Personal Hygiene and Handwashing
What you must understand
A food handler's body, hands, and clothing are routes of contamination. Understand when to wash hands, how to wash them, and what to do when handwashing is impossible.
Wash hands before starting work, after using the restroom, after touching the face, hair, or clothing, after handling raw meat or eggs, after taking out garbage, after cleaning, after coughing or sneezing, after handling money, and after returning from a break. The steps are: wet hands with warm running water, apply soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds including backs, between fingers, and under nails, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a single-use towel or air dryer. Do not use a common cloth towel.
A double handwash (washing twice) is used when entering the kitchen from outside or after using the restroom, depending on local rules. Hand sanitizer may be used after washing, never as a substitute. If a sink is unavailable, use a designated handwashing sink only; never wash hands in a food prep sink or mop sink.
Report to your manager if you have vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, fever with sore throat, or uncovered infected wounds on the hands. Exclude yourself from food handling, especially with Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, E. coli, or hepatitis A. Wear a clean bandage and glove over a hand wound. Keep fingernails short, clean, and unpolished; no false nails or jewelry on hands or wrists. Wear clean clothing, an apron, and a hair restraint. Eat, drink, and smoke only in designated areas, never over food.
Traps to watch
Questions often test whether a glove replaces handwashing. It does not. Wearing gloves over dirty hands spreads contamination. Also note that artificial nails and jewelry harbor bacteria and are prohibited, not merely discouraged.
Rule of thumb
If a food handler is unsure whether to wash, wash. Twenty seconds of scrubbing with soap and warm water is the default answer for hand hygiene questions.