Hand Washing Frequencies and Procedures Used in Retail Food Services

• Published in: Journal of food protection Vol. 71; no. 8; pp. 1641 - 1650
• Main Authors: Strohbehn, C, Sneed, J, Paez, P, Meyer, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Des Moines, IA International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians 01.08.2008
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Benchmarking; Biological and medical sciences; Child; child care; Child Day Care Centers; code of practice; Commerce - standards; compliance; cross contamination; disease transmission; Food and Drug Administration Food Code; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Contamination - prevention & control; Food industries; Food microbiology; food pathogens; food safety education; food sanitation; food service; food service workers; Food Services - standards; Foodborne Diseases - epidemiology; Foodborne Diseases - prevention & control; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hand Disinfection - methods; Hand Disinfection - standards; hand washing; Homes for the Aged; Humans; Hygiene; Nursing Homes; Restaurants; retail marketing; retirement communities; school food service; Schools; Time Factors; United States; United States; Service; Washing; Hand; Use; Food
• ISSN: 0362-028X; 1944-9097
• DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X-71.8.1641

Transmission of viruses, bacteria, and parasites to food by way of improperly washed hands is a major contributing factor in the spread of foodborne illnesses. Field observers have assessed compliance with hand washing regulations, yet few studies have included consideration of frequency and methods used by sectors of the food service industry or have included benchmarks for hand washing. Five 3-h observation periods of employee (n = 80) hand washing behaviors during menu production, service, and cleaning were conducted in 16 food service operations for a total of 240 h of direct observation. Four operations from each of four sectors of the retail food service industry participated in the study: assisted living for the elderly, childcare, restaurants, and schools. A validated observation form, based on 2005 Food Code guidelines, was used by two trained researchers. Researchers noted when hands should have been washed, when hands were washed, and how hands were washed. Overall compliance with Food Code recommendations for frequency during production, service, and cleaning phases ranged from 5% in restaurants to 33% in assisted living facilities. Procedural compliance rates also were low. Proposed benchmarks for the number of times hand washing should occur by each employee for each sector of food service during each phase of operation are seven times per hour for assisted living, nine times per hour for childcare, 29 times per hour for restaurants, and 11 times per hour for schools. These benchmarks are high, especially for restaurant employees. Implementation would mean lost productivity and potential for dermatitis; thus, active managerial control over work assignments is needed. These benchmarks can be used for training and to guide employee hand washing behaviors.