“Variance” means a written document issued by the department that allows the use of an alternative practice or procedure based on a determination by the department that the alternate practice or procedure is equivalent to the existing requirements, and that a health hazard will not result from the alternative practice or procedure. A variance may be issued in the following circumstances: (

a) For employee hygiene, as described in subdivision (

e) of

Section 113953, and Sections 113953.3 and 113953.4. (

b) For protection of food from contamination, as described in Sections 113984, 113986, 113988, and 113992. (

c) For time as a public health control, as described in

Section 114000. (

d) For cooling time and methods, as described in Sections and 114002.1. (

e) For cooking and reheating temperatures for potentially hazardous food, as described in Sections 114004, 114008, 114010, and 114016. (

f) For use of raw shell eggs in foods that are not thoroughly cooked, as described in

Section 114012. (

g) For thawing of frozen food, as described in

Section 114020. (

h) For receiving temperatures of potentially hazardous foods, as described in

Section 114037. (

i) For reduced-oxygen packaging of potentially hazardous food, as described in Sections and 114057.1. (

j) For sanitization methods for food-contact and nonfood-contact surfaces, as described in Sections 114099.6, 114109, 114117, 114119, and 114121. (

k) For dispensing bulk potentially hazardous food from vending machines as described in subdivision (

c) of

Section 114145.