It’s hard to argue against having baseline food-safety standards for eateries. After all, paying money to eat out shouldn’t include contracting food-borne illnesses.

So the state Department of Health seems to be on the right track by requiring Hawaii’s estimated 8,500 restaurants to have at least one worker trained and certified on proper food handling.

Starting Saturday, eateries will have one year to get at least one employee through a two-hour online course, costing $10-$15; during work hours, at least one such certified worker needs to be present.

For employers, training up more workers would allow scheduling flexibility; for consumers, it’s hoped that better-trained workers will help minimize food illnesses.