The FDA Food Code & Restaurant Handwashing Rules

Dirty hands are some of the worst offenders in the spread of foodborne illness. The first step every restaurant owner should take to prevent the spread of bacteria within the kitchen is to install a hand sink at each applicable area of the building, giving staff the opportunity to wash their hands each time it's required. Taking a common sense approach to handwashing procedures will go a long way, but the FDA food code has laid down restaurant handwashing rules that explain where restaurant handwashing sinks should be located and how they should be used.

Where Sinks Should Be Located

Providing employees with convenient access to a handwashing sink is essential to ensuring proper handwashing procedures can be followed. So, where should sinks be available for foodservice workers? Part 5-203.11¹ of the FDA food code states there must be at least one hand sink inside or at the entrance to the food prep area, and it must be located "to allow convenient use by employees in food preparation, food dispensing, and warewashing areas." That same part of the code also stipulates a hand sink be located inside or "immediately adjacent to" toilet rooms. Each of those sinks must always be kept accessible to employees any time they need to use it.

Where to Wash Your Hands

It's nearly as important to avoid washing hands in the wrong sinks as it is to wash hands in designated sinks – but where are you allowed to wash your hands? Sections 2-301.15² and 4-501.16³ of the Food Code state that staff are prohibited from washing their hands in warewashing sinks, food prep sinks, service sinks, and mop sinks. Simply put, foodservice employees should only wash their hands in dedicated handwashing sinks. In addition to potentially causing cross contamination, failure to adhere to this rule can result in health inspection violations.

There are dozens of different styles of commercial hand sinks available to establish recommended handwashing practices in your operation. Very busy kitchens benefit from a multiwash hand sink that enables two or more employees to wash their hands at the same time. Drop-in hand sinks are installed in worktables and countertops, while wall-mount sinks are affixed directly to a wall. The latter type is the best choice where space is limited and it's necessary to have a handwashing station that won't take up a great deal of room.

Go the extra step and ensure employees don't have to touch anything to get their hands clean. This can be accomplished by installing hands-free sinks, which can be commercial hand sinks with touchless faucets or faucets with knee valves or foot pedals. To avoid contaminating recently cleaned hands in commercial kitchens without touchless hand sinks, foodservice employees can use a clean paper towel to turn the faucet off and open the door. Foodservice workers should never touch the faucet, door handle, or other unclean surfaces with the same gloves used to prepare food.

The FDA Food Code also stipulates which supplies must be stocked at handwashing sinks.

Section 6-301.11⁴ states that there must be hand soap – either liquid, powder, or bar – available at every sink or set of sinks.
The next section of the code specifies operators must also give staff a hygienic way to dry their hands, whether that's paper towels or a hand dryer.
Finally, FDA restaurant handwashing rules state operators must post a sign near each washing sink that reminds employees to wash their hands. Handwashing signs are available in English, Spanish, and with illustrations.

How to Wash Your Hands

The following procedure is adapted from the FDA's Retail Food Protection: Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook⁶ and outlines the steps employees should take each time they wash their hands.

Rinse hands with warm, clean running water.
Apply soap to hands and rub vigorously for at least 15 seconds with particular attention to the areas between fingers, under fingernails, wrists, and forearms.
Rinse hands thoroughly under clean, warm running water.
Dry hands and arms with approved paper towel or hand dryer.

When to Wash Your Hands

After training staff on how to wash their hands, teaching them when to wash their hands is essential to ensuring food safety in your operation. Also adapted from the FDA's hygiene handbook, the following list details when foodservice workers should wash their hands.

Each time they enter the food prep area.
Before putting on a new pair of gloves.
Before performing any food prep task.
Before touching clean food equipment or serving utensils.
When moving to a new task.
When preparing to handle ready-to-eat food after handling raw food.
After touching soiled dishes, utensils, or equipment.
After touching any part of the body other than clean hands.
After visiting the restroom.
After coughing, sneezing, or nose blowing.
After eating, drinking, or using tobacco.
After touching or caring for a service animal.
After handling or caring for aquatic animals including mollusks, shellfish, and crustaceans in display tanks.

Resources

Food Code 2017. US Food & Drug Administration. Accessed July 2021.
FDA Food Code Part 5-2
FDA Food Code Part 2-3
FDA Food Code Part 4-5
FDA Food Code Part 6-3
Retail Food Protection: Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook. US Food & Drug Administration. Accessed July 2021.