Written standards for a hand hygiene process are critical.

Written? Yes! In clear and compelling language, because so many people in so many different departments will be making decisions based on their understanding of these standards.

There are five categories of standards to address:

1. Operational Identity: Review the mission statement of your operation. Here you should find a thoughtful expression of values, business goals and your desired culture. Does it include your position on insuring the safety of the food you serve and/or the health of the customers you serve. Would you want to be a customer of a food service operation that does not prioritize your personal safety?

2. Legal: Do you have a written statement covering the understanding of the two legal principles, Strict Liability & Constructive Knowledge. Are all your managers aware of the legal, business and personal implications related to foodborne illness? They should be and it's easily accessible. > Understanding the Law

3. Facility & Equipment: Does your operation have a set minimum standard for the location, equipment and supplies for handwashing stations? Are these standards in writing? Convenience is an important criterion to include in your standard. Handwashing stations must be inviting to use - easily accessed, reliably equipped, easily supplied, well lit and easy to clean.
   Many older operations have barriers to hand hygiene. This is no excuse. There are things that can be done to improve on any existing situation. Put your improvement priorities in writing. Visit: Best Practices, Getting Started

Visit TouchReady™ Surfaces early in the planning process to help define easy to clean surface choices.

4.   Process: Does your operation have clear guidelines for acceptable handwashing (frequency and technique)? Handwashing and gloving frequency will vary by meals served - the number, the food and task change requirements. Review your processes and complete the WIN handwashingforlife frequency guide to help you develop handwashing frequency targets for your employees.

Once these standards are established and reporting is in place, the ranges can be adjusted in a process of continuous improvement.Establishing good handwashing technique is difficult because everyone knows how to wash his/her hands. WRONG! Practices need to be properly learned and tested for optimum results. Consider it a MUST that every employee be certified in handwashing knowledge and skills.

This is easier than you might think. Visit: Learning Center  Public Restrooms: It is becoming increasingly common for food service workers to use public restroom facilities during their shift (ie. restaurants located in shopping centers). These facilities are NOT in the control of the operator. Require any worker who uses public restroom (for any reason) to properly wash their hands on return to the work site.

5. ServeReady™ Hands: Hands, bare or gloved, that are not likely to transfer an infectious dose of pathogens that cause foodborne illness. They are hands that are continuously returned to safe levels of bacterial and viral contaminants through processes that insure proper handwashing, sanitizing and gloving (frequency, technique & materials).

Bare hands will always have some level of bacteria, as resident bacteria are part of our immune system. Transient bacteria and viral contaminants are common. Neither hands nor gloves can be sterilized. Monitoring actual levels of pathogens is not technically practical. ServeReady Hand are normally ones which have been recently washed. Additional interventions of sanitizing and gloving provide added levels of safety.

Washing effectiveness should be periodically verified by washing off a tracer chemical using your standard process and checking for areas poorly cleaned via a UV light source. Achieving a ServeReady standard requires an understanding of accountability and continuous effort by all those involved in foodservice.The information available at handwashingforlife.com is designed to help you and your employees minimize the risk of foodborne illness. Visit: Learning Center

ANSI is the American National Standards Institute, the North American partner to the International Standards organization (ISO), the UN standards development group. To have a standard certified as an ANSI standard is to say that ANSI has certified that the standard itself follows the appropriate documentation regimen, and has the appropriate checks and balances to assure its integrity. It provides for universal recognition in our global marketplace .

Leadership Company:

NSF International, The Public Health and Safety Company, is an independent, not for profit organization providing food and water safety standards for over 55 years. For further perspectives on the importance of standards, [visit them].