Food handlers who don’t wash hands “can make hundreds of people sick”

20 second rule for hand washing

Everyone these days knows that they should wash their hands regularly, but many don’t. And of those that do, a high percentage don’t wash effectively – something that can have very severe consequences for customers of food-based businesses, according to a recent report on the Journal Star website.

The article by Nancy Hicks features a highly effective hand washing campaign that has been initiated by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. The five week awareness raising programme has incorporated a number of posters complete with the eye-catching slogan

“Nobody wants to eat your poop.”

The cornerstone of the campaign is “Take 20”, encouraging catering workers to wash effectively for the full recommended 20 second period.

The owner of one of the participating restaurants, Cindy Shafer is quoted as saying

“Well, if your hands aren’t clean and you are touching other people’s food, you are going to make them sick at some point.”

Consistent hand washing

Most initiatives state that hand washing should occur after going to the toilet and before handling food – but this one encourages catering workers to “Take 20” a number of other activities.

The article quotes Ben Davy, food safety consultant with the local health department, who said

“… consistent hand-washing means washing after touching your hair or your nose or handling your phone. It means stopping to wash after you break eggs into a bowl or after working with raw chicken or beef or pork.”

Health advocates hope talking about poop might get restaurant workers to wash their hands »

Portable hand wash units for mobile catering situations

It is so important to have effective hand washing facilities available at the point of need.

TEAL hand wash portable sinks are the perfect solution for the food-related and catering industries. The comprehensive range meets the most exacting requirements of any Environmental Health Officer.

Ideal for all catering related businesses such as Street Food suppliers, retailers, farmers’ markets and kiosks, outside catering, fast food outlets, ice cream vendors, coffee kiosks, sandwich bars and all other forms of mobile catering. TEAL hand wash units are also perfect for customers who use your facilities.

The TEAL range of mobile sinks for caterers »