Break the Germ Cycle for Global Hand Washing Day

Clean Hands, Safe Hands

Ensuring you and your staff have the necessary knowledge and tools to practice proper hand washing is essential for the success of your business.

To make implementation simple, the FDA has outlined an accessible 4-step approach that's designed to minimize the spread of germs and prevent food contamination.

Along with making sure your employees are following these steps, you will also need to post a sign near each hand sink reminding them to wash their hands before returning to work.

1. Wet Hands with Clean, Warm Running Water

The FDA states that you must provide designated hand washing stations for your employees, including a separate sink. Sinks that have another purpose, such as food prep or warewashing, cannot be used for hand washing.

There are two standard hand sink options to choose from: wall-mount and drop-in. Depending on the general layout of your establishment and your available space, you may find that one will meet your needs better than the other. 

Our Atosa wall-mount sink is made of easy-to-clean 300 gauge stainless steel and includes a goose neck faucet and strainer. It uses a z-clip mounting bracket for sturdy installation, and the 6" backsplash will help protect your wall from water damage. The bowl size is 14"W x 10"D x 5"H, while the exterior dimensions are 18"W x 14-1/2"D x 11"H.

If your kitchen is fairly cramped, a hand sink with side splashes will offer additional protection against contamination. One of our most popular models is from Advance Tabco, and its stainless steel side splashes are 7-3/4"H. It is NSF certified and includes a crumb cup strainer to prevent unwanted objects or large food particles from entering your plumbing.

Our Krowne drop-in hand sink can be installed in your existing countertop with little fuss. It includes a 1-1/2" drain and a goose neck faucet with a double bend spout, meaning it is low lead compliant. The overall size of this sink is 13"W x 6-3/8"D x 17-1/2"H.

2. Add Soap & Lather Up for 10-15 Seconds

In order for this step to be effective, you need to use the amount of soap recommended by the manufacturer (which is where a soap dispenser comes in handy), then vigorously scrub all areas of your hands, fingers, and exposed arms (including any prosthetic devices), with special emphasis on between the fingers and under the fingernails.

To make the detail scrubbing easier, you can use a hand and nail brush kit from Carlisle. It includes a brush, a security cord, a hanging hook, and an adhesive-backed hand washing instruction decal for English and Spanish speakers. The cord helps prevent the brush from being lost or dropped on a dirty floor, and the brush comes with stiff center bristles to allow better under-the-fingernail access.

You can also purchase the hand and nail brush separately.

3. Rinse with Clean, Warm Running Water

The emphasis on warm (at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit), running water is important. Warm water is more effective at removing certain particles than cold water, and standing water can be easily contaminated.

While these criteria are fairly easy to meet in a restaurant or bar, it's harder when you are catering or participating in an outdoor event.

An easy solution is a Cambro portable hand wash station (available in black or brown). This unit attaches to the top of a 2-1/2 gallon (also available in black or brown) or 5-1/4 gallon Camtainer that can hold and dispense hot water. It includes a paper towel roll holder, and soap dispenser, an attachment that allows for hands-free water dispensing, "Hand Wash Only" labels, and a user manual.

4. Dry Hands with a Clean Towel or Air Dryer

Germs spread more easily on wet hands than dry ones, so this step is important.

The classic choice for many hand washing stations is a paper towel dispenser. There are a number of different design options available - touchless, center pull, multi-fold, roll, and more. While each style has its own benefits - touchless is one of the more sanitary options, while roll makes getting multiple paper towels fast and easy - they are all viable options for your hand washing station.

Another popular option is an air dryer. While they are more expensive upfront, you won't have to buy any more paper towels, which means this investment will more than pay for itself. The Hemlock Hand Dryer has a 10-second dry time (so you won't have to worry about a drying bottleneck), and has been found to have a 95% cost savings vs. a paper towel dispenser. The design includes an on/off heating option for user comfort, and the blue light indicator clearly shows employees where to place their hands.

Prices accurate at time of publication.