- Purpose: Hand washing and hand sanitizing for hand hygiene is the act of cleaning one’s hands with water and soap for the purpose of removing soil and dirt and thereafter using a sanitizing liquid to remove microorganisms to prevent contamination.
- Scope: This outlines the procedure for proper hand washing and sanitizing.
- Procedure:
- Upon entering the facility it is a requirement to wash and sanitize hands.
- Hands are to be washed and sanitized after:
Eating lunch
Visiting an ablution facility
Smoking
Completion of a task
Removing waste
Performing a cleaning procedure
Coughing or sneezing
Whenever hands have become soiled or contaminated
Before and after administering first aid
And before the handling/inspection of food
- One should first rinse hands with warm water, keeping hands below wrists and forearms, to prevent contaminated water from moving from the hands down to the wrists and arms.
- Use enough of liquid soap, to completely cover the hands.
- Rub wet, soapy hands together, outside the running water, for at least 20 seconds as shown in the Hand Washing Techniques below.
- Be sure the cover the thumb, the wrist, the areas between the fingers, and under fingernails. Artificial nails, chipped nail polish and long nail harbour microorganisms.
- Rinse off hands with warm running water.
- Dry thoroughly with a single sheet of paper towel and discard the used paper towel into the bins provided.
- A sanitizer should be used after washing hands with soap and water or when hands are not visibly dirty for a quick clean up.
- Apply alcohol based sanitizer to palm of hand (1 – 2 pumps).
- Rubs hands together, covering the entire surface of hands, between fingers and under nails, until dry.
- Allow hands to air dry.
- Your hands are now safe to proceed with your work.
