Food Safety Knowledge and Practices Among School Canteen Workers in Kwara State

School canteen workers occupy a critical intersection between occupational health and public health, as their food handling practices directly affect the health of students. This study assessed food safety knowledge and occupational health practices among school canteen workers in public secondary schools in Ilorin, Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted with 130 canteen operators using a pre-tested structured questionnaire and an on-site food safety practice observation checklist. Results indicated that overall food safety knowledge was adequate in only 41.5 percent of respondents, with particularly low scores on temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene practices. Direct observation revealed that hand washing before food preparation was performed consistently by only 31.5 percent of canteen workers. Proper storage of perishable foods was practiced in only 24.6 percent of facilities. Occupational health complaints reported by workers included prolonged standing pain (72.3%), burns (44.6%), and knife laceration injuries (38.5%). None of the sampled schools had a formal health and safety policy for canteen workers. The study recommends mandatory food safety certification for school canteen operators, ergonomic kitchen design, provision of appropriate cooking equipment and protective attire, and integration of canteen worker health audits into Kwara State's school health program. Keywords: food safety, canteen workers, school health, occupational hygiene, Kwara State.