Getting Started With Best Practices:

Make a Realistic Plan.
If your handwash stations are less than ideal get started on a continuous improvement program. While it is nice to have the latest and best of equipment, great improvements can ALWAYS be made in handwashing practices using existing facilities more effectively. Often minor changes and/or additions can have a dramatic impact on employee use.

First Steps & Priorities

Wet hands readily transfer pathogens to food, utensils and other surfaces. Eliminate all blow dry systems from employee handwash stations. Research has demonstrated that hot air drying is counter to good hand hygiene practices.

• Select and install single-use paper towels that deliver soft, fast, one sheet drying results. Install touch free towel dispensers (ie. no levers, buttons, dials to touch). Suppliers will often provide dispensers at low cost,
  in exchange for your towel business. For more information visit: www.handwashingforlife.com
• When a hands-free dispenser is not available, clean the dispensing parts frequently and sanitize hourly with a good surface sanitizer. For more information on surface sanitizing visit www.handwashingforlife.com

Eliminate all open-top soap dispensers as they can harbor microbes and/or be a source of contamination. Install a closed bag soap dispensing system that comes equipped with a devise for counting the number of times it is used. A counting system is critical to provide management with a means for establishing and
monitoring proper handwash frequency performance. For more information on soaps and soap dispensers visit www.handwashingforlife.com

Install hand sanitizing stations in kitchen areas where it is not currently practical to install a full handwash station with water and drainage facilities. Also insurewait staff have access to hand sanitizing stations at or near their work place. For more information visit our website at: www.handwashingforlife.com

Ideal water is heated to 95-110ºF and flowing at a 2.0 gallon per minute rate. Temperature is critical to encourage frequency of washing; flow is critical for effective washing. Take corrective action if temperature is not comfortable. Also consider hand sanitizer and towel dispenser if warm temperature cannot be delivered to station. For more information visit our website at: www.handwashingforlife.com

Often nailbrushes harbor more microbes and pathogens than any other appliance in the kitchen. Dispose of high-risk brushes (wooden based, glued or stapled bristles, chained to sink, etc) and replace with fused bristle brushes. Send brushes through dishwasher or mocrowave frequently to sanitize. For more information visit our website at www.handwashingforlife.com

In an existing operation it is often difficult to replace these basic fixtures. Insure that any renovation takes the best technology into consideration.

• If you currently have faucets with hand operated taps or buttons consider replacing with automatic faucets or retrofitting with a hands-free, or low touch, appliance. At a minimum replace highly grooved taps with smooth surface taps for easy cleaning and sanitizing.
• If taps are your only option insure surfaces are cleaned and sanitized regularly during the shift. Consider installing a surface sanitizing spray at each handwash station. For more information visit our website at: www.handwashingforlife.com
• Train employees to use hand towels to turn off faucets to prevent cross
  contamination.

A handwash station should be within 3-4 steps of all workstations in the kitchen. This is difficult to change in an existing facility, but proper design should be a priority in any renovation. Short-term, consider hand sanitizer and towel dispensers in areas under serviced by handwash stations.

These companies can be your best source for upgrading your handwash stations at lowest total cost. They know the suppliers, carry the products and service from local outlets.