must be corrected immediately.