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Of all the food safety measures it is necessary to implement when you run a food-serving business, one of the most important is ensuring that strict rules are in place in relation to hand washing. Workers performing routine tasks can easily spread germs and contaminants to food and food preparation areas if they don’t take the proper care in washing their hands.

Here are the essentials on hand washing you need to know:

•  All restaurants and premises on which food is prepared must have a hand washing sink that is easily accessible to all workers
• Hand washing sinks should be separate from sinks used for pot washing or food preparation
• All hand washing sinks should be kept well stocked with liquid or bar soap, preferably anti-bacterial
• Hand washing sinks should be supplied with warm or hot water (ideally, a temperature of around 40°C) – as this is more effective than cold water at removing microorganisms and dirt from hands.
• Hands should be washed after tasks that contaminate the hands, such as using the bathroom, coughing or sneezing, smoking, handling dirty equipment and handling raw meat.

To learn more about hand washing practices and facilities, as well as the regulations relating to this food safety practice, it is recommended to take an in-depth food safety training course.