Washing your hands is a critical practice to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 and other foodborne illnesses. All employees must wash their hands as often as possible using soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds in designated handwashing sinks. Additional information can be found in the Handwashing SOP and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Hand Hygiene guideline.

When to Wash Your Hands

• Our team pledges to wash our hands:

• Upon arriving to work Before departing from work

• Before putting on or in between changing gloves

• Between each kitchen task or every 30 minutes, whichever is more frequent

• After using a time clock to clock in for a shift

• After handling raw animal products

• When moving between food preparation areas

• After all cleaning tasks, such as sweeping, mopping, or disinfecting surfaces

• After handling:
  — Dirty dishes, equipment, or utensils
  — Trash
  — Cash and credit cards
  — Pens, menus, and other contaminated materials
  — Electronics such as cell phones and other personal or shared device

• After using the restroom

• After sneezing, coughing, or using a tissue

• After touching your hair, face, or body, including safety equipment

• After eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing gum

• After interacting with external vendors or guests

• Any time you may have come in contact with a contaminated object

Proper Handwashing Technique

• Use a paper towel to turn on the water faucet to run hot water.

• Wet hands and forearms with clean running water and apply a generous amount of soap.

• Scrub lathered hands, forearms, underneath fingernails, and between fingers for at least 10–15 seconds. Rinse thoroughly under hot running water for 5–10 seconds.

• Dry hands and forearms thoroughly with single-use paper towels.

• Use a paper towel to turn off the water faucet and to open the door when exiting the restroom. Discard the paper towel in the appropriate trash receptacle.

A Note on Hand Sanitizers

Hand sanitizers reinforce hand hygiene but should not replace washing your hands. In the event that handwashing sinks with hot water and soap are unavailable (such as while delivering food), use a hand sanitizer with between 60–90% alcohol content and rub your hands together until they are completely dry.

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