We explain what managers need to know about employee hand hygiene.

In this section

• Stocked handwashing sink
• How to wash hands
• When to wash hands
• Avoid barehand contact

Related

• See food safety posters
• See handwashing videos

Inspectors

• Observe if food staff wash their hands in the designated handwashing sink.
• Check each handwashing sink is stocked with hand soap and paper towels.

Effective managers

• Make sure staff have the supplies needed to effectively wash their hands.
• Make sure hand sinks:
  • Are stocked with hand soap and paper towels
  • Have a handwashing reminder sign posted
  • Have a trash can nearby
• Train staff where they can find hand soap and paper towels to restock sinks.

Inspectors

• Observe if staff properly wash and dry their hands.

Effective managers

• Train staff how to properly wash and dry their hands:
  • Rinse hands with warm water
  • Use soap
  • Rub hands together for at least 10 to 15 seconds
  • Rinse off soap under warm water
  • Dry hands with paper towel or air dryer
• Regularly observe employee handwashing
• Coach and correct staff found not correctly washing their hands

Inspectors

Observe if staff wash their hands when needed.

Effective managers

Train and make sure staff wash their hands.

• Before:
  • Starting their shift and handling food
  • Touching clean equipment, utensils, and unwrapped single-use items
• Between:
  • Changing tasks
  • Leaving and returning to their work station
  • Changing gloves
  • Working with raw meats and ready-to-eat foods
• After:
  • Touching their body
  • Using the bathroom
  • Coughing, sneezing, or using a tissue
  • Touching personal items such as a cellphone, handling money
  • Any other activities that may contaminate the hands.

Coach and correct staff if they are not washing their hands when it is required.

Inspectors

• Make sure staff are not touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands. 

Effective managers

• Train staff to wear clean gloves or use other utensils when handling ready-to-eat foods.
• Make sure that gloves and utensils are available.
• Coach and correct staff who are touching ready-to-eat food with bare hands.