"Try losing weight without a scale."

"Try increasing handwashing without a standard."

Operators make few important decisions without numbers, without standards, without goals. Yet for hand hygiene, there are virtually no standards and no meaningful reporting. Food handlers are trained to wash but not to a standard. They are asked to wash often, but again without even a range of handwashes expected for a shift. Nor are there standards for the surfaces that most likely are contaminating clean hands.

"Without a destination, any road will get you there." is one way to summarize this situation.

Commit & Comply

Setting standards for these three items goes a long way in changing behaviors and sustaining the improvements. Before starting this phase, refer back to Step One of the HandsOn System to seek agreement on the risk of potentially low compliance. Commiment to action paves the way to success.

Initial Frequency Assessment Worksheet:

Individual Worksheet for Assessing Handwashing Frequency

Group Worksheet for Assessing Handwashing Frequency